The picture on the left is what the paint looked like when the RED was brand new.  The picture on the right is what it looks like now.

I wish there was a fix for this because it’s going to get harder and harder to know where the heat should be set.  What’s a shame is that the Char-Broil RED grill rocks.  It cooks like no other gas grill I’ve ever used.  The fact that a small detail like paint can overshadow all the good stuff this grill can do.  I’d still recommend this grill to anyone, but it can’t stand up to California weather you need to consider the paint issue in your buying process.

I participate in the Sizzle On The Grill Forum run by Char-Broil.  One of my favorite Char-Broil products is the Big Easy Smoker Roaster Grill because of the cooking versatility.  One of the discussions on the more interesting uses I’ve seen for SRG was for dutch oven cooking.  In most cases the dutch oven is inserted all the way into the SRG.  My first thought was how un-viable of a process this was.  It takes only a few pieces of charcoal to heat a dutch oven and my fear was that it would be take a great deal of propane to to keep the dutch oven up to temp.  I was wrong…

My son wanted some Jambalaya for dinner this past weekend so I thought I would give the dutch oven/SRG combination a try.  Although I was really hoping it would work, I didn’t think it would.

I’ve used my 14 inch dutch oven and it fit perfectly right in the top of the SRG.  My fear was that it would take a long time to actually heat the dutch oven up to a temperature where I could actually start to cook.  I was surprised at how fast it did get up to cooking temperature.

The SRG works through infrared science.  There is a propane fired heat source at the bottom of the chamber which heats up in between the inner chamber and the outer casing.  The process works fantastic for cooking meats, I knew that, but it also works heating up cast iron.  Works like a charm.

Since I don’t have a dutch oven “table” the SRG allowed me to cook without having to keep bending down to tend the Jambalaya.  My knees aren’t as young as they used to be and being able to cook with the dutch oven at almost waist high was a great advantage.

The andouille sausage, pork sausage and bacon were the first things to hit the pan along with 1/4 cup of home rendered pork fat, courtesy of my good friend Rob over at Into The Flames.  Once the sausage and bacon were rendered and browned I added the chicken.  When the chicken was browned the bell pepper, celery and onions were added.  The smell was simply fantastic.  There is no other way to describe it.

Once all the meat and veggies have been cooked it was time to add the tomatoes, chicken broth and rice to the mixture.  By this point in the cook I was beginning to sense a successful meal.

I used a recipe from My New Orleans: The Cookbook by John Besh.   (I cut the recipe in half) One of the great techniques I learned from this recipe was how to cook the shrimp to perfection.  Once the rice was done I removed it from the heat, stirred in the raw shrimp and put the lid back on.  After waiting 10 minutes we were ready to eat. 

If you are at all interested in “New Orleans” cuisine then the John Besh cookbook is a must for your library.  It’s full of great recipes and stories about growing up in New Orleans.  The jambalaya recipe was the best I’ve ever eaten.  Get the book and give it a try.

Shrimp, Chicken, and Andouille Jambalaya

By John Besh

My New Orleans: The Cookbook

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds bacon, diced
• 3 pounds andouille sausage, diced
• 1/2 cup lard
• 2 pounds fresh pork sausage, removed from casings
• 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, roughly cut into 1-inch pieces
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 6 large onions, diced
• 4 bell peppers, seeded and diced
• 10 stalks celery, diced
• 12 cloves garlic, minced
• 9 cups converted Louisiana white rice
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 3 tablespoons pimention de la Vera or smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon celery salt
• 6 cups canned crushed tomatoes
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 5 pounds Louisiana white shrimp or other wild American shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3 bunches green onions, chopped

Directions:

(BBQ Grail Note: The directions for the recipes in the cookbook are the best part.  Not only does Chef Besh provide you with detailed instructions but he also spells out the timing of doing the cooking.  He also explains the WHY of the cooking process.  Something very, very helpful and educational)

First, you’ll need to heat a very large pot 3-5 gallons) over high heat until it is hot, then reduce the heat to moderate.  This will allow the heat to be uniform all over, preventing those little hot spots that are likely to burn.

Render the bacon with the sausages and the lard in the hot pot, stirring slowly with a long wooden spoon or a spade.  While the pork is rendering, go ahead and season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.  Add the chicken to the pot, stirring, and cook until the chicken becomes golden brown, about 5 minutes.

After the chicken as browned, add the onions to the pot and all them to caramelize, about 15 minutes.  Add the bell peppers, celery, and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes.  Continue stirring from time to time so that everything in the pot cooks evenly.

Next add the rice, thyme, bay leaves, pimention, cayenne, 2 tablespoons salt, 1 tablespoons black pepper, and the celery salt to the pot and cook, stirring often for 3 minutes.

Increase the heat to high and add the tomatoes and chicken stock to the pot,  Bring the stock to a boil.  Reduce the heat do medium low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

While the rice is cooking in the covered pot, season the shrimp with salt and pepper and save them, along with the green onions, to be added at the last minutes.

After the rice as simmered for 15 minutes, go ahead and remove the lid from the pot and fold int he shrimp and green onions.  Turn off the heat and let everything continue to to cook in the hot covered pot for an additional 10 minutes.  Remove the lid, fluff the jambalaya and serve.

Some of the recipes may come directly from the cookbook, but more than likely Betty’s recipes will be our inspiration.  That’s the case with the tortilla soup we fixed for Sunday dinner.

The original recipe calls for a mixture of herbs and spices but since we already had “Mexican Blend” from Morton & Bassett Celeste decided to just work with it.

I roasted the chicken in my Char-Broil Smoker Roaster Grill the day before.  Seasoned it with the “Mexican Blend” with most of the seasoning going under the skin.  The hope was to impart some of the flavor into the meat prior to putting it in the soup.

The Smoker Roaster Grill uses infrared to “fry” your food without the use of oil.  The SRG is the newest version of Char-Broils “Big Easy.”  Last night we used it to grill skirt steak and acorn squash.  There’s a lot of versatility with the appliance.  I know Char-Broil says it’s fried but I think chicken comes out much more like the rotisserie chicken you buy at the grocery store that tastes so good.

The simplicity of cooking on the SRG is one of the biggest attractions.  Season whatever your cooking, turn on the SRG and drop the basket in.  Just let it cook.  After a little while you’ve got the nicest food you could ever hope for.  In this case it was golden brown chicken with nice crispy skin.

After cooling I pulled the breast meat off for the tortilla soup and the thighs and legs when into the freezer for another time.

Mrs Grail’s Tortilla Soup

Adapted/Inspired by Sunday Soup by Betty Robottom

Ingredients:

• 8 cups Chicken Broth
• 2 large cooked Chicken Breasts cut into 1″ pieces
• 2 Yellow Bell Peppers, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/2″ pieces
• 2 28 oz cans Diced Tomatoes (one can well drained)
• 1 tablespoon Morton & Bassett “Mexican Blend”
• 2 teaspoons Cumin
• 1 1/2 tablespoon minced Garlic
• 1 1/2 cups chopped Onion
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 1/2 teaspoons “Art of Chipotle” Gourmet Paste
• 6 to 7 tortillas
• Sour Cream
• Cilantro
• Lime wedges

Directions:

In a large heavy bottom pot or dutch oven sautee the onions in olive oil until they have softened.  Add garlic and cook for an additional minute.  Add Chipotle paste, “Mexican Blend, cumin, tomatoes and chicken broth.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.  Puree the soup.  You can use a blender, food processor or other appliance.  We used an immersion blender to puree the soup right in the pot.

Bring the soup to a simmer over medium heat and add chicken and peppers.  Cook through until the peppers are tender.  The original recipe calls for raw chicken pieces, if you do this just make sure the chicken pieces are throughly cooked before serving. 

Cut tortillas into strips and fry to crispy. 

Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with sour cream, cilantro and tortilla strips.

I cut the squash into slices and seasoned them with Char-Broil’s new “All Purpose Rub.”  It has a nice herbal flavor with a good dose of rosemary.  I knew this would compliment the squash nicely.  After grilling the squash on the first side it was flipped and glazed with a mixture of 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons of honey and 1/2 teaspoon of Instant Gourmet “Butter Blast.”  If you don’t have the “Butter Blast” you could substitute 1 or 2 cloves of garlic that has been pressed and finely chopped.  Before you take the squash off the grill flip it back over and glaze the other side. 

I’ve used the “All Purpose Rub” twice now.  The first time was on chicken and this time on the squash.  When Char-Broil says “All-Purpose” I think they nailed it.  This is a nice all around seasoning.  I’ve got a couple of additional ideas in mind for this rub.

The skirt steak was seasoned with Char-Broil’s “Brisket Rub” and grilled to a nice rare/medium rare.  Toss in a baked potato and we had a nice, simple and easy dinner.

This is what the paint should look like on the panel. And on the control panel for the actual grill area the paint is still perfect.

However, the paint on the panel that controls the sideburner is coming off. It will only be a couple more cleanings and I won't have any idea where the settings are.

I attempted to get an official response from Char-Broil but as of this time they have not responded.

Brand new on the 26" Weber Kettle

Seasoned and working on the Char-Broil RED gasser

As best as I can tell you can use the Grill Grates on just about any outdoor cooking device.  I fell in love with them immediately.  Great looking grill marks are not the only reason to use Grill Grates and I’ll address those later on, but first the grill marks.

A double cut pork chop was first up for testing the grill marks.  One challenge I’ve always had was when I cranked up the heat to get a good searing grill mark I’ve over cooked the meat.  Take a look at this pork chop, I was sure hoping I didn’t screw-up this great piece of meat.

After French cutting the bones I dried the chops and gave it a light coat of olive oil.  I also sprayed the Grill Grates with a light coating of non-stick spray.  The chop was seasoned with a little Simply Marvelous Season All and placed on the pre-heated Grill Grates.

NOTE:  Brad Barrett, creator of Grill Grates said he gets a lot of calls from RED users about clogged pin holes and smoking with the Grill Grates.  I have yet to experience clogged pin holes but I found if you pre-heat your Grill Grates on the “Sear” setting for just a couple of minutes and then turn the heat down to half you won’t get the the smoking.  I think the key to success is to not keep the heat cranked up high on the RED grills.

Check out the grill marks on the finished meal!

Does a great job on a pork burger

Grill marks on boneless chicken breasts without drying out.

But it’s not just about great grill marks.  What I’ve discovered about using them is meats cook much more evenly.  I’ve found I can get the meats to cook evenly at a little lower heat.  This was apparent more on the Weber kettle with charcoal than the Char-Broil gas grill.

When using charcoal I have a tendency to just light up a chimney and dump it in.  When using this technique it’s hard to control the temperature and that leads to flare-ups and food not properly cooked.  The raised rail design keeps the juices from the meat from dropping directly onto the heat source and this keeps flare-ups from happening.

According to the Grill Grate website the science behind the product makes them unique:

• GrillGrate panels eliminate flare-ups and act as a heat shield to protect foods from burning and drying out.
• Juices sizzle in the valleys and steam back up into the food for juicier more flavorful grilled foods.
• The raised rail design delivers perfect sear marks every time
• Grilling is healthier as fats drip through the holes and burn up on the bottom of the GrillGrate not on the outside of your food. Charring is also prevented.
• The GrateTool coupled with the raised rail design make it much easier to grill and handle fish, vegetables and pizza.
• GrillGrates smooth out grill hot spots for more even cooking.
• The hard anodized panels provide enhanced cooking via conduction, convection and infrared.
• Hard anodized finish is 2x harder than stainless steel and will never rust.
• GrillGrates season with use.
• Easy to wipe clean on the grill or in the sink with sponge or brillo.

There are few products that come along that provide as many great features AND work as advertised as Grill Grates.  To find out more about Grill Grates or to purchase the product use the link directly below.

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Check out some of the true gentlemen of BBQ at Pork Barrel BBQ

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

Robyn happened to swing by the Char-Broil area as we began one of the Char-Broil All-Star Pork Smackdowns.  She sent me a couple pictures she snapped of us.

I'm the hard working pork prepper in the blue shirt adding my secret seasoning to my pork loin. Mike Hedrick (center) and Julie Reinhardt also prepare their pork so they can compete.

Here Julie and I share a little break while our pork loins smoke roast in the Char-Broil Big Easy Smoker Roaster Grill.

"What do you mean Mike won the first smackdown?"