The thrill of the grill

MANILA, Philippines – The flame! The sizzle! The irresistible aroma! No other cooking method delights all the senses more than grilling, especially when almost everyone is looking forward to frolicking on the beach, or simply enjoying the company of friends at a poolside barbecue party.

Truth be told though, many people still have a fear of grilling. So what’s the secret to cooking perfectly grilled meat? Monterey, the meat shop that has become synonymous with “meats you can trust” for over 40 years, offers the following grilling tips:

First things first. When cooking outdoors, do not use a gas grill if possible; use charcoal instead. Even for a wood fire, use hardwood charcoal or briquets. Gas often leads to outdoor fire accidents.

Plan ahead, don’t rush. Start your fire a good half hour before cooking. The fire is ready when all coals are already whitish gray and glowing.

Control the heat. Once the coals are glowing to your satisfaction, do a hand test. For grilling meat, the fire should be quite hot; it’s ready when you can no longer hold your hand a few inches above the grill for more than a few seconds.

Spread them out. Once all the coals are lit, spread them out around the bottom but not all in one uniform layer. Whether you’re grilling steaks, fish fillets, a whole chicken or a roast, pile coals higher at one end and leave them sparse in at least one area to allow for a lower-heat zone.

Meat, meat, meat! Ask any chef the secret to perfect grilling and they’ll say “Meat, meat, meat!” For superior quality meats, look no further than your friendly neighborhood Monterey Meat Shops. Their meat products come from grade-A animals raised on feeds, supplements and vaccines supplied by Monterey to ensure leaner, superior quality meats.

Monterey meats are kept fresh with a one-of-a-kind blast-chilling process to halt the growth of bacteria and lock in freshness and nutrients through the different stages of fabrication, preparation and delivery by refrigerated Monterey delivery trucks to its distribution network across the country.

Season it right. The key to bringing out the flavor when grilling meat is to salt the cuts two times: once before you cook and again after cooking. Give it a generous dose of salt and pepper immediately before grilling; otherwise, the moisture is drawn out of the meat. After cooking, slice the meat and season it again with salt and pepper to taste.

Know when it’s done. Judge doneness through look and feel; use visual and tactile evidence then remember the cues the next time you’re grilling. Accumulate experience, exercise patience, and before you know it, you’ll be thinking like a chef.

Use only the best. The cornerstone of any chef’s philosophy is insistence on obtaining only the safest, highest quality and freshest meats possible. Monterey knows that consumer trust must be earned and it has, for over four decades, maintained its fine reputation. Monterey meat products undergo the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point System or HACCP, an international, preventive quality management system designed to identify and prevent any potential hazards in food. With Monterey meats, the Filipino consumer can indeed be assured of quality meals. So get grilling!