Spice Rack Rosemary

Spice Rack: Rosemary

In our first few Spice Rack posts, we’ve covered the basics used in grilling – salt and the various varieties for peppercorns you can use in grilling. Now, we’re moving on to some more specialized herbs that can make a delicious impact on even just a plain piece of grilled meat. Leading us off – Rosemary.

Originating out of the Mediterranean, Rosemary has had quite the long history – dating back to around 500 B.C. where it was used by both Greeks and Romans alike in medicine and cuisine. Although it’s evolved into primarily a cooking herb, many natural folk remedies still use it medicinally as well. › Continue reading

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Pepper to Perfection

Spice Rack: Pepper to Perfection

Pepper is one of the most important spices in the world. Throughout history, it was one of the first spices used; hunts for peppercorns led to exploration of the New World and it was even a form of currency at some points. Today, Spice of Life lists it as the most traded spice in the world, with an average American eating about ¼ lb. per year.

In grilling, peppercorns are a grill master’s best friend. A properly peppered steak doesn’t really need any sauce, dressing or marinade. Peppered steak and chicken regularly appear on menus around the world and being able to make these successfully at home can bring sophistication and refinement to any dinner table. In addition, the Food Lover’s Companion states, “Because it stimulates gastric juices, it delivers a digestive bonus as well.”

The key to good peppering is to know the difference between the various types of peppercorns and the flavors they provide. The Food Lover’s Companion describes “the world’s most popular spice” as a berry that grows in grapelike clusters on the pepper plant. This berry actually produces three different types of peppercorns – black, green and white; the difference between the three types is actually a product of when they’re picked and how they’re processed.

Remember, ground pepper (all varieties) is made from peppercorns. If you’re really keyed in to making phenomenal grilled meals, grinding whole peppercorns for fresh ground pepper will deliver better flavor to your finished plate.

Black Peppercorns

Black peppercorns are picked when the berry is not quite ripe. It’s dried until it shrivels, which is when the skin turns black. The flavor is actually the strongest of the three types, with the most heat. If you’re grinding for use in a rub, Steven Raichlen’s Barbeque Bible advises that you want a coarse grind for grilling, so you should set your mill to the largest grind setting. Black peppercorns are also called “cracked peppercorns” and are the type used in the popular French dish, Steak Au Poivre.

Green Peppercorns

This type of peppercorn is also picked from the pepper plant when the berry is still unripe. They’re usually a little softer and are often preserved in brine (although in some cases, they’re freeze dried). They possess some aromatic heat, but they’re less pungent. The flavor is often described as more “fresh”. Since the flavor is fresher, they’re more commonly used with vegetable and fruit dishes so they don’t overpower the food.

White Peppercorns

This last type of peppercorn made from the pepper plant berry is picked when the berry is ripe. The skin is removed and then it’s dried, lending to the difference in color. White is the least pungent of the three types and is often used with extremely light dishes, both for a light flavor and its distinctively light appearance on the plate – so you can avoid things like having little black flakes messing up the presentation of a beautiful piece of white fish with cream sauce.

Other Types

There are several other types of peppercorns that are used in certain types of cooking, including pink peppercorns used commonly in French cooking from the Baies Rose Plant and Szechuan peppercorns (also Sichuan) from the prickly ash tree used in

Asian cooking. These specialty peppercorns are usually more expensive and are often only available through specialty stores.

In addition to different types, many popular spice companies will sell a peppercorn blend (also called rainbow peppercorns) that mixes various types to impart a variety of flavors. These can usually be found at your regular grocery store and make a great addition to your spice rack because they’re an easy way to add a complex flavor profile to your food. They’re also good to have because they usually include pink peppercorns that are typically more expensive and harder to find.

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Easing Off Salt

Spice Rack: The Secrets of Easing Off the Salt

Of all the seasonings you can use in cooking, salt is undeniably the most common. Even the most complex dishes cooked by master chefs can taste bland if they don’t use just the right amount of salt. Yet, we’re constantly told that salt is bad and we need to stay away from it as much as possible. So how do you use it correctly if you’re trying to cook better for your family?

When using salt in grilling, you want to use a good salt for the job. Table salt is a crystal form that’s been purified during processing, but this purification actually takes out some of the flavor that you’re trying to add as you salt food.* As a result, you end up using more salt to get the seasoning level you want. Instead, you can use Kosher salt or sea salt, that would require less salt to achieve the same level of seasoning.

Another trick to using less salt is to season food just prior to grilling. If salt or any other seasonings being used for sprinkling or dry rubs are left too long on your food, they will already begin to breakdown and interact before the food ever touches the grill – think back to chemistry class that you’re mixing two substances and reactions will start to take place immediately. In this light, you’re not getting the flavors you were trying to add. Instead of seasoning and leaving food to sit, season just before you place it on the grill. Also, make sure to always brush off any excess that can actually burn and stick to the outside, affecting taste.

On the subject of dry rubs, if you have time to do a dry rub with a selection of spices and seasonings just before you grill, you can blend several different flavors into a unique profile. This reduces the need for salt. Instead, you’re creating a distinct flavor profile where salt is merely a part of a combination of seasonings, rather than the sole flavor-adder.

Some people think you can salt to seal in juices, but this is mostly a myth. Adding dry salt as a rub will actually react with meat to dry it out, rather than keep juices in.§ If you over-salt, you end up with a tough outer shell on meat that is sometimes mistaken for the same result you get from searing at high temperatures. Whereas seared meat keeps the juices locked in with a caramelized outer coating, an over-salted piece of meat will actually be as dry on the inside as it is on the outside.

In truth, searing is really the answer to sealing in juices and flavor. Unlike the tough outer coating that salt creates, searing creates a caramelized outer coating that actually adds to both the texture and flavor of your food. Simply set your grill to the highest temperature possible and grill meat for just a few minutes on each side to lock in the flavor before cooking through.

The common misconception of using salt to seal in juices is actually a misunderstanding of a prep technique – brining. Brining a piece of meat is a process where you soak it in salt water for several hours prior to grilling. This allows both the salt and the added water to soak inside your food, rather than simply trying to coat the outside. This will keep meat juicier, but requires more time and effort to do. If you decide to brine, use Kosher salt. For healthier grilling though, if you have the time to brine, we’d recommend using a marinade.

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* Raichlen, Steven. Barbeque Bible.

§ http://www.answers.com/topic/grilling-1

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