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Expert Tips Outdoor Living
Direct vs. Indirect Grilling
The weather is cooperating, the grill is clean, the food is prepped and you're ready to get your grill on! Before you throw a “shrimp on the barbie” you might want to ask yourself if you are grilling your food properly. Not all foods are best grilled the same way; you've got direct and indirect grilling.

When you grill with direct heat you place the food directly over the heat source. In order to achieve even heat distribution, you should turn the food halfway through the grilling time. You want to keep the lid of your grill down during cook time only lifting to turn food or to check the doneness and prevent overcooking. Direct heat grilling is ideal when cooking food like: hot dogs, steaks, chicken breasts, vegetables, fish and pork chops.

As the name suggests, indirect heat is when food is grilled with the heat source not directly from underneath the food. Heat is able to circulate within the grill once the lid is closed, almost like a convection oven, allowing you to slow cook and roast your food. Foods such as beef roasts, ribs, whole chickens and turkeys are great choices for grilling with indirect heat.
 
Visit MySOURCE to get some inspiration on how you can dream up your outdoor living space. Pair a hot new gas grill with a cool beverage center from BrandSource to create the perfect centerpiece for outdoor gatherings. Let the experts at your local BrandSource store assist you with personalized service and professional customer care.
5/11/2009 12:08:39 AM back to top Print Printer Friendly Version
Outdoor Grilling Tips

Cooking meals in your outdoor kitchen space is a great way to spend quality time with family and friends. Just because you consider yourself well-versed in all things grilling doesn’t mean that you couldn’t use a little “refresher” on the basics, right? Don’t worry, we won’t tell. . .

  1. A grill should always be pre-heated a minimum of 10-15 minutes before food is placed on it. Follow the recommendations for preheating provided in the grill's owner's manual.
  2. Rub the grilling surface with vegetable/canola oil or spray with non stick cooking spray before grilling to prevent food from sticking.
  3. Use a thermometer to determine if food is properly cooked and/or if it is about to be overdone.
  4. Use proper utensils like forks to lift fully cooked foods from the grill and tongs or turners to turn them (forks can puncture the food allowing juices to escape).
  5. Keep the lid closed with the exception of turning the food and checking the cooking status. Each time you lift the lid you lose heat and add minutes to cooking time.
  6. After grilling large cuts of meat, cover with foil and allow to "rest" for approximately 10 minutes before cutting.
Design your outdoor kitchen with grilling essentials and refrigeration products from BrandSource that will have you going from simply summertime barbecues to grilling year round. BrandSource stores offer all the major brands and we’re your source for low prices, large selection and personalized service.
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Top 5 Grilling Safety Tips
Using your outdoor grill can be a fun, simple, healthy alternative to cooking in your kitchen. According to the Propane Education & Research Council, four out of five U.S. families now own a grill, and most people barbecue at least once a week during the summer – that doesn’t take into account those of us who grill year round.

Although using an outdoor grill
is not complicated, proper operation of the unit including preparation, should not be taken lightly. Safety First! Here are the Top 5 safety tips to consider the next time you grill:

•  Location, location, location – position your grill at least 10 feet away from the house, walls of buildings or any branches or shrubbery.
•  It's never o.k. to bring a grill indoors – not even into a garage or large tent. This poses a fire hazard as well as carbon monoxide poisoning.
•  Never leave your grill unattended.
•  Keep kids and pets away from grilling area until grill has completely cooled.
•  Check gas connection between propane tank and fuel line to make sure there are no leaks (grill instruction manual should tell you how to check).
 
Visit our Inspiration Gallery for a peek inside some innovative outdoor living designs. Make your outdoor kitchen from BrandSource a combination of form and function - get the perfect centerpiece for backyard gatherings and summer barbecues and grill foods that make a statement. The experts at BrandSource can answer all your questions and deliver personalized service.
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