Barbecue - July 19, 2004

When I married, my wife came equipped with a big kettle Weber barbecue. It’s olive green, and came in a barbecue cart, vintage 1965, that my father-in-law had received as a sales incentive when he worked for GM.

Grilling for me at that point was very limited. Hot dogs over a fire, the occasional s’more, but that was it. Now, I had this cool grill, and I decided to use it.

I don’t remember my family barbecuing much when I was growing up, so I didn’t past history to tap into. So, I did the only reasonable thing. I bought a book.

I started at the used book store, and came across the Better Homes and Gardens Barbecue Book, which had large, colored pictures of 50’s era families chowing down on food that made my arteries harden by looking at it. Circa 1959, it recalls a time that I vaguely remember (I was born in ‘63), when no one counted calories or watched their cholesterol. My personal favorites from this book are Flavor Baked Beans, which take 2 1/2 hours in the oven, and Dennis Day’s Steak Sauce, (Dennis Day was a singer who appeared on the old Jack Benny show. I checked with my mother) a soy based sauce which I have used on everything. I’ve used some of the other recipes as well, and all have been good. You should be able to find a late 50’s or early 60’s edition at your local used book store, or check Half.com on the internet. It’s worth the few bucks it’ll cost.

The other book that I refer to all the time is Weber’s Big Book of Grilling. It’s a great reference that I fall back on even when I’m not using a recipe. For instance, I was grilling some Ahi Tuna that was pre-seasoned from Trader Joe’s. I just wanted to know how long to grill it which the book told me. (3 to 4 minutes per side over high heat without the cover). The tuna was excellent, and the grill worked well.

In Ventura, there are two place I recommend for meat, both on Main Street in Mid-Town. Frank’s Meat Market by the Pacific View Mall has an excellent meat counter and friendly staff. Jue’s Market, by Ventura High, also has good meat, and since it’s a block from my house, I often pop in there when we have an unexpected guest. They also have excellent, store made sausage.

Still. if I plan far enough in advance, I’ve found the meat (especially tri-tip) to be excellent at both Costco and Sam’s Club. The price is also very reasonable. They are both located off the 101 in Oxnard, and if your coming to Ventura from LA, you can swing in quickly.

Stay away from the meat at Vons and Smart & Final. It just doesn’t seem to have any flavor.

If you plan to barbecue alot, go get yourself a Weber. Using charcoal is far more satisfying than gas, and if you follow the advice of one of the two books above, you’ll be fine.

Also, I use an electric charcoal lighter. Though I don’t get that giant “whoosh” of flame that lighter fluid provides, my food doesn’t taste like lighter fluid either.

Wood chips, such as mesquite or hickory, also add a nice flavor to food, without adding any calories. The smokiness and a good marinade create something you just can’t get inside.

I have some other barbecue books, too, but the ones I listed above are the most versatile.

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