Wizard Recipes

The USDA recommends that all meat be cooked until well-done (160°F) to kill any bacteria that could cause illness. We sometimes recommend cooking temperatures that are below this figure, because some meat tastes best cooked medium-rare or medium.

Food-borne illnesses are relatively rare and usually affect only infants, the elderly, or people with weak immune systems. The degree to which you cook meat is a matter of personal taste, but also keep in mind for whom you are cooking.

Roasting

There is only one way to guarantee that meat is roasted to the desired doneness: Use a meat thermometer. Always insert a thermometer into the center or thickest part of the roast without touching any bone or fatty sections.

Boneless roasts are tied to help them keep their shape during roasting. In our recipes, we sometimes place boneless roasts on a rack in the roasting pan so the heat can circulate under the meat, preventing the meat from cooking in its juices. Not all boneless roasts need to be cooked on racks, however.

Tenderloin and some loin roasts cook so quickly that they don’t have time to create juices. Rib roasts and other bone-in cuts come with their own natural builtin racks. Always remove a roast from the oven when it reaches 5° to 10°F less than the desired temperature, as the temperature will continue to rise as the meat stands.

It is not necessary to cover the meat; the density of the hot roast will keep it from cooling too quickly. A foil tent would only trap the steam and soften the roast’s delicious crusty exterior.

Panfrying and Sautéing

These fastest of cooking methods yield quick, tasty results. Before sautéing, pat the meat dry with paper towels so it can easily brown. Be sure to use a heavybottomed skillet so the heat is conducted evenly.    We don’t advise using a nonstick skillet; its slick surface inhibits the formation of a good crust. And don’t crowd the meat in the pan or it will steam instead of brown.

Cook over medium-high to high heat to sear the meat and give it rich flavor.

Braising and Stewing

Few dishes satisfy as much as a long-simmered stew or braised pot roast. The key is to be patient when slow simmering tough cuts of meat: It takes a long time for the collagen in the meat to melt and for the meat to become fork-tender. The key word here is “simmering.”

Tip: Do not let the liquid cook at more than a slow simmer or the meat will end up dry and tough.

Braising is usually done in a Dutch oven: a sturdy pot with a tight-fitting lid and a handle at each side that can go from the stovetop to the oven (and directlyto the table if you like). Enameled cast-iron Dutch ovens are somewhat expensive but can last a lifetime. Old-fashioned, less expensive cast-iron Dutch ovens work equally well.

Broiling and Grilling

These dry-heat cooking methods are close “cousins.” In broiling, the heat source is on top of the food, while in grilling, the heat source is below. Whether broiled or grilled, the food gets caramelized from the intense heat, which greatly contributes to its flavor. To make up for the lack of delicious smoky flavor when broiling, we like to use a flavorful marinade or dry rub.

Always preheat a broiler on high for about ten minutes. Stoves with separate broiling units have adjustable broiler racks that enable them to be positioned as close to or as far away from the heating element as desired. Electric ovens that double as broilers are problematic.

There is usually only one upper-rack position that is close to the heating element, but it is sometimes farther away than the ideal distance. This makes preheating especially important.

Carving Meat

Steaks and roasts benefit from a resting period before being served. This allows time for the internal juices to get redistributed throughout the meat, making the meat juicy and firming it for easier carving.

Steaks should be transferred to a warm platter to keep them from cooling off, but they only need to stand for a minute or two before being served. Average-size roasts (about three pounds) should stand for ten minutes, and larger roasts for up to fifteen minutes.

For safety’s sake, it’s a good idea to place a towel under the carving board to prevent it from moving. Always carve with a sharp thin-bladed knife and use a two-tine meat fork to steady the roast. Carve across the grain, not parallel to the fibers of the meat; this produces  shorter fibers, making the meat more tender.

FINE - TUNING THE  FIRE

Coals are ready when they are about 80 percent ash gray. To test the heat, hold your palm above the coals at cooking height (about 6 inches): If the fire is low (above 200°F), you’ll be able to keep your hand there for 5 to 6 seconds.

If you can bear the heat for 4 to 5 seconds, the fire is moderate (above 300°F). If you can hold your palm over the fire for just 2 to 3 seconds, the fire is hot (above 375°F).

Tapping the coals will remove their ash cover and make the fire hotter. Pushing the coals together intensifies the heat, whereas spreading them apart decreases it. Opening the vents on a covered grill increases the temperature; partially closing them lowers it.

SAFETY  TIPS

• Except for grills intended to be used indoors, always cook in the open air. You’re safe under a carport or in the doorway of a garage, but never use a charcoal or gas grill inside.
• Have a bucket of sand or water near the grill in case the fire gets out of hand.
• Never add liquid fire starter to an existing fire, as the stream of fluid could ignite.
• Keep an eye on the grill at all times, especially when children and/or pets are around.
• Don’t wear scarves or clothing with loose, billowy sleeves or fringes.
• If the fire flares up or food catches fire, raise the rack and spread the coals apart. If necessary, spray the fire with water.
• If you want to coat the grill rack with nonstick cooking spray, do so while the rack is cold.

MARINADES, RUBS, AND SAUCES

When food is cooked by dry heat, marinating and basting help keep it moist. Although the smoky taste of grilled food is naturally delicious, marinades and dry seasoning rubs can add extra flavor.

Marinades are a classic way to flavor food. Delicate foods, such as seafood and boneless chicken breasts, benefit from 15 minutes of marinating and should not be marinated for more than 30 minutes unless directed in the recipe.

Large cuts of beef and pork and bone-in chicken parts should be marinated for at least 1 hour but no more than 24 hours. A marinade can be brushed onto food as it grills, but stop basting 10 minutes before the food is done, or the marinade will not have sufficient time to cook. Discard any leftover marinade.

Seasoning rubs are combinations of spices, dried herbs, salt, and, sometimes, moist ingredients such as mustard, oil, or pureed fresh herbs. The mixture is rubbed onto the food before grilling. Apply the rub 1 or 2 hours ahead for maximum flavor.

Basting sauces, including barbecue sauce, should be thick enough to adhere to food. Sauces containing honey, molasses, or sugar, are likely to burn, so wait until the last 15 minutes of cooking time before brushing them on.

FLAVORING THE  FIRE

In addition to seasoning the food you’ll be grilling, you can also flavor the fire. This works best in a covered grill. Grilling woods are sold in chunks or chips to be tossed onto a charcoal fire or gas grill. Chips require about 30 minutes of soaking; larger chunks should be soaked for up to 2 hours.

Use oak and mesquite for beef and pork, and hickory for turkey, chicken, and pork. Fruitwoods, such as apple and cherry, are mild enough to use with chicken and seafood. If using chunks of wood, add them to the fire at the beginning; place chips on the coals later on.

Whole spices and fresh or dried herbs can be placed directly on a fire if first soaked for 30 minutes

Whether you cook over a shoebox-size hibachi or in a state-of-the-art gas-powered “kettle,” grilling imparts a unique flavor. The intense heat, the smoke, and the pleasure of cooking- and eating -outdoors, all enhance the natural flavor of food.

TYPES OF GRILLS

Charcoal These grills are fueled by charcoal briquettes or natural hardwood charcoal. The simplest is the Japanese-style hibachi, a small cast-iron grill just right for a small patio. For more ambitious grilling, choose a large covered “kettle” grill. Or choose the middle-size uncovered grill, called a brazier.

Gas Gas grills are available with a variety of options, including electric ignition, fuel gauge, extra burners, warming racks, and storage cabinets.

Electric Like gas grills, most electric units have artificial briquettes for authentic smoky flavor. There are large electric grills for the backyard as well as tabletop models.

GRILLING  EQUIPMENT

Grill topper If you like seafood and vegetables, you’ll want a grill topper: a perforated metal sheet or mesh screen that provides a flat surface.

Grilling basket A good option for delicate or small foods. There are fish-shaped baskets for whole fish as well as square and oblong baskets with handles.

Tongs Better than a fork for turning foods, because they don’t pierce the surface and release juices

Spatula Use a long-handled spatula with a heatproof handle for flipping burgers and moving food on a grill topper.

Skewers Long metal skewers are a must for kabobs. Choose skewers with flat shafts, which prevent the food from slipping around.

Basting brush A heatproof handle and a long shaft are musts. Silicone or natural bristles stand up to the heat better than synthetic ones.

Instant-read thermometer Insert it into the food, and the dial gives you a reading in seconds.

Grilling mitts These are long to protect more of your forearm and well insulated to protect you from the heat.

Water spray bottle The kind used to mist plants; adjust it so it shoots a narrow stream to quash flare-ups.

Brass-bristled scrub brush Use this brush to clean the grill rack.

LIGHTING

Gas and electric grills are easy to light; just follow the manufacturer’s directions. A charcoal fire requires a little more work: Spread an even layer of briquettes over the bottom of the firebox, then stack them into a pyramid.

Allow 30 to 40 minutes for the coals to burn down to gray ash before cooking. The following will help you get the fire going:

Chimney starter An open-ended metal cylinder with a handle. Place crumpled newspaper in the bottom, top with briquettes, and light the paper through an opening in the bottom.

Electric starter A loop-shaped heating element with a handle, this device is placed in a bed of briquettes; plug it in and the briquettes ignite.

Self-starting briquettes These are impregnated with starter fluid. A match will ignite them immediately. Don’t add them to a fire that’s already hot.

Solid fire starter Place these waxy-looking cubes in the firebox, pile briquettes on top, and light

Certain procedures are often applied to meats before cooking to add flavor and/or moisture. These include marinating, barding and larding.

Marinating

Marinating is the process of soaking meat in a seasoned liquid to flavor and tenderize it. Marinades can be simple blends (herbs, seasonings and oil) or a complicated cooked recipe (red wine, fruit and other ingredients). Mild mari­nades should be used on more delicate meats, such as veal.

Game and beef require strongly flavored marinades. In wine-based marinades, white wine is usually used for white meats and red wine for red meats. Not only does the wine add a distinctive flavor, the acids in it break down connective tissues and help tenderize the meat.

Veal and pork generally require less time to marinate than game, beef and lamb. Smaller pieces of meat take less time than larger pieces. When marinating, be sure to cover the meat completely and keep it refrigerated. Stir or turn the meat frequently to ensure that the marinade penetrates evenly.

Barding

Barding is the process of covering the surface of meat or poultry with thin slices of pork fatback and tying them in place with butcher’s twine. Barded meat or poultry is usually roasted. As the item cooks, the fatback continuously bastes it, adding flavor and moisture. A drawback to barding is that the fatback prevents the meat or poultry from developing the crusty exterior associated with roasting.

Larding

Larding is the process of inserting small strips of pork fat into meat with a larding needle. Larded meat is usually cooked by braising. During cooking, the added fat contributes moisture and flavor. Although once popular, larding is rarely used today because advances in selective breeding produce consistently tender, well-marbled meat.

Dry-Heat Cooking Methods

Dry-heat cooking methods subject food directly to the heat of a flame (broiling and grilling), hot air (roasting) or heated fat (sauteing and pan-frying). These cooking methods firm proteins without breaking down connective tissue. They are not recommended for tougher cuts or those high in connective tissue.

Broiling and Grilling

To serve a good-quality broiled or grilled product, you must start with good quality meat. The broiling or grilling process adds flavor; additional flavors are derived from the seasonings. The broiler or grill should brown the meat, keeping interior juicy. The grill should leave appetizing crosshatch marks on the meat’s surface.

Selecting Meats to Broil or Grill

Only the most tender cuts should be broiled or grilled because direct heat does not tenderize. Fat adds flavor as the meat cooks, so the meat should be well marbled. Some external fat is also beneficial. Too much fat, however, will cause the broiler or grill to flare up, burning or discoloring the meat and adding objectionable flavors. Connective tissue toughens when meat is broiled or grilled, so trim away as much of it as possible.

Seasoning Meals to be Broiled or Grilled

Meats that have not been marinated should be well seasoned with salt and pepper just before being placed on the broiler or grill. If they are preseasoned and allowed to rest, the salt will dissolve and draw out moisture, making it dif­ficult to brown the meat properly.

Some chefs feel so strongly about this that they season broiled or grilled meats only after they are cooked. Pork and veal, which have a tendency to dry out when cooked, should be basted with sea­soned butter or oil during cooking to help keep them moist. Meats can be glazed or basted with barbecue sauce as they cook.

Cooking Temperatures

Red meats should be cooked at sufficiently high temperatures to caramelize their surface, making them more attractive and flavorful. At the same time, the broiler or grill cannot be too hot, or the meat’s exterior will burn before the interior is cooked.

Because veal and pork are normally cooked to higher internal temperatures than beef and lamb, they should be cooked at slightly lower temperatures that their exteriors are not overcooked when their interiors are cooked properly. The exterior of white meats should be a deep golden color when finishing

Degrees of Doneness

Everyone request and expect meats to be properly cooked to specified degrees of doneness. It is your responsibility to understand and comply with these requests. Meats can be cooked very rare (or bleu), rare, medium rare, medium, medium well or well done.

Larger cuts of meat, such as a Chateaubriand or thick chops, are started on the broiler or grill to develop color and flavor and then finished in the oven to ensure complete, even cooking.

Determining Doneness

Broiling or grilling meat to the proper degree of doneness is an art. Larger pieces of meat will take longer to cook than smaller ones, but how quickly a piece of meat cooks is determined by many other factors: the temperature of the broiler or grill, the temperature of the piece of meat when placed on the broiler or grill, the type of meat and the thickness of the cut. Because of these variables, timing alone is not a useful tool in determining doneness.

The most reliable method of determining doneness is by pressing the pie of meat with a finger and gauging the amount of resistance it yields. Very rare (bleu) meat will offer almost no resistance and feel almost the same as raw meat. Meat cooked rare will feel spongy and offer slight resistance to pressure. Meat cooked medium will feel slightly firm and springy to the touch. Meat cooked well done will feel quite firm and spring back quickly when pressed.

Accompaniments to Broiled and Grilled Meats

Because a broiler or grill cannot be deglazed to form the base for a sauce compound butters or sauces such as bearnaise are often served with broiled or grilled meats. Brown sauces such as bordelaise, chasseur, perigueux or brown mushroom sauce also complement many broiled or grilled items.

Procedure for Broiling or Grilling Meats

1 Heat the broiler or grill.

2 Use a wire brush to remove any charred or burnt particles that may be stuck to the broiler or grill grate. The grate can be wiped with a lightly Oiled towel to remove any remaining particles and to help season it.

3 Prepare the item to be broiled or grilled by trimming off any excess fat and connective tissue and marinating or seasoning it as desired. The meat may be brushed lightly with oil to help protect it and keep it from sticking to the grate.

4 Place the item in the broiler or on the grill. Turn the meat to produce the attractive Crosshatch marks associated with grilling. Use tongs to turn or flip the meat without piercing the surface (this prevents valuable juices from escaping).

5. Cook the meat to the desired doneness while developing the proper surface color. To do so, adjust the position of the meat on the broiler or grill, or adjust the distance between the grate and heat source

Foods can be cooked in air, fat, water or steam. These are collectively known as cooking media. There are two general types of cooking methods: dry heat and moist heat.

Dry-heat cooking methods are those using air or fat. They are broiling, grilling, roasting and baking, sauteing, pan-frying and deep-frying, Foods cooked using dry-heat cooking methods have a rich flavor caused by browning.

Moist-heat cooking methods are those using water or steam. They are poaching, simmering, boiling and steaming. Moist-heat cooking methods are used to emphasize the natural flavors of food.

Other cooking methods employ a combination of dry- and moist-heat cook­ing methods. The two most significant of these combination cooking meth­ods are braising and stewing.

Dry-heat cooking methods

Cooking by dry heat is the process of applying heat either directly, by sub­jecting the food to the heat of a flame, or indirectly, by surrounding the food with heated air or heated fat

Broiling

Broiling uses radiant heat from an overhead source to foods. The tem­perature at the heat source can be as high as 2000°F (1093°C). The food to be broiled is placed on a preheated metal grate. Radiant heat from overhead cooks the food, while the hot grate beIow marks it with attractive cross-hatch marks.

Delicate foods that may be damaged by being placed directly on a metal grate or foods on which cross-hatch marks are not desirable may be placed on a preheated heat-proof platter then placed under the broiler. Cooking will take place through indirect heat from the preheated platter as well as from the di­rect heat from the broiler’s overhead heat source

Grilling

Although similar to broiling, grilling uses a heat source located beneath the cooking surface. Grills may be electric or gas, or they can burn wood or char-which will add a smoky flavor to the food. Specific woods such as mesquite, hickory or vine dippings can be used to create special flavors. Grilled foods are often identified by Crosshatch markings. Next you can find the procedure for positioning foods on the grill to create these markings:

1.                          Decide which side of the grilled food will be presented face up to the customer. Place the food on the hot grill with this side facing down. If the item is oblong, place it at a 45-degree angle to the bars on the cooking grate. Cook long enough for the food to develop dark charred lines where it touches the grate

2.                          Rotate the food 90 degrees and allow it to cook long enough for the grates to char it to the same extent as in step 1

3.                          Turn the food over and finish cooking it. It is usually unnecessary to create the Crosshatch markings on the reverse side since this will not be seen by the people who will eat it.

Roasting and Baking

Roasting and baking are the processes of surrounding a food with dry heated air in a closed environment. The term roasting is usually applied to meats and poultry, while baking is used when referring to fish, fruits, vegetable starches, breads or pastry items. Heat is transferred by convection to the food’s surface, and then penetrates the food by conduction. The surface dehydrate: and the food browns from caramelization, completing the cooking process.

Sauteing

Sauteing is a dry-heat cooking method that uses conduction to transfer I from a hot saute pan to food with the aid of a small amount of fat. Heat then penetrates the food through conduction. High temperatures are used to sau and the foods are usually cut into small pieces to promote even cooking.

To saute foods properly, begin by heating a saute pan on the stove top, then add a small amount of fat. The fat should just cover the bottom of the pan. Heat the fat or oil to the point where it just begins to smoke. The food to be cooked should be as dry as possible when it is added to the pan to promote browning and to prevent excessive spattering.

Place the food in the pan in a single layer. The heat should be adjusted so that the food cooks thoroughly: it should not be so hot that the outside of die food burns before the inside is cooked. The food should be turned or tossed periodically to develop the proper color. Larger items should be turned using tongs without piercing the surface. Smaller items are often are turned by using the sauteuse’s sloped sides to flip them back on top of them­selves.

When tossing sauteed foods, keep the pan in contact with the heat source as much as possible to prevent it from cooling. Sauteing sometimes includes the preparation of a sauce directly in the pan after the main item has been removed. ]

Stir-frying is a variation of sauteing. A wok is used instead of a saute pan the curved sides and rounded bottom of the wok diffuse heat and facilitate tossing and stirring. Otherwise, stir-frying procedures are the same as those outlined for sauteing and will not be discussed separately here.

Pan-Frying

Pan-frying shares similarities with both sauteing and deep-frying. It is a dry-heat cooking method in which heat is transferred by conduction from the pan to the food, using a moderate amount of fat. Heat is also transferred to the food from the hot fat by convection. Foods to be pan-fried are usually coated in breading. This forms a seal that keeps the food moist and prevents the hot fat from penetrating the food causing it to become greasy.

To pan-fry foods properly, first heat the fat in a saute pan. Use enough fat so that when the food to be cooked is added, the fat comes one third to one half way up the item being cooked. The fat should be at a temperature somewhat lower than that used in sauteing; it should not smoke but should be hot enough so that when the food is added it crackles and spatters from the rapid vapor­ization of moisture. If the temperature is too low. the food will absorb excessive amounts of fat; if it is too high, the food will burn on the outside before the in­terior is fully cooked. When the food is properly browned on one side, turn it without piercing it, using tongs. Always turn the food away from you to prevent being burned by any fat that may splash. When the food is fully cooked, remove it from the pan, drain it on absorbent paper and serve it immediately.

Deep-frying is a dry-heat cooking method that uses convection to transfer heat to food submerged in hot fat. Heat then penetrates the food, cooking the in­terior through conduction. Foods to be deep-fried are usually first coated in ratter or breading. This preserves moisture and presents the foods from ab­sorbing excessive quantities of fat. Deep-fried foods should cook thoroughly while developing an attractive deep golden-brown color. Foods to be deep-led should be of a size and shape that allows them to float freely in the fat.

Today, most deep-frying is done in specially designed commercial fryers. These deep-fat fryers have built-in thermostats, making temperature control more precise. To deep-fry food, first heat the fat or oil to temperatures be­tween 325°F and 375°F (160°C-190°C). Slowly place the food in the fat, where il should float freely. Use tongs to turn it if necessary. When the food is done, remove it from the fat. drain it on absorbent paper and serve it immediately.

More than with virtually any other type of cooking, time management is key to successful barbecuing and grilling. This is especially true when working with charcoal: You need to budget time to light the coals and let them burn down to the proper temperature before you start cooking. That doesn’t include the time you need for rubbing and marinating, smoking or letting the meat rest before carving or pulling. And because you’re cooking, and often serving, outdoors, allow extra time for setting up your cooking and dining area. Here’s a basic timetable that will help you get your grill lit, your food rubbed, marinated, and cooked, and your guests served — without having a nervous breakdown.

The day before your barbecue: Rub or marinate large cuts of meat, such as briskets and pork shoulders. Marinate them overnight in a non-reactive (glass or stainless steel) pan or bowl or even in a clean garbage bag in the refrigerator. Turn the meat several times to ensure even marinating. If using a gas grill, fill the propane tank and one or two backup tanks. If using a charcoal grill, buy a few extra bags of charcoal. Prepare side dishes that aren’t time-sensitive, such as baked beans or coleslaw.

The morning before your barbecue: Rub or marinate medium-size cuts of meat, such as chickens or whole fish. Make your sauces. If you’re smoking large cuts of meat, you may need as many as six to eight hours for smoking. Soak the wood chips an hour before you plan to start, and light your grill or smoker accordingly.

The afternoon before your barbecue: Indoors, rub or marinate small cuts of meat, such as steaks or chicken breasts. Skewer kebab ingredients; slather the garlic butter on corn and bread; prep vegetables and side dishes. Prepare the salad (have your dressing ready, but don’t toss it in the salad). Set up your bar or prepare drinks but don’t add ice until the last minute. Ice down the beer or soft drinks. Outdoors, set up tables and get out your plates, glasses, and cutlery. Clean and ready your grill. Lay out your grilling utensils.

One hour before you plan to start grilling: Soak wood chips or chunks in cold water to cover. If you are using a charcoal grill, set up your chimney starter. Light it 20 to 40 minutes before you actually plan to start grilling. One chimney starter’s worth of coals (40 to 50 briquettes) is enough to fuel a 22 1/2-inch kettle grill for 1 hour. When working on a large grill, such as a table grill, you may need two or three chimney starters in order to light enough charcoals at one time. When the coals blaze orange, dump them out of the chimney starter and rake them over the bottom of the grill. Place the grate on the grill over the fire. Let the coals burn until lightly ashed over, 5 to 10 minutes.

If you are using a gas grill, preheat it 15 to 20 minutes before grilling. If you’re smoking, start the grill on high and add wood chips to the smoker box or put on a smoker pouch and preheat until you see smoke. Then reduce the heat to the desired temperature.

Just before putting the food on the grill: Clean the hot grill grate with a wire brush and oil the grate. Add the wood chips, if called for and if you are using a charcoal grill. You’ll need two handfuls of chips (about 1 cup) for each hour of grilling. Put the food on the grill. If what you’re cooking will take more than 1 hour, have backup charcoal in a chimney starter ready to light 15 minutes before you need it.

While you grill: First, grill items that can be prepared ahead, that can be served at room temperature or that hold well. This includes vegetables, pulled pork, brisket and ribs. Grill smaller items that must be served hot off the grill — steaks, hamburgers, chicken breasts — when people are ready to eat them. Don’t forget to let meats stand for a few minutes before carving and serving them. This allows them to regain their juiciness.

Right after grilling: Run the grill on high to burn off any bits of food. Brush the grate with a wire brush to remove what debris is left.

Four to six hours after the barbecue or the next day: Drain or discard the fat in the catch or drip pan. If you used a charcoal grill, scoop or empty the ashes and burnt wood chips into the trash, using a garden trowel or small shovel. Make sure the ashes are stone cold before discarding them. In fact, to play it safe, put them in a small metal trash can first.

The five types of dry heat cooking are:

¨ broiling or pan-broiling

¨ sautéing

¨ deep-frying

¨ stir-frying

¨ roasting (baking)

Dry heat cooking methods use high heat and little moisture. Cooking is not entirely dry, as the name implies, because all meat have plenty of moisture that contributes to the cooking process.

Since extra moisture is not welcome because it reduces the high cooking temperature, it is always a good idea to wipe the seafood thoroughly with a paper towel just before cooking or, if fried with breading, before applying the coating.

The hottest heat in dry cooking method is grilling (barbecuing) and broiling. To avoid sticking, brush the surface of the grill or broiler pan with a film of oil, and for added insurance, do the same with the meat.

The intense heat (with some help from the brushed-on oil) rapidly browns the surface of your meat. By the time you cook the inside, the surface color is a deep caramel brown or, if you’re not careful, charcoal black.

Never turn the meat more than once either on the grill or under the broiler. This keeps handling to a minimum and produces attractive grill marks. Determine the time to cook one side, set your timer and don’t even peek until the time is up. Quickly flip the piece over and set the timer again. Now you can get ready to check the internal temperature.

When you are grilling smaller pieces, skewer them. Keep heavy work gloves near the grill to turn skewered meat.

A quick and easy way of cooking meat is pan-broiling, which is similar to grilling or broiling. To pan-broil meat, place it in a heavy preheated skillet over medium heat. Cook the meat directly on the hot surface without water or oil, turning only once.  This is an excellent way for preparing steaks and ground meat patties. Some cooks sprinkle salt in the pan before adding the meat to prevent sticking.

Initially the meat may stick a little, but if you detach it from the pan right away, the fat and juices from the meat keep it from sticking again.

Sautéing, deep-frying and stir-frying all use oil. Sauté meat in small amount of fat on strong heat. Sautéing is easy, not messy, very quick and the meat absorbs a minimum of fat.

Keep the pan in constant motion for even browning and to avoid sticking. If you are planning to serve the meat with a sauce, you can use what’s left in the pan as a base-the highly-flavored oil   with some deeply-browned food particles and possibly some juice.

Deglaze it by adding a little wine or stock, even water. The liquid dissolves the particles and within a minute you have it cooked down into a sauce.

Deep-frying and stir-frying are both high-heat methods. The difference is in the amount of oil you use-plenty for deep-frying, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan or wok for stir-frying.

Food absorbs more fat in deep-frying than in any other cooking method, but if you do it properly, you can reduce fat absorption. Deep-fried food of any kind is wonderful but home deep-frying is messy.