One of the great aspects of being involved in writing about BBQ is that I get to meet lots of people.  Most of which know a great deal more than I do about outdoor cooking.  One of the people I have had the privilege of getting to know is Barry “CB” Martin.  Barry is responsible for the  outstanding Char-Broil website “Sizzle On The Grill.” Barry likes to pretend he knows very little about cooking but he’s really quite knowledgeable and more importantly Barry is willing to share that knowledge.

Recently while attending Memphis in May I got a chance to see Barry in action.  His take on the use of “oils” in grilling is educational and a little different than what I’ve always thought was the norm.  With his permission I have republished his extensive treatise on “oil.”

What you’ll see is an explanation on the various oils he uses followed by his personal comments in blue.–The BBQ Grail

If you are a regular reader of Sizzle on the Grill you may have noticed I usually mention in recipes or online posts that I ’spritz’ meat with a bit of canola oil prior to grilling.  There are a couple of reasons I use this oil and why I spritz the meat, not the grates. First of all, unless the grates are being seasoned, the oil will burn off the grates before I place meat on it.  The oil serves a purpose of helping to rapidly transfer heat from the grates to the meat.  The seared meat proteins release when they are ‘done’ or brown and the oil merely facilitates this.   The second reason is because ‘grilling’ for me usually means I’m searing at a higher temperature, say 500F degrees or higher, before finishing at a lower temperature and I want an oil that will be OK for the higher heat. There really aren’t any that are both great for this high heat AND affordable. After testing a variety of oils I settled upon Canola for it’s generally higher temp capacity and  affordability.

Generally speaking, when frying or grilling I like to use oils which are flavor neutral.  I don’t want to add flavor to the grilled meat from the oil – especially from the oil incinerating at the higher temperature I use when grilling!  Depending upon the technique used to prepare the food I will use different oils because they have specific characteristics which enhance the food flavor. For example, I never use Extra Virgin or cold-pressed oils to cook with – grilling or other wise.  When extra virgin oils are exposed to heat they tend to burn quickly and turn bitter.  I use these primarily as a ‘top dressing’ of flavor on grilled meats after cooking, much the way I  might use a compound butter.

NOTE: I want to be very upfront about the content presented here. To write this post I have borrowed extensively from the exhaustive and comprehensive efforts by Andrew Grygus on the subject of oils. His work is published at www.clovegarden.com. Much of the specific information about oils is edited excerpts from his work and my comments are in blue after the information. The cooking oil Smoke Temperature & Composition chart at the bottom of the post is 100% his work.

As for all of this fuss I’m making about oils – let me fall back to my default philosophy about grilling and cooking: “If you are happy with the results you are getting, then keep doing things the way you do! YOU are the chef. But if you are interested in getting different results, this advice may be useful to you.”

My 3 most favorite grilling oils

1. Canola Oil:
“Canola” is an invented name (Canada + oil) for genetically modified rapeseed (technically, “low erucic acid rapeseed”). Rapeseed/Canola is a member of the mustard/cabbage family. Unmodified rapeseed is high in erucic acid which has caused heart lesions in animals so is considered unfit for food. The genetically modified (by breeding, not gene splicing) canola version has under 2% erucic acid and is approved by the FDA.  The smoke point of canola oil (400°F/200°C for refined oil) tolerates higher temperatures for frying and grilling  and the taste of canola oil  is unobtrusive so it can be used as a general purpose oil like grape seed oil or peanut oil. Canola oil is considered one of the more “heart friendly” oils, having a very high percentage of monounsaturated fats (though not as much as Olive Oil) and a very low percentage of saturated fats. In the past I’ve purchased spray cans of this oil as they are useful for ’spritzing’ meat. I’m switching to a mechanical spray device that I fill. It’s cheaper in the long run and less waste in the landfill.

2. Grape Seed Oil:
This is promoted as an excellent all-around frying oil because it has a very high smoke temperature (480°F/250°C for refined oil) and is highly resistant to breaking down. Once again, be aware of gourmet “cold pressed” or “virgin” oils which will smoke at a much lower temperature. With its unobtrusive flavor, grape seed oil can be used for Chinese stir fry in place of peanut oil called for in many recipes. Grape seed oil is higher in polyunsaturates than some other oils but has a high anti-oxidant content so it resists rancidity better than many vegetable oils. One caution: it’s a fast drying oil so you want to clean up splatter right away because cleaning will be a lot harder in a few days. On the other hand, this makes it very good for seasoning bare steel and cast iron cookware. I brush this oil on fish when I am going to grill it flesh side to the grates. It’s a bit pricey so I don’t use it for everyday grilling.

3. Safflower Oil
Safflower is a member of the sunflower family, but its oil is even higher in polyunsaturated fat and lower in saturated fat than sunflower oil. This extreme composition means it does not solidify when refrigerated, which has made it a favorite for production of salad dressings. It also has a very high smoke point, 510°F/265°C. A very useful oil unless you are one of the growing number that suspects polyunsaturates are evil. This is a relatively inexpensive oil and I use it sometimes, but the convenience of canola in the spray cans has been hard to beat. As I’m changing that habit, perhaps I’ll use more Safflower oil in the future.

I can already hear you saying out loud: “Hey CB! What about olive oil – you know, EVOO and all that business I hear on the TV food shows!”

Olive Oil
Here we have the king of both cooking and salad oils with a range of quality and flavors we associate with wine. The finest olive oils do tend to come from areas famed for wine – of these, Italy and California  generally produce the top oils. Italians import huge quantities of olives from Spain and Greece, so Italian oil isn’t guaranteed made from Italian grown olives. Olive oil should be stored in a cool place and out of direct sunlight. In tightly sealed glass bottles it will last up to a year but should be discarded after that. If stored below 50°F/10°C it will become cloudy, and if refrigerated it will become positively murky, but it will be unharmed and will clear up if allowed to rest at a warmer temperature.

The grades of olive oil can be quite confusing to many consumers, but the only two most Americans really need to deal with are Extra Virgin and Pure Olive Oil. The grades are quality grades, not flavor grades, and within any particular grade there will be wide differences of flavor depending on maker and country of origin. The grades are:

• Extra Virgin is cold pressed (first pressing) oil with 1% or less oleic acid. Use this oil for salads, condiments and other low temperature uses to preserve the flavor you are paying for. I buy some good stuff and use it on meats after they are grilled…drizzling just a small amount on the salty crust of lamb or beef is DEE-LISH-US.
• Fine Virgin is cold pressed oil with 1.5% or less oleic acid. Use the same as Extra Virgin for salads and condiments.
• Virgin is cold pressed oil with 2% or less oleic acid – used for salads, cooking and low temperature frying (up to 320°F/160°C).
• Semi-Fine Virgin can have oleic acid as high as 3.3% and is best used for cooking and low temperature frying.
• Lampante Virgin can have flavor defects and oleic acid higher than 3.3% and is not used for direct human consumption but rather as feed stock for making refined olive oil.
• Pure Olive Oil (also called just “Olive Oil”) is generally a blend of 85% refined oil and 15% virgin oil. It’s a good general cooking oil for use at higher temperatures than virgin oil (up to 410°F/210°C) and accounts for 80% of the oil consumed in Spain and Portugal. I use this on meats I will be slow roasting or smoking.
• Refined Olive Oil is virgin or second pressing oil refined to remove flavor defects and high acidity. The final acidity is 0.3% or less and it has no characteristic olive oil flavor. It is a good cooking oil that can stand higher temperatures than virgin oils.
• Light or Mild olive oil is filtered to remove much of the olive oil flavor, and is in some cases a blend of olive and other oils. These products are sold mostly to the “health conscious” at “value added” prices. “Light” refers to flavor and it has just as many calories as any other olive oil.
• Pomace Oil is olive oil extracted with heat and solvents from the crushed residue left from making better grade oils and is then refined. It lacks any olive oil character and is rare in the consumer market, though groceries serving ethnic populations may have it. Most is sold to commercial food processors who use it because it is low cost and can stand higher temperatures than any other olive oil but can still be listed as healthful “olive oil” in the ingredients (in truth, the health benefits of olive oil are uniform throughout the quality grades).
• Olive-Pomace Oil is pomace oil blended with some virgin oil to improve flavor. This is usually found in gallon cans in ethnic groceries catering to Mediterranean and Near Eastern populations. It can stand higher temperatures than any other olive oils except straight pomace oil. I purchase large cans of this blend and use it in pan saute and sometimes for grilling meats.

Usage Guidelines for Olive Oil:

• Extra Virgin is used for “drizzling”, for condiments, salad dressings and other low temperature applications where a distinctive olive oil flavor is desired. It can be use for very low temperature frying and braising but will lose its distinctive flavor if overheated. What did I tell you!
• Pure Olive Oil is a superb multi-use oil. Use it the same as Extra Virgin wherever the distinctive flavor of ExV would overwhelm. It can be used for all moderate temperature sauté and braising applications and for moderate temperature deep frying, anything below 400°F/200°C. Too pricey for general grilling and the flavor is lost in the heat! Why pay for flavor if you aren’t using it?
• “Lite” Olive Oil where you want to avoid polyunsaturated oils but want a flavorless oil. Effectively, it’s the same as Pomace olive oil but “filtered” rather than “refined” so the price is a lot higher.
• Pomace and Olive-Pomace is used for intense deep frying with temperatures even up to 450°F/235°C. You can also use it as you would “Lite” olive oil if the word “refined” doesn’t scare you. I buy large cans of this at the ‘Cash & Carry” where the small restaurants shop. It’s perfect for everyday saute work and some grilling!
• Olive Canola Blends seem a way to make a cheaper oil and still use “olive oil” on the label. A decent moderate temperature frying oil (to 400°F/200°C) with little or no distinctive olive oil flavor. Certainly healthier than corn or soy oil (way lower in polyunsaturates) but less durable (higher oxidation factor) than pure olive oil for deep frying. What’s the point? Just use canola oil – it’s cheaper!

General thoughts on the ‘over use’ of Extra Virgin Olive Oil by many folks.

If you are using oils like Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Sesame, etc. on meat for marinades or prior to grilling and don’t feel you are getting the results I present – may I inquire as to the additional spice and spice heat you enjoy? Often times folks using EVOO also use a great deal of spice in the preparation of meat for the grill. First off – the subtle flavors of the finer quality olive oil is lost in all that spice, so why bother?  Second – because the spices will generate heat, when the oil burns and turns bitter – it isn’t noticed.  Once again I ask: Why spend the money on fine oil when you aren’t really enjoying it’s benefits?  Add a drizzle of the ‘good stuff’ after the cook!

Oils I use sparingly:

Peanut Oil
Peanuts are actually legumes (beans) rather than nuts, so general comments about “nut oils” do not apply. Peanut oil is called for particularly in Chinese cooking because its light flavor does not detract from the flavor of quickly stir fried ingredients and its high smoke point lends it to that style of frying. I find “house brand” peanut oil in gallon jugs and 5 gallon cans at a local restaurant supply store, but substitutes like grape seed oil are now available everywhere (peanut is lower in polyunsaturates). I have a small bottle of this, but it’s pricey these days. I use it during the final 15 minutes or so on turkey in The Big Easy just for the sake of ‘tradition.’

Butter
Whole butter is a mix of fats, milk solids and moisture derived by churning cream until the oil droplets stick together and can be separated out. Butter is high in saturated fats which cause it to be solid at normal room temperature. Whole butter can be used only at low temperatures because included milk protein solids brown and then burn easily. Overheated butter loses much of its flavor and severely overheated butter will be bitter. Is there anything better than a pat of butter, maybe with some garlic in it, placed on top of a perfectly grilled steak? If I am using a very low BTU portable gas grill, I might use butter on the meat as a fail-safe to ensure they get some ‘grill’ marks. They aren’t really seared, because the temperature never gets hot enough – but they look good and the butter is browned a bit, not burnt!, and that adds to flavor.  I do not recommend using butter on meat prior to grilling over charcoal, on a higher powered gas grill and most definitely NOT with infrared grills!

Clarified Butter is butter that has been warmed until it is liquid. Any residue that floats to the top is skimmed off and discarded, the clear oil is poured off and the solids that sink to the bottom are discarded. Clarified butter can be used at a higher temperature than whole butter and is resistant to rancidity, but it does lack much of the flavor of whole butter. During the winter months, when I’m cooking more indoors, I keep a pan of this handy for cooking eggs. In a pinch I’d use it for grilling, but it’s kinda risky – it will burn!

Walnut Oil
While the smoke point of refined walnut oil is reasonably high (400°F/200°C), this oil is far more commonly found as an “unrefined” oil which should be used for lower temperature frying and salad applications because taking it too high will destroy the flavor you paid extra for. I have a small bottle of walnut oil that I enjoy drizzling on grilled veggies. Tasty, yes – but it’s expensive!

Avocado Oil
Here we have a real smoke point champion (520°F/270°C). If you want to sear meat quickly, or some other very high temperature application, this is the way to go. It is also a very healthy oil with a profile similar to Olive Oil. Unfortunately, it’s not commonly available. Too pricey to use on a regular basis.  I haven’t purchased a bottle in years – usually the one I have in my pantry is a holiday gift!

Sesame Seed Oil
Sesame oil is pressed from tiny sesame seeds and is available in several distinctly different varieties based upon the amount of roasting time for the seeds. Store these relatively perishable oils in a cool place away from light in tightly sealed containers and they should last up to 9 months.  I primarily use this oil for a finish flavoring after cooking – when I want a subtle reference to Asian flavors. It’s great on grilled beans or in a glaze brushed on chicken, pork or fish in the final moments of grilling. I would not use it on meat pre-grilling because it will burn and taste nasty.

Smoke Temperature & Composition

Please note: all temperatures and percent figures are approximate and vary with growing conditions, plant varieties, animal feed processing, storage conditions and many other factors.

This table and most of the information contained in this post is sourced directly from www.clovegarden.com and was compiled by Andrew Grygus

Every year the Pacific Fisherman Shipyard holds a BBQ for it’s workers, families, friends.  This year not only was the annual BBQ held on World MOINK Ball Day but the crew of the Northwestern attended after repairs were made to the boat. The Northwestern is featured every week in the hit TV show “Deadliest Catch.”

Barry “CB” Martin of Char-Broil “Sizzle On The Grill” fame helped cook for the gang and MOINK Balls were a big part of the menu.

Due to some technical difficulties combined with some family issues the announcement of the winner will be delayed until 12/31/2009.  I’m sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

Do you cook your Thanksgiving Turkey outdoors?  If you do and are willing to share your Thanksgiving experience with the readers of the BBQ Grail you could win a prize.

The contest rules are quite simple.  Cook your Thanksgiving Day Turkey outdoors.  It doesn’t matter how you cook it as long as it’s cooked outdoors.  You can fry it, smoke it, grill it you can even cook it in a dutch oven.  It just has to be cooked outdoors.  When you’re done eating take a few minutes and write a short story on how you did it and send up a couple of pictures.  The pictures need to show you cooking the turkey and a final table picture is also needed.  ( You can send up to five pictures)  If you’d like to include your favorite recipe for outdoor cooked Thanksgiving Day Turkey or a favorite side dish feel free to do so.

One Grand Prize Winner will be selected along with two “Honorable Mention Winners.”

Email your entries to thanksgiving@thebbqgrail.com.  Entries must be received by The BBQ Grail no later than 11:59pm on December 2nd, 2009.   All entries, including pictures, become the property of The BBQ Grail.  All decisions made by the judging team are final and will be based on your submitted pictures and write-up.

The Grand Prize Winner will receive a Char-Broil “Big Easy Oil-Less Infrared Turkey Fryer courtesy of Char-Broil.

Char-Broil’s new infrared oil-less turkey fryer is the safe way to fry your turkey. And because it uses NO oil, it’s healthier, too.  Prepare your turkey with the same injectable marinade you already use, or use seasoned rubs on the outside, which is not an option with traditional fryers. Cooks a turkey from start-to-finish just as quickly as oil-frying without the messy clean-up.

Take The Big Easy Virtual Tour to see how the infrared heat circles the cooker to penetrate the meat evenly and seal in juices. The result is a bird that’s moist inside and crispy outside but without the risk, hassle or added fat and calories of oil. Safely cook a turkey (up to 16 lbs.) or chicken in about 8 to 10 minutes per pound. Roasts and most other large cuts of meat cook for slightly longer.

The Big Easy includes a cooking basket, basket lifting handle, and meat thermometer and features:

• Enclosed burner design with 16,000 BTU’s
• Rotary Ignition
• Cool-touch handles
• Pull-out grease tray
• Stainless steel cooking chamber

Honorable Mention:

One Honorable Mention Winner will receive an autographed copy of "Asian Grill" by Corinne Traing

Another Honorable Mention Winner will receive an autographed copy of "Everybody Grills"

The Judges:

Corinne Trang:

An award-winning cookbook author, expert on Asian cuisines and cultures, beverage and food consultant, lecturer, spokesperson, chef, recipe developer, and lifestyle writer. A frequent radio and television guest, she is the chief east coast correspondent for America’s Dining and Travel Guide (Business Talk Radio).

Her first cookbook, Authentic Vietnamese Cooking (Simon & Schuster, 1999) won Best Asian Cuisine Book in the World and Best Book on Asian Cuisine in English at France’s Salon International du Livre Gourmand (The 2000 World Cookbook Fair). It was also awarded Best of the Best of 1999 by Food & Wine magazine. Her second book, Essentials of Asian Cuisine (Simon & Schuster, Feb. 2003), which covers Chinese cuisine and its influence on the major cuisines of Asia including Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, has already received much praise from the press including starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly and Cook’s Illustrated. Since then she’s published The Asian Grill (Chronicle Books, 2006), A Food Lover’s Companion: Vietnamese (Mark & Spencer, 2007), and the recently published Noodles Every Day (Chronicle Books, 2009). In addition to writing her own cookbooks, Trang has contributed to many others including Curry Cuisine (Dorling Kindersley, 2007), Saveur Cooks Authentic American (Chronicle Books, 1998), Saveur Cooks Authentic French (Chronicle Books, 1999), and The Encyclopedia of Food & Culture (Scribners & Sons, 2003).

Bob Devine:

Since the explosion of BBQ restaurants in New York a few years ago,I have worked as a Pit Master in the NYC and surrounding area, and have been around BBQ since the early 1980′s.. I started of on a 22 1/2 Weber, smoking a turkey the day I opened the boxed, and havn’t looked back since. Turkey is still, to this day, one of my favorite meats to smoke
I’ve graduated somewhat to commercial smokers, as well as mobile smokers.. Some of the equipment I’ve used in the past, and up to this present day ares Southern Pride: SPK500, SPK700, various mobile units, as well as other electric and gas models. Old Hickory: CTO’s, SSJ, various mobile units. Cook Shack: 300 series, 250 series. J&R Oylers: 700 series, 1000 series, and the 250 RFS  Alto Sham “cook and hold” models. Various wood burning, “mobile” units, used for festivals, street fairs, catering and competitions; to include: Lang, Meadow Creek, Stumps, Spicewines, Traeger, Fast Eddies, and many custom made models

I’ve worked at the Big Apple BBQ, on a couple of teams, and, as recently as the 2009 Big Apple BBQ, was hired by a new team to the event, to organize, set up, and cook, for their initial time at the Big Apple BBQ. I also engage in Competitive BBQ as a team member for various teams, as well as being a Certified Barbecue Judge at those events.   Am also well versed in “on-site” BBQ catering for all types of affairs, to include whole hog, surf and turf, and various smoked meats to include ribs, briskets, pork butts, chicken, and other meats.

Barry “CB” Martin:

It’s been my pleasure and honor to write the Sizzle on the Grill newsletter for more than 5 years and I have enjoyed every minute! Recently I was honored to be asked to create  recipes and write the informational pages of the new cookbook from Char-Broil called Everybody Grills.

I am not a professionally trained chef, although I have worked in a variety of restaurants and cultivated an appreciation for fine cuisine as a head waiter and wine steward at both French and American restaurants. The bottom line is I’m just a guy who really enjoys cooking and serving food to his friends and family. When I write about recipes for grilling, smoking or Q’ing…it’s because these are recipes I prepare. Now I expect there are many folks who are better cooks than me…and certainly you may be one of them. I just try to share some of my experiences to (hopefully) encourage you to take on the challenges of grilling, or Q’ing or smoking food that pleases you and delights your friends and family. I cook what I enjoy eating and I’m always interested in expanding my understanding and appreciation of food!

Dr. Gonzo:

What led this inventor of the (seen on TV) “Jiffy Home Lobotomy Kit”: just insert the stainless steel icepick behind your ear and stir in a circular motion until all your problems and worries dissapear…, proud founder of Spruce Up Yours Landscaping International LLC, this high powered Washington lobbyis, tirelessly fighting for our rights to carry concealed Kazoos, this former lead accordion player of a Maraca Rock and Roll Revue (until he was exiled from Columbia after an alleged affair with Juan Valdez’s burro), to dabble in the world of spicy comestibles? Maybe we’ll never know the reason for his shift in focus. All we can hope for is that he will continue to weave delicate textures, tastes and heat profiles in an effort to liberate us all from a world burdened by Bland.

Now, contrary to popular opinion, this iteration of Dr. GONZO is not (and never has been) a 300lb Samoan attorney. He is (and will continue to be) the traveling professor of Advanced Mixology and Arcane Aviation Physics at Hardknock University. Home of the Fighting Black and Blue Humping Lumper Marching Band; that not only carries the instruments in tight formation across the rugby pitch, they also carry the people that play the instruments in tight formation across the rugby pitch, and the (oh, so hard to get on) Intramural Cross Country Pruning Shear Relay Team, where we take running with scissors to the next level…

Stay tuned to YouTube’s DrGonzosCondiments <http://www.youtube.com/user/DrGonzosCondiments> channel for behind the scenes footage of Dr. GONZO’s ‘Secret’ Underground lab, Xtreme Grilling Team and early failed  high volume production experiments of our “World Famous” Peppermash. Yes, sometimes the best humor involves the failings of another so, have a giggle at our expense.