Jewish Odysseus: MY GRILLING JIHAD--I

Friday, March 30, 2007

MY GRILLING JIHAD--I

I have what I like to call a "caveman grill"--an old wheelrim, with rocks on the bottom, over which I spread out both wood and hardwood charcoal. It has no moving parts, just a grate that lasts 1-2 years before I need to get a new one. I found a wide lid for an old broken-down wok, and I use that as the cover--it fits just right.

Oh, I also have a larger propane grill, but I tried this primitive style a few years ago and never looked back. We have oak, hickory and birch trees in our yard, so we always have plenty of good wood for the grill. However, if we go for too long without rain, the wood gets dry--I need to soak it or it'll burn too fast. I use the charcoal to extend the length of the cooking time. For wood alone, it can cook hot for ~25 minutes, but with 50/50 charcoal it will cook hot for ~45 minutes.

I love using this primitive system for new grilling challenges. It is like my own little jihad, a noble struggle to fashion refined and delicious creations using crude tools. Occasionally I am opposed by the elements, adding an additional layer of challenge. But these are just hurdles by which God helps me make the most of the grilling abilities he has given me.

A few months ago I grilled a standing rib roast, ~5 pounds. We made an onion/rosemary/parsley rub to start:

As you know, rib roast is a fatty cut, so we had to worry about flareups. What I did in this case was to construct a drip pan by folding up some aluminum foil. I put the pan in the center of the bottom of the grill, and then put the wood and coals around the drip pan, on the perimeter. This enabled the large roast to be cooked evenly all the way around, the fat to drip down without flaming, and plenty of great smoke circulation. I turned the meat for a little time on each side, to get the sides a little crispy. After about 80 minutes (2 batches of coals and wood), here was the result:

And what is rib roast without some horseradish sauce? Along with wine, rice pilaf, and asparagus, it was a great dinner!

My grilling jihad was successful--Baruch haShem!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...: Only a man would think this was a great roast phil. lol

chase; April 15, 2007 at 6:29:00 PM PDT
Jewish Odysseus said...: Well, Chase, I sincerely hope the only time I see your posts will NOT be to insult the chef!

What's wrong w/that roast?!; April 15, 2007 at 7:38:00 PM PDT

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The Odyssey by Homer, Chapter 21:

For long Odysseus stood with the bow in his hands, handling it as a minstrel handles a lyre when he stretches a cord or tightens a peg. Then he bent the great bow; he bent it without an effort, and at his touch the bow-string made a sound that was like the cry of a swallow. The wooers seeing him bend that mighty bow felt, every man of them, a sharp pain at the heart. They saw Odysseus take up an arrow and fit it to the string. He held the notch, and he drew the string, and he shot the bronze-weighted arrow straight through the holes in the back of the axe-heads. Then as Eumæus took up the axes, and brought them outside, he said, ‘Thou seest, lord Telemachus, that thy guest does not shame thee through foolish boasting. I have bent the bow of Odysseus, and I have shot the arrow aright. But now it is time to provide the feast for the lords who woo thy lady mother. While it is yet light, the feast must be served to them, and with the feast they must have music and the dance.’ Saying this he nodded to Telemachus, bending his terrible brows. Telemachus instantly girt his sword upon him and took his spear in his hand. Outside was heard the thunder of Zeus. And now Odysseus had stripped his rags from him and was standing upright, looking a master of men. The mighty bow was in his hands, and at his feet were scattered many bronze-weighted arrows.