Chef Shea: Master of the Grill

Despite the cold weather invading our green shores, it's summer all year round here in Jamrock. And we love our spices, so ain't nothing wrong with some good old-fashioned barbecue.

If you have never taken a turn at the grill or still wet behind the ears, then you're in luck! Chef Shea of Elite Kreations is here to help you fire up that grill. He has been grilling for more than 10 years, and he believes grilling is a great cooking technique because it not only helps you to serve up tasty dishes, but it's a healthy option, too.

"Unlike frying, it doesn't require oil, and it also drains excess fats from meats while simultaneously retaining its nutrients," he told Food.

So, with food serving as the big draw for any get-together, would-be master chefs should take note of these quick and easy tips.

 

Low & Slow

 

According to Chef Shea, grilling isn't a sprint; it's marathon. "If your heat is too high, your meats are likely to get charred too quickly outside and not cook properly inside. So keep your heat low and give your meats some quality time on the grill."

 

Pay Attention

 

Grilling, Chef Shea notes, requires continuous supervision. "Keep a watchful eye on your heat source and constantly turn your meat on the grill to prevent it from drying out."

 

Sauce Best Applied Cold

 

A neat trick to ensure that your sauce sticks to the meat, Chef Shea advises, is to apply cold barbecue or jerk sauce to the warm meat while it's cooking on the grill.

 

Layers of Flavours

 

Want your meat with a kick of flavour? He suggests continually adding layers of sauce to your meat throughout the grilling process.

 

Quality Matters

 

You can't produce quality dishes by using inferior ingredients and products.

"Preparing tasty meals begins when you're shopping at the grocery store or market, so be sure to pick up the best meats, seasoning, and coal."

 

Grill and Settle

 

Once you've pulled your meat off the grill, Chef Shea recommends allowing it to rest for five to seven minutes before cutting. This allows the juices to settle.

 

Safety First

 

And last - but certainly not least -safety first. Fires, even small ones, can be unpredictable, so always keep an extinguisher close by, just to be on the safe side, he warned.

As an added bonus, he gave us two of his signature recipes:

 Chef Shea's Grilled Maple Jerk Baby Back Ribs with Potato Salad 

Ingredients

 

Grilled Maple Jerk Baby Back Ribs:

1 rack, baby back ribs

2tbsp jerk seasoning

2tbsp maple syrup

Salt

Pepper

Potato Salad:

2lb Irish potatoes

1 can mixed vegetables

2 cups mayonnaise

2 Scotch bonnet peppers

2 cloves garlic

2 sprigs thyme

2 stalks scallion

Salt

Pepper

 

Directions

 

Potato Salad:

In a bowl, add mayonnaise, Scotch bonnet peppers, garlic, thyme, scallion, pepper, and salt. Place ingredients in a food processor and mix unti it is smooth and creamy, creating a Scotch bonnet mayonnaise.

On the stovetop, boil potatoes and cool.

Mix potatoes, vegetables, and 11/2 cups of the Scotch bonnet mayonnaise. Stir together thoroughly.

Grilled Maple Jerk Baby Back Ribs:

Add jerk seasoning, maple syrup, salt, and pepper to baby back ribs. Slowly grill baby back ribs for 45 minutes-1 hour, constantly turning until the meat is charred. Serve baby back ribs hot with the potato salad.

Chef Shea's Mango Barbecued Wings with Coleslaw

Ingredients

 

12 wings

1 cup barbecue sauce

1/2 cup mango chutney

2 cups mayonnaise

2 Scotch bonnet peppers

2 cloves garlic

2 sprigs thyme

2 stalks scallion

1/2 cup white cabbage chiffonade

1/2 cup red cabbage chiffonade

1 julienne red apple

1 julienne green sweet pepper

1 julienne yellow sweet pepper

Salt

Black pepper

 

Directions - Coleslaw

 

In a bowl, add mayonnaise, Scotch bonnet peppers, garlic, thyme, scallion, pepper, and salt. Place ingredients in a food processor until the mixture is smooth and creamy, creating a scotch bonnet mayonnaise.

Mix cabbage, half cup Scotch bonnet mayonnaise, red apple and sweet peppers. Season with salt and pepper.

 

Directions - Mango Barbecued Wings

 

Clean wings and remove wing tip. Season wings with salt and black pepper to taste. Puree mango chutney and add to barbecue sauce.

Grill wings for 10-15 minutes, continuously basting with mango barbecue sauce. Remove wings from grill and serve warm with coleslaw.

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com