Chef Schwab's Grill Tips For Memorial Day Weekend

I'm sure a lot of you out there were something else before you became an agent. Well i was a chef  for over ten years and along the way havemastered my craft. So here are some of my tips for grilling over the holiday weekend! Memorial Day is considered the "official" jumpstart to summer. It marks the end and the beginning of many rituals. Students count down the minutes until school is out for the summer. Public pools open for the season. Boots are kicked off in search of sandals and flip flops. But most importantly, it's the start of grilling season! Let's go back to the basics so your evenings filled with charcoal and wafts of smoke give you the moistest, tenderest, most delicious food yet.

• Preheat your grill: No matter what your poison is, charcoal or gas, always preheat the grill to the highest heat possible. This burns off the cheese or teriyaki sauce leftover from last night's feast. It also opens up the pores on the surface of the grates to prevent tonight's food from sticking.

• Brush your grates: Once the grates are hot, use a grill brush to flake off the burnt bits. These old black pieces will alter the taste of your next meal. No brush on hand? Use a wadded up piece of aluminum foil in the tip of your tongs as a substitute.

• Oil your cuts: Lightly oil any non-marinated cuts of meat or veg. With the pores opened from the preheating, sticking shouldn't be an issue. But just in case, add a small bit of oil to everything going on the grill. It will also give the seasoning something to stick to.

• Direct or indirect heat: Grilling with the lid open is direct heat. Grilling with the lid closed is indirect heat. Most cuts of meat, steak, fish, chicken, kabobs, all are best grilled with direct heat: lid open. Veggie packets and grilled pizzas are best with indirect heat: lid closed. Closing the lid allows food to steam. Your big, juicy t-bone is screaming for the direct heat.
• Grill marks - 10 and 2: To achieve those restaurant quality diamond shaped grill marks, pick an odd shaped spot on the edge of one side of the meat and remember it. Place that spot at 10:00 on the grill. Flip the meat over, leaving the spot at 10:00. Flip back over, moving chosen spot to 2:00. Flip over once again to the last side, placing your chosen spot at 2:00. Moving back and forth from side to side ensures the juices aren't sitting in once position for too long. Timing between flips depends on thickness and choice of meat.
   
• Be patient: Once you've removed your meat from the grill, lightly season one more time and let rest. Loosely cover the meat with a large piece of aluminum foil, don't crimp edges as this causes steaming. Let stand for 10-15 minutes. No peaking! This allows the juices to evenly redistribute throughout the meat.
  Now that you've made it this far, your meat should be juicy, evenly cooked, well seasoned, and have beautiful grill marks. It's time to enjoy!
  
  If you'd like any recipes don't hesitate to ask as i have 1001 recipes stuck in my head :)
  
  
  
   

Increasing your homes value by having a green thumb

Today it's gonna hit close to 70 degrees here in Denver and tonight it's gonna snow!!!!!!! I absolutely love living in a place where the weather changes day to day or even hour to hour. I grew up in southern California where there are no seasons and the same rang true in Hawaii. The tricky part about this weather is when to put winter stuff away (ie shovels, jackets, snow tires) and when to bring out the gardening supplies kiddie pools and fishing poles (although I did ice fish this year but that'll be in another blog). Gardening is one of my favorite spring time activities because there is nothing like planting fruits, vegetables, and herbs to eat throughout spring. Not everyone realizes this but that bountiful garden, flowers, and bushes you maintain year to year bring what we call "curb appeal" to your home So now you ask yourself what is "curb appeal"? Well "curb appeal" is what's gonna make a buyer choose your house to that one down the street that needs a new lawn and has no landscaping. One of the first things a buyer will see is the outside appearance of a home and a well-maintained landscape and manicured lawn is a great first impression. It is much easier said then done maintaining your yard takes a lot of hard work and time but it is very rewarding if done right. Make sure to talk to your local nursery about planting times and plants which are native for your region. Do research on when vegetables need to be planted and harvested for a bountiful harvest. I promise if you put in the time and research it takes to give your home "curb appeal" it'll payoff in the end