There are two sure-fire ways to tell that summer has arrived. Of course, in the South, we have continuous days of soaring temperatures. And then there are the weekend grillers, the enticing aromas wafting on their smoke from their gas or charcoal grills.

I recently visited a young couple who invited me to their first party of the summer. They entertained on their deck and served from the grill. The steaks were delicious, but the chicken was a little under-done, and the ribs were tough. They made the mistake of trying to cook the chicken and ribs over direct heat -- the hot coals directly under the food.

My remedy for that dilemma is to push the hot coals to the sides of the grill, place an aluminum pan between the two piles of coals to catch the drippings, and place the food over the pan. That way you create a veritable convection oven, allowing the chicken to bake and still get the great smoky flavor of the charcoal and the ribs to cook low and slow, assuring their succulent tenderness that is so palate-pleasing.

When I plan to cook on the grill, I start prepping the day before. I make a marinade for the meats that packs a flavor punch. I pour the concoctions over the meats in a Ziplock bag and let them soak in the tenderizing, flavor-enhancing goodness for 24 hours.

I have also gotten great grill results using rubs. When I use rubs, I put them on the meat about five or six hours before grilling. Most rubs contain salt, which can leach the moisture out of meats, causing them to be dry when cooked. So, I limit the time I leave them on meats before cooking. I have found that after about six hours, rubs start countering the natural juiciness of meats.

After applying marinades of rubs to meats, place them in the refrigerator, and let them do their work of flavoring and tenderizing. Remove the meats from the refrigerator about half an hour before cooking to allow them to come to room temperature.

Oil the grill grate before placing it on the grill and let it heat. After it heats, using tongs and an oil-soaked cloth, I put one more coating of oil on the grate before I place the meat on it to prevent it from sticking to the grate.

Using the indirect heat method in conjunction with marinades and rubs, I have always gotten tender, juicy, mouth-watering meats from my grill. Try it for your 4th of July celebration, and stand back and enjoy the compliments.

Here's to a great Fourth!



Marinade for meats

1 cup soy sauce

1 cup olive oil

1/4 cup white vinegar

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped ginger root

2 large cloves of garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

Place all ingredients in a blender, and blend to liquify. Pour marinade over meats in a Ziplock bag; squeeze out the air and close the bag. Massage the meat in the bag, making sure that the marinade is distributed to all the meat. Place the bag in a bowl and put it in the refrigerator for 24 hours, turning the bag about every six hours. This recipe is enough for up to five pounds of meat.



Rub for meats

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup salt

1 tablespoon (or more) black pepper

1 tablespoon ground thyme

1 tablespoon paprika

2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons onion powder

Mix all ingredients well and massage into meat. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for up to six hours before cooking.

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