First, I use a full-size Weber. I know lots of guys with seventy-five thousand dollar built-in gas grills who can't cook on them to save their lives. I know it can be done, but they (nor I) can seem to figure it out. But I digress...
One of my favorite dinners is a good dry-rubbed steak (rib-eyes are a fantastic choice); grilled lime and feta corn on the cob; zucchini with or without new potatoes.
Start the Weber with a full chimney of charcoal or get your pretend grill as hot as hades before you get started. Only grill when the coals are white everywhere. Spread them around the sub-grate vigorously - there should be enough to cover it completely, about 1.5 coals deep. All three vents should be open underneath.
Place the food grate on, then the lid with the vents open completely. A few minutes later, you should have a very hot grill. Now is the best time to use a brass brush on it to get the last meal off of it. Once all the dregs are knocked off and you can see shiny metal, fetch a half onion, doused with a liberal amount of olive oil. Using a good pair of tongs, place the onion face down on the grate and scrub it again. This will go a long way to keeping the food from sticking. That, and heat.
The corn should be shucked, rinsed (or whatever) and then rewrapped in the husks, which you've hopefully set aside. Some guys will put olive oil on the corn before wrapping it, but I have started to go completely au naturale with good results. Use a few strands of husk tied end-to-end or free string from your friendly butcher to secure the husks back over the corn. It should cover the corn several layers over, but neatness isn't imperative because you're looking for some searing.
Around now, you're going to do something dangerous, but important. You're going to move those red-hot coals to one side of their grate. This will do two things for your cooking - one side of the grill will be used to sear food, the other will be for continuous beyond-broiling convection.
The corn goes on first. Right over the hottest part of the grill where those coals are stacked up. Put the lid back on - vents 100% open - and go get the steaks and another beer. About four minutes later, you'll remove the lid and turn the corn over. You'll do that four times or until the (once green) husks literally begin to smoke. On the beer, I'm going to advocate for Dogfish 90 Min. Imperial IPA or Titan IPA.
But I'm getting ahead of myself (on the corn, anyway). The rub with rubs is that you don't have to plan ahead. It's kinda cheating, but not like cheating on your spouse cheating. Anyway, it's an easy crowd-pleaser way of doing it.
Move the corn over from its second rotation to allow the steaks to sear for two minutes per side (or so, depending on thickness). You want to lock the juices in, and get some grill marks. The meat should easily release from the grill when the moment is right.
Now the corn can go back over where it was and sear some more while the steaks move half-on, half-off the hottest part of the grill. Depending on how you like them and how thick they are, you should have between four and six total cumulative minutes per side (including the initial searing bit) - tops. You want them to get some of the smoke from the husks and possibly the wood chips you might've added at some point.
This summer, I used liberal amounts of Bradford pear branches on my coals. Not chips, but actual somewhat green branches. Smoky and fantastic. Better on chicken though.
Last is the zucchini. I go simple. Halve them down the length, drizzle with olive oil and fresh-cracked pepper and grill face down first (about 1 minute) on the direct heat) and then curvy side down for another two. Zucchini is better near raw, so don't overdo it and don't put them face down more than that first time.
You should actually be getting worried about the corn now, because it should be reaching its flash-point. If the corn bursts into flames, I've accomplished what I set out to do. Let the steaks settle on a good plate. If you didn't do a rub, I like a handful of sea salt tossed on the steaks at this moment precisely.
The corn, still sinfully hot, should now be drizzled with fresh lime juice and literally buttered with feta cheese - which will melt if your corn is hot enough. Crack white or lemon-pepper over the corn and be done with it.
Pair Malbecs or Cabs with this dish.
One of my favorite dinners is a good dry-rubbed steak (rib-eyes are a fantastic choice); grilled lime and feta corn on the cob; zucchini with or without new potatoes.
Start the Weber with a full chimney of charcoal or get your pretend grill as hot as hades before you get started. Only grill when the coals are white everywhere. Spread them around the sub-grate vigorously - there should be enough to cover it completely, about 1.5 coals deep. All three vents should be open underneath.
Place the food grate on, then the lid with the vents open completely. A few minutes later, you should have a very hot grill. Now is the best time to use a brass brush on it to get the last meal off of it. Once all the dregs are knocked off and you can see shiny metal, fetch a half onion, doused with a liberal amount of olive oil. Using a good pair of tongs, place the onion face down on the grate and scrub it again. This will go a long way to keeping the food from sticking. That, and heat.
The corn should be shucked, rinsed (or whatever) and then rewrapped in the husks, which you've hopefully set aside. Some guys will put olive oil on the corn before wrapping it, but I have started to go completely au naturale with good results. Use a few strands of husk tied end-to-end or free string from your friendly butcher to secure the husks back over the corn. It should cover the corn several layers over, but neatness isn't imperative because you're looking for some searing.
Around now, you're going to do something dangerous, but important. You're going to move those red-hot coals to one side of their grate. This will do two things for your cooking - one side of the grill will be used to sear food, the other will be for continuous beyond-broiling convection.
The corn goes on first. Right over the hottest part of the grill where those coals are stacked up. Put the lid back on - vents 100% open - and go get the steaks and another beer. About four minutes later, you'll remove the lid and turn the corn over. You'll do that four times or until the (once green) husks literally begin to smoke. On the beer, I'm going to advocate for Dogfish 90 Min. Imperial IPA or Titan IPA.
But I'm getting ahead of myself (on the corn, anyway). The rub with rubs is that you don't have to plan ahead. It's kinda cheating, but not like cheating on your spouse cheating. Anyway, it's an easy crowd-pleaser way of doing it.
Move the corn over from its second rotation to allow the steaks to sear for two minutes per side (or so, depending on thickness). You want to lock the juices in, and get some grill marks. The meat should easily release from the grill when the moment is right.
Now the corn can go back over where it was and sear some more while the steaks move half-on, half-off the hottest part of the grill. Depending on how you like them and how thick they are, you should have between four and six total cumulative minutes per side (including the initial searing bit) - tops. You want them to get some of the smoke from the husks and possibly the wood chips you might've added at some point.
This summer, I used liberal amounts of Bradford pear branches on my coals. Not chips, but actual somewhat green branches. Smoky and fantastic. Better on chicken though.
Last is the zucchini. I go simple. Halve them down the length, drizzle with olive oil and fresh-cracked pepper and grill face down first (about 1 minute) on the direct heat) and then curvy side down for another two. Zucchini is better near raw, so don't overdo it and don't put them face down more than that first time.
You should actually be getting worried about the corn now, because it should be reaching its flash-point. If the corn bursts into flames, I've accomplished what I set out to do. Let the steaks settle on a good plate. If you didn't do a rub, I like a handful of sea salt tossed on the steaks at this moment precisely.
The corn, still sinfully hot, should now be drizzled with fresh lime juice and literally buttered with feta cheese - which will melt if your corn is hot enough. Crack white or lemon-pepper over the corn and be done with it.
Pair Malbecs or Cabs with this dish.