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Grill Temperatures Guide

Grill Temp for Steak

beef steaks on a grill

The first step in achieving your ideal steak is setting your grill to the appropriate temperature. While cooking time is based on the desired doneness, grill temperature is based on the steak’s thickness. Discover the grill temp for 1/2”, 3/4 to 1”, and over 1” thick steaks.

  • 1/2″ Thick Steaks – cook at high heat
  • 3/4 to 1″ Thick Steaks – cook at medium high heat
  • Over 1″ Thick Steaks – cook at medium heat

Steak Internal Temperature

What internal temperature your steaks should reach depends on the level of doneness you’re hoping to achieve. You can master the art of grilling the perfect steak by viewing our comprehensive steak doneness guide, or you can introduce yourself to basic steak internal temps below.

  • Internal Temperature Extra Rare Steak – Extra rare steak, also known as blue steak, should be grilled for approximately one minute on each side to achieve an internal temperature of 115 – 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Internal Temperature Rare Steak – Rare steaks should be grilled for approximately one and a half minutes on each side to achieve an internal temperature of 125 – 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Internal Temperature Medium Rare Steak – Medium-rare steaks should be grilled for approximately two minutes on each side to achieve an internal temperature of 130 – 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Internal Temperature Medium Steak – Medium steaks should be grilled for approximately two minutes and fourteen seconds on each side to achieve an internal temperature of 140 – 150 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Internal Temperature Medium Well Steak – Medium well steaks should be grilled for three to four minutes on each side to achieve an internal temperature of 150 – 155 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Internal Temperature Well Done Steak – Well done steaks should be grilled for approximately four to five minutes on each side to achieve an internal temperature of 160 + degrees Fahrenheit.

The more you slice, pierce, or puncture meat, the drier it becomes. When you cut into the meat, juices escape, resulting in a disappointing dish. When cooking on the grill, never puncture the meat with a fork or knife. Instead, use tongs or turners to flip meat, and use a high-quality food thermometer to check the internal temperature.


Grill Temp for Chicken

hot grilled chicken leg marinated with honey and spices on a grill

The ideal grill temperature range for chicken is between 350 and 450 degrees Fahrenheit. This range is narrowed down by whether you’re grilling chicken breasts, thighs, or drumsticks. Discover the best temp for chicken breasts and thighs below.

  • Grill Temp for Chicken Breast – between 425 and 450 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Grill Temp for Chicken Thighs – between 400 and 450 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Grill Temp for Chicken Drumsticks – between 350 and 400 degrees Fahrenheit

Internal Temp for Chicken

According to food safety standards, chicken must reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If you’re grilling chicken thighs, make sure the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165 degrees. If you’re cooking a whole chicken, you know it’s done when the thermometer reads 180 degrees Fahrenheit.


Grill Temp for Hamburgers

The ideal grill temp for hamburgers is 400 degrees Fahrenheit. While they must reach food-safe temperatures throughout, a great burger will have grill marks seared into its exterior and a juicy center. Depending on the size of your burger patties, you’ll need to cook each side for approximately 5 minutes.

Internal Temp for Hamburgers

Hamburgers must reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Failure to do so risks foodborne illness outbreaks. Bacteria tend to live on the outside of food, so you can safely enjoy a steak that has been seared on the outside but isn’t cooked all the way through. However, when you grind beef, all the bacteria that lived on the outside are mixed into the entire finished product. For this reason, you must be especially careful when cooking ground beef.


Grill Temp for Fish

salmon steak on a grill

Generally, you should set your grill temperature to medium high heat to grill fish. Medium high heat provides a nice char while sealing in moisture. Dense and hearty cuts of fish and shrimp skewers are great grilled seafood candidates. We break down the grill temps for popular types of seafood below.

  • Grill Temp for Salmon – between 375 and 400 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Grill Temp for Shrimp – between 350 and 450 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Grill Temp for Tuna Steak – between 500 and 700 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Grill Temp for Swordfish – between 375 and 450 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Grill Temp for Grouper – between 400 and 450 degrees Fahrenheit

Internal Temp for Fish

The USDA recommends cooking fish to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. That is a blanket guideline, and internal temperatures may fluctuate based on the type of fish. Your grilled jumbo shrimp should reach an internal temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit.


Grill Temperatures

person using tongs to flip food on a grill

In general, there are four grill temperatures: high, medium high, medium, and low. No one heat level is correct; each is best suited for cooking different foods. We break down the different grilling temperatures below.

  • What temp is high heat on a grill? High heat on a grill is between 450 and 650 degrees Fahrenheit. Use high heat when preparing steaks, pork chops, kabobs, or tuna steak. Getting your grill around 500 degrees Fahrenheit will create a sizzle when the meat hits the grates and produce attractive sear marks.
  • What temp is medium high heat on a grill? Medium high heat ranges between 375 and 450 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s ideal for hamburgers, sliced vegetables, and fish. This temperature will still sear your food, but it also allows food to cook slower and more thoroughly.
  • What temp is medium heat on a grill? Medium heat ranges between 350 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit and is ideal for cooking thick hamburgers, short ribs, and poultry. This temperature will cook proteins slower to ensure their middle portions reach proper internal temperatures.
  • What temp is low heat on a grill? Low heat ranges between 325 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit. It provides enough warmth to create a satisfying browning effect on the outside of your proteins while still bringing the insides to a proper internal temperature. This makes it ideal for grilling chicken, turkey, roasts, and sausages.

How to Gauge Grill Temperature

Most grills come with a thermometer built-in or attached, making it easy to gauge the temperature. If you don’t have access to a thermometer and need another way to gauge your grill’s temperature, follow the steps below:

  • Hold your hand about 6″ from the grate of the grill.
  • If you can withstand the heat for 6 to 7 seconds, you’ve reached medium heat.
  • 4 to 5 tolerable seconds indicate medium high heat.
  • If you can only hold your hand for 1 to 2 seconds, you are working with a high-heat grill.

How to Perfectly Grill a Fish

grilled fresh salmon and fishHave you heard horror stories about grilling fish that have left you assuming it will be a fiasco? Most of us have heard at least one story from a friend or family member of a failed attempt to cook fish on the grill that ended with fish fillets stuck to the grate or falling into the coals. Your story doesn’t have to turn out that way. Once you learn the trick to making fish on the grill, you’ll never fear this fiasco again.

What Fish to Grill

Salmon and firm, thick white fish like sea bass, red snapper, grouper and halibut are the best types of fish to grill because they are hearty. If you would like to grill thin, delicate fish, it is best to wrap them in foil instead of using this method.

 

Preparing the Grill

The steps that you take to prepare the grill before you lay fish fillets down are the most important. If you skip this part of the process, you will have to scrape your fillets of the grate. Here are the steps that you should take to prepare the grill:

1. Turn the grill on to begin heating the grates.

2. Using a grill marinade brush dipped in vegetable oil, rub it over the grates. Re-apply oil as needed and continue this process until the grate is glossy and black.

This process seasons the grate much like a cast-iron skillet. The combination of the high heat with the vegetable oil creates a layer of oil that will prevent the fish from sticking to the metal. If you are planning to cook a thinner fillet, make sure to give the grate multiple coats of oil.

Prepping the Fish

3. Coat both sides of the fish with a thin layer of vegetable oil using a brush.

4. Lightly season with salt and pepper or a seasoning rub.

Grilling the Fish

5. Lay the fish on the grill, diagonal to the grate slats, with the skin side down.

6. Lower the heat to medium and cover the grill.

fresh seafood at wholesale fish market

7. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes or until nicely brown on one side and crisp. (Do not move the fish while it grills). If it looks done after 2 minutes, try lifting it off the grate with a spatula. If it doesn’t come off cleanly, continue to cook it in 30-second intervals until you can remove it.

8. Flip it over to the other side and cover the grill again.

9.Cook it for another 3 to 7 minutes or until the center of the fillets are opaque and the internal temperature is 125 degrees. (If you are cooking white fish instead of salmon, the internal temperature should be 140 degrees and it may take 2 minutes longer).

10. Remove from the grill and enjoy!

Let us know if these 10 steps for grilling fish like a pro helped you.

Simple Grilled Seafood Recipes To Make Your Mouth Water

Simple Grilled Seafood Recipes To Make Your Mouth Water

Two summer delights that Californians and Napa Valley residents enjoy are great seafood and plenty of opportunities for grilling. But putting those two together can make for a superb culinary alternative to the typical barbequed tri-tip or steaks.

When your grill recipes include grilled seafood, the options are as wide as your tastes. And it doesn’t hurt that most seafood selections are not only delicious but healthy. Besides, who doesn’t need a little “brain-food” once in a while?

 

Grilled Seafood Tips for Fresh, Local Seafood for Napa Valley Summer FestivitiesThe Best Meat and Seafood Selection in Calistoga, California

Tossing some hot dogs or even hamburger patties on a grill is not a particularly complex cooking operation. And while some grilling aficionados may disagree, most anyone can successfully pull off a tasty hot dog and burger grilling.

But maybe not so much with grilled seafood, however.

Many seafood items can be especially challenging to cook on a grill because their texture causes them to stick to the hot grates easily. Gauging correct temperatures is also a bit tricky since each type of seafood will require slightly different cooking times and temperatures.

And, as the folks at The Spruce have noted,

“Cooking fish can be stressful for beginners. It seems fragile, delicate; it’s expensive (at least relative to, say, hamburger), it has bones, it has a face—whatever it is, there’s an intimidation factor for sure.”

A few tips to encourage those who may be new to grilling seafood include:

  • A clean grill is essential for grilling fish. Because fish is delicate, it can stick to your grill, making turning it difficult.
  • Any fish can be grilled, but some varieties and cuts are sturdier and easier to work with, such as halibut, swordfish, salmon, and Mahi-Mahi.
  • One inch should be the minimum thickness of your fish steak or fillet. The thicker the steak, the more forgiving it will be. Brush the steaks with oil, season them, and grill for 7 to 8 minutes per inch of thickness, turning them once halfway through.
  • Let your fish come to room temperature before grilling by leaving it covered on the counter for 30 to 60 minutes.

One more thought when grilling seafood, especially fish – avoiding the common mistake of having dry, overcooked fish.

This can be easily avoided, according to an article from The Better Fish,

“Get the Grill Hot

The key to tender grilled fish is starting with a hot fire. This will lessen the amount of time the fish will cook overall, thereby preventing the meat from getting too tough. It will also help caramelize the fish and allow grill marks to form (a must for that perfectly-grilled fish look). A hot fire will help prevent the dreaded grate-sticking, too.

Brush the Fish with Oil

To help seal in some of the natural moisture, pat the fish dry and coat it with vegetable or olive oil. This is particularly important for firm-fleshed fish like salmon, halibut, or tuna, which can go directly onto the grate. Sprinkle with salt and pepper or other seasonings as desired.”

 

Three Great Grilled Seafood Recipes for Your Next Cookout

One of the best things about seafood is the sheer variety of fish and shellfish products to choose from. And one of the best things about grilling is its versatility as a cooking method, especially for seafood.

We’ve trolled through the vast sea of recipes available for grilled seafood and reeled in three superb catches to inspire your next grilled seafood adventure.

 

A Simple Yet Scintillating Grilled Salmon RecipeScintillating Grilled Salmon Recipe

From the digital shores of Allrecipes.com we managed to land this top-rated grilled salmon recipe.

Essentially, grilling salmon filets is fairly simple and straightforward. But what really completes a superb grilled salmon dish is the marinade.

As Allrecipes points out with this particular recipe,

“A simple soy sauce and brown sugar marinade, with hints of lemon and garlic, are the perfect salty-sweet complement to rich salmon fillets.”

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ pounds salmon fillets
  • lemon pepper to taste
  • garlic powder to taste
  • salt to taste
  • ⅓ cup soy sauce
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup water
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil

Original recipe yields 6 servings. You can find the recipe directions and tips here.

Make a Big Splash with This Grilled Shrimp RecipeMake a Big Splash with This Grilled Shrimp Recipe

Probably one of the seafood products that offers the most variety of serving possibilities, shrimp is just as great from the grill as it is basted and served with fettucine.

This sweet and spicy grilled shrimp recipe that we caught at the Tasting Table website,

“…incorporates both sweet and spicy flavors, which work incredibly well together. This would be an excellent dish to serve during to the family in the summer, or it would be great to make if you’re having a group of friends over.”

Created by recipe developer Hayley MacLean, this dish is not only incredibly flavorful, but it’s relatively easy to make and requires minimal ingredients.

Recipe information:

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Servings: 3 Servings

Ingredients:

  • ⅓ cup chili garlic sauce
  • ⅓ cup honey
  • 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Optional Ingredients:

  • fresh chopped cilantro
  • lime wedges

You can find the recipe directions and cooking instructions here.

 

A Grilled Lobster Tail Recipe for an “Upscale” Grilling LureGrilled Lobster Tail Recipe for an "Upscale" Grilling Lure

While fish and shrimp “on the barbie” will elevate any barbecue outing, there is little that can match the glitz of a grilled lobster tail recipe.

This popular recipe from the food blog, Momsdish, is “tender, full-flavored, and tastes like it came straight out of a fancy steakhouse kitchen. So easy!”

Lobster dishes can be complex and nuanced. However, as Momsdish food blogger Natalya points out,

“Lobster tails aren’t only perfect for grilling, but they also get such a wonderful, smoky flavor. We keep the ingredients list slim and for good reason – you don’t need to fuss around with lobster too much to make it fabulous. A little garlic butter and lemon goes a long way…”

Recipe information:

  • Servings: 4 servings
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 10 mins
  • Total Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

  • 4 lobster tails
  • 1 tsp salt adjust to taste
  • 1 tsp avocado or olive oil
  • 1/3 cup Unsalted Butter
  • 2 garlic cloves pressed
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice

For illustrated recipe directions, options, and grilling tips, simply click here.

The Grill Guide

lames, food, festivity—what’s not to love? Everything tastes better on the grill: not just meat, fish, chicken and turkey, but vegetables, fruit, even desserts. Assume the role of grilling guru with the following tips for serving meats and veggies with a crispy char and a tasty wood-smoke edge.

Basic Tools
Grilling tools don’t have to be plentiful, fancy or decorative (a clever slogan apron is not a requirement). A basic grill kit should include:

 

    • Long tongs – for turning the food

 

    • Stiff-wire brush – for cleaning the grill

 

    • Mop brush – for saucing foods

 

    • Large offset spatula – for moving and flipping

 

    • Elbow-length gloves – for protection

 

  • Chimney – for igniting coals without lighter fluid

Fuel Sources

Non-gas grillers have several fuel choices, from briquettes and lump charcoals to hard woods and exotic fruit wood chips. Each brings a unique flavor and a distinctive heat. Here are a few:

 

    • Lump charcoal – made from woods like hickory or mesquite, they burn hot and fast

 

    • Convenient briquettes – burn at a more moderate rate and heat

 

  • Wood chips – deliver a distinctive smoky flavor but relatively little heat (Note: They need to be pre-soaked in water)

Preparation

Oil the grate before heating the grill, either with a vegetable oil-dabbed kitchen towel or a brush — this keeps food from sticking.

Follow fueling instructions (either on charcoal bag or grill) and use lighter fluid or a chimney (recommended) to ignite the fuel.

Check the heat level by holding your hand about 5 inches above the grate — if you can hold it there for a second, it’s very hot; 2 seconds, it’s hot; 3 to 4, it’s medium; any longer than that, it’s probably low.

Hold the sauce: If you’re basting meat with sugary sauces — like most barbecue sauces — do it at the very end of the process. The sugars tend to burn before the meat has cooked through.

Direct vs. Indirect

There are two major grilling styles: direct heat and indirect heat. Direct cooking is grilling directly over the heat — best for thin cuts of meat or vegetables and, of course, burgers. Indirect heat creates an oven-like environment (using a lid) in which only one side of the grill has heat, while the other half is where the food goes; this is best for larger cuts of meat that need long, slow heat, or foods (like pizza) that need to be seared then finished slowly.

Heat Zones

To keep your cooking options open, you’ll want different levels of heat across different sections of the grill — this allows you to (a) crisp, sear or char over high heat, (b) slow-cook, (c)control flare-ups and (d) keep delicate items warm over lower heat. Using charcoal or wood chips, simply make both a high mound (for high heat) and a single layer (for low). With gas grills, you can just fiddle the knobs — high on one side, low on the other.

Mark of the Grill Master

Here’s how to get those perfect “crosshatched” grill markings:

1. Very lightly oil the “up” or presentation side
2. Place it on a hot grill and cook until it lifts easily from the grate
3. Lift slightly and turn it 45 degrees right or left
4. Continue cooking until clear marks appear
5. Turn the food over and cook the other side
6. Follow the same procedure if you want marks on both sides

Better Brochettes

Skewers (or kebabs) make it easy to arrange individual portions of vegetables, mushrooms and meat that can go directly from the grill to the plate. Here are a few tips:

 

    • When threading cubes of meat or vegetables onto the skewers, leave a little space between each item to allow the heat to circulate evenly.

 

    • Use sprigs of fresh rosemary or mint to boost the flavor, orreplace the skewers with stalks of lemongrass or sugar cane. Sweet!

 

  • Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes before using — this keeps them from catching fire on the grill.

Cross-Contamination

Bacteria, salmonella and other unsavory contaminants associated with raw meat can really ruin a dinner party. To prevent cross-contamination:

 

    • Never put cooked food back onto the same plate that carried it raw – lay raw meat, poultry or seafood on a piece of foil on the plate, and discard the foil once the food hits the grill.

 

    • Don’t use marinades as sauces unless they’re boiled after the raw meat, poultry or seafood has been removed.

 

  • If a marinade is used as a mopping sauce while grilling, make sure it’s cooked for at least 3 minutes over high heat.

Common-Sense Safety

Food is the only thing that should get cooked during the grilling experience. Observe common-sense safety with the following hints:

 

    • Avoid loose clothing, and make a habit of wearing flame-retardant oven mitts.

 

    • Keep a fire extinguisher handy. A bucket of sand and a garden hose also work.

 

    • To stop flare-ups, raise the grid and spread the coals out, or turn the gas down. Never use water to put out flames on a gas grill.

 

    • Use baking soda to stop a grease fire.

 

    • The typical LP cylinder holds approximately 20 pounds of propane. Do not overfill.

 

    • Never attach or disconnect an LP cylinder, and never mess with gas fittings when the grill is on or hot.

 

  • When lighting a gas grill, always keep the lid open to prevent gas buildup (can cause explosions).

5 Types of Grills: How to Choose the Best Grill For You

We all know there are different heating and fuel sources that can be used while grilling. Each of these fuel sources have their own set of advantages and disadvantages, with some may possibly alter the overall flavor of the food you cooked. Today, let’s take a closer look at some of the different types of grills that utilize each of these fuel sources.

1. Charcoal Grills

Charcoal grills have long been a favorite of outdoor cooks for many reasons. A charcoal grill is easy to use, and foodies crave the smoky, rich flavor which charcoal imparts.

 

All charcoal grills operate with a few basic similarities. Air intake is located toward the bottom of the grill and is adjusted manually. When air comes into the grill, it passes by the lit charcoal and exits through an additional vent at the top of the grill, similar to a wood-burning stove. The more air that’s allowed to enter and exit the grill, the hotter the grill will get.

 

One of the benefits of being able to adjust the air intake and exhaust is that once the temperature stabilizes within the temperature zone you wish to cook, it typically remains constant and consistent throughout the cooking process, provided there is enough charcoal to keep it running at that temperature.

 

This is particularly beneficial when cooking tougher cuts of meat for extended periods of time, which allows them to break down into tender meat with extremely pronounced flavors.

2. Charcoal Kettle Grills

Kettle grills are one of the most commonly recognized types of charcoal grills. They are simple, in the shape of a kettle and consist of not much more than a rounded bottom, a tight, removable lid, stand, and grill grates. Charcoal goes in the bottom of the grill, elevated on a small grate that allows ash and other cooking debris to fall freely away from the heat source and maintain an even airflow over the coals.

 

One of the main benefits of this type of grill is is how portable it can be. Kettle grills are typically made of metal and are relatively lightweight. They come in different sizes but are mostly portable and typically require less charcoal to use.

3. Kamado Grills

Kamado grills, sometimes called ceramic smokers or “egg grills,” are a more sophisticated version of the charcoal grill and have surged in popularity over the past 10 years. Kamado grills work on some of the same principles of kettle grills but have a few distinct differences.

 

The kamado grill has a more elongated shape to it, resembling the outline of an egg. They are much heavier than the kettle grill because this type of grill is typically made from a thicker ceramic material and can weigh anywhere between 150-500 pounds, depending on its size.

 

Air flow and temperature is still regulated through the bottom and top of the just like the kettle grill, but due to its thermal mass and more of an engineered design, even a small adjustment on a kamado grill can make a significant change in temperature. Because of the thickness and weight of the kamado grill, the lid or dome is not typically removed completely, and is connected to the base of the grill with heavy duty, spring-loaded hinges.

 

Once you get the charcoal started, the kamado grill will typically pre-heat for 45 minutes to an hour to bring its thick walls close to your desired temperature before cooking. It utilizes all-natural, hardwood lump charcoal as a heat source, producing less ash than manufactured charcoal briquettes. Some grilling and barbecue enthusiasts feel the hardwood lump charcoal has the best flavor.

 

Although kamado grills excel as an extremely hot heat source, the versatility of cooking on them makes them appealing. A common accessory for the kamado grill is a heat deflector. It resembles a thick pizza stone and provides a barrier between the hot charcoal and your food. Using a heat deflector allows this type of grill to cook more like an oven and transfers heat to your food from all directions. This makes for a very consistent heat with fewer hot spots and works well for baking everything from pizzas to cheesecakes; you are limited only by your creativity.

4. Pellet Grills

Although pellet grills have been out for about 30 years now, they have become a hot item in grilling over the past 5 years as a convenient and flavorful option. One of the most appealing things about the pellet grill is that it truly acts as both a smoker and a grill, making the hybrid of the two a fantastic selling feature.

 

Food-quality wood pellets about the size of a black-eyed pea are loaded into a hopper and are delivered to a burn pot with an auger. Depending on what temperature you set your grill, the thermostat and burn pot work electronically to keep the grill close to your desired temperature. Because the electronic temperature controls are always adjusting to keep the grill within your specified range, there aren’t many adjustments to make once you get the cooker operating to your specifications.

 

This is convenient, especially with longer cooks like brisket, ribs, and large roasts, allowing that you let the meat cook without too much monitoring. Because of the electronic settings, this type of grill does require a power source which must be connected throughout the entire cook and cool-down process.

 

Pellet grills have had a reputation for not searing or browning meat as effectively as other grills, but some manufacturers have made great strides in changing the perception of pellet grills and are showcasing recipes with amazing char and grill marks.

5. Gas and Propane Grills

The Hearth Patio and Barbecue Association (HPBA) estimates that 72% of US households have a grill and more than 200 million people can enjoy outdoor cooking. Natural gas and propane grills make up the majority of these grills and there are many styles to choose from.

 

Gas and propane grills all operate similarly, with burners typically emitting around 40,000 BTUs of heat, firing on three, four, or more burners to cook your food from below with either direct or indirect heat.

 

Part of the appeal of gas grills is that they are convenient, they heat up fast, and there are many accessory options available to enhance the cooking experience. Accessories such as side burners, lights, integrated food thermometers, and dedicated meat searing areas combine gadgets and gimmicks, and the industry is always adding new innovations.

 

Gas grills, like gas stoves, are instantly on and require the shortest amount of pre-heating before you can start grilling. This is convenient, but gas burns very clean and will add little additional flavor compared to charcoal or pellet grills.

What’s your grilling style?

Before you decide which kind of grill is best for your lifestyle, consider your space and cooking style.

  • Is your deck or patio wired or within range of an extension cord? Without a plug-in outlet, a pellet grill is not going to be the ideal choice.
  • Are you feeding a small army? Consider some of the gas options with lots of cook space and side burners for keeping everything from baked beans to chili or chowder ready to serve whenever the gang is ready to eat.
  • Do you have space and proper support for a heavy grill? A kamado is a commitment, in terms of weight and space, depending on the size. But, it’s a fantastic grill to choose.
  • Do you grill on the fly? If spontaneity is your style, a slow-heating and stabilizing grill probably isn’t a good fit.
  • Are you a purist who wouldn’t dream of serving a burger without grill marks and a smoky flavor? Gas may not bring the best flavor, but it is clean, affordable, and fast to get to temperature.

6 Themed Dinner Buffets Your Guests Will Love at Your Litchfield Beach Wedding

u have the wedding gown, you have your guest list, and you have your fabulous wedding venue in Pawleys Island. Now it’s time to determine the menu for your special day at Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort. While our catering team takes pride in being able to create the customizable menu that you prefer, here, we’ll be focusing on our special themed buffets that you can choose from to make your wedding day complete. Read ahead to discover our six deliciously-themed buffets and find out how you can get started planning your dream wedding at Litchfield.

All dinner buffets include rolls with butter, water, coffee, and iced tea. Dinner buffets require a minimum of 30 guests and can be held for a maximum of 90 minutes to ensure property food quality.

Wedding Ceremony Set-Up in Courtyard

South Carolina Barbeque

Whether you’re from South Carolina or just a fan of the way we do the ‘Cue, your wedding guests will enjoy our timeless South Carolina Barbecue Buffet. Guests will love offerings including BBQ favorites like creamy potato salad, refreshing cole slaw, BBQ Chicken and shredded Pork BBQ with sauce and buns, as well as indulgent macaroni & cheese, sweet buttered corn, and molasses baked beans. This dinner buffet is the perfect choice for barbecue lovers!

Lowcountry Boil

If you’re a fan of Southern food, opt for the Lowcountry Boil Dinner Buffet. Enjoy standby favorites like cole slaw and pasta salad, southern style green beans, and hushpuppies. The main two entrees consist of Frogmore Stew, a Lowcountry delicacy that features shrimp, corn, sausage, and potatoes, and Chicken Bog, a rice dish that includes smoked sausage and chicken. Share a true Carolina feast with your guests when you select the Lowcountry Boil Buffet.

Inlet Seafood Buffet

If your Litchfield wedding is taking place in the colder months of the year, a particularly delicious and comforting buffet option is our Inlet Seafood Buffet. The Pawleys Island and Murrells Inlet areas are known to have some of the absolute best seafood in South Carolina, so you’ll be in for a treat when you reserve this menu for you wedding. Guests can enjoy fresh garden salad, cole slaw, and shrimp cocktail to start, and then they can warm up with steamed oysters, broiled fresh fish, and crab cakes. Side items include seasoned rice, petite green beans, and hushpuppies. Consider this buffet option for your Pawleys Island wedding if you and your guests are looking to sample some of the best seafood in the state.

Prime Rib Buffet

Take the level of propriety up a notch when you opt for our Prime Rib Buffet option at your wedding in Litchfield. Guests will enjoy a multi-course meal that includes Caesar salad and She-Crab soup, slow-roasted Prime Rib of Beef with Au Jus, herbed chicken breast, roasted red potatoes, and delicious sauteed fresh vegetables. With top quality ingredients and food options like these, your Litchfield wedding guests will leave your event fully satisfied.

A Taste of Italy

Even if your wedding destination does not include a ceremony in Tuscany, Rome, or Venice, we can bring the culinary vibes of Italy to your guests with our Taste of Italy Dinner Buffet. Guests can start the meal off with a delicious Italian house salad, followed by Tomato Basil Bisque soup, and cold marinated vegetables. Main dinner entrees include Sausage with Peppers & Onions, Chicken Alfredo, and Lasagna, with vegetarian option available. Get the best of both worlds when you bring a Taste of Italy to your Lowcountry wedding in Pawleys Island.

Asian Fusion

The Far East meets the Southeast when you give your Litchfield Beach wedding a unique spin by incorporating our Asian Fusion Dinner Buffet into your event. The multi-course meal gets started with fresh garden salad, delicious fruit salad, tropical pineapple cole slaw, and vegetable spring rolls. Continue the dining experience with scrumptious Korean BBQ and Teriyaki Chicken. Accompanying side items include citrus rice, and sauteed fresh vegetables. Give your guests a glimpse into the world of Asian Fusion when you opt for this dinner buffet.

No matter which route you take when it comes to your wedding menu, the catering services at Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort are standing by to make your event as unique, charming, and unforgettable as possible! Contact our event manager today to begin planning your wedding in Litchfield!

A Seafood Spot Is Reopened, but Not Remade

The Litchfield Saltwater Grille has three dining areas.

When a popular restaurant is sold, it is natural to wonder what changes, if any, to expect. Will the new owners close the place indefinitely for extensive remodeling? How much of the previous menu will be retained? What kind of turnover will there be in the staff?

Fortunately, in the case of the Litchfield Saltwater Grille, which closed for all of two days when it changed hands last December, those types of questions seem to have been answered satisfactorily enough. There is still a raw bar, with ocean-fresh oysters and clams served on the half shell; steamed lobsters continue to be a mainstay; and the interior, with oak wainscoting offset by pastel walls, looks much as it always has. And that’s just the way the new owners, Andy Stowers and his wife, Brook Noel, want it.

“We have to be careful, because Litchfield is a fairly conservative market,” Mr. Stowers said when I talked with him by phone after my visits. He said the restaurant was well run before he and Ms. Noel arrived, and they have kept much of the staff. The most notable exception to that is the current chef, Robert Peotter, whom the owners brought from their home state of Wisconsin.

Mr. Peotter’s skill is evident in both simple and more complex dishes. An appetizer of fried calamari hit just the right balance of crunchy-chewiness, the squid’s rings and legs delicately coated in a gossamer layer of batter, with just enough morsels provided to stoke, not stunt, the appetite. Oysters Alaska reflected a more ambitious assemblage of ingredients — dill, flying-fish roe, smoked salmon and horseradish cream sauce, all layered over oysters on the half shell (from beds off Mystic) — that hit the palate with an explosion of harmonious flavors.

Oysters Saltafeller, an updating of the Rockefeller classic, was just as intoxicating. Six agreeably plump oysters, coated in a creamy blend of spinach, artichoke and Parmesan and dotted with bits of bacon, were baked just past raw so that their inherent brininess melted into, and beautifully complemented, the cheesy, smoky nature of their sauce. And on rare sliced tuna, seared on the edges but sushi-red within, the blend of spices crusting the outside — salt, pepper, cumin — delivered an intriguing, endearing savoriness to what elsewhere has often been bland.

I loved the buttery wine sauce, accented with lots of garlic (and a dash of fresh basil), of a steamed mussels appetizer, but that enthusiasm was tempered by the minuscule size of the mollusks, which had also been steamed beyond redemption. The “signature crab cake,” ordered as a starter, presented different problems: a dense, oily panko crust and the gummy blend of crab meat and sweet potato inside. The red pepper aioli paired with it was richly flavored with roasted capsicum, but the deep pool of it amounted to overkill.

The biggest surprise among the entrees — most of which are served with a small house salad and either wild rice pilaf or some form of potatoes — was fish and chips, normally a humble dish. The Grille’s version, consisting of twin cod fillets encased in crispy pillows of golden brown batter, was moist, flaky and anything but pedestrian. And the chips (thick-cut fries, actually), dappled with sundry Southwest seasonings, were sinfully delicious.

Blackened scallops, undercooked to perfection, were dusted with a spice blend similar to the fries’, to similarly delightful effect. (Less enchanting was the surfeit of Cajun cream sauce that covered the entire plate.) I also liked the salmon crusted with spinach and artichoke, partly because of the nutty pesto lacquering its underside, partly because of the toasted Parmesan topping and largely on account of the moist, flaky fish itself. Seafood-stuffed sole, with a zesty lemon cream sauce, had a mushier texture, the thin fillet serving as a shell for a nondescript filling of crab meat, dill cream and bits of tomato.

Though its spirit may lie with the ocean, the Grille gives meat eaters a nod with its half-pound burger, an eight-ounce filet mignon and a rib eye steak of nearly twice that weight. Yet it was the chicken piccata that stunned me. The white meat, pounded flat and then charbroiled, was vibrantly suffused in a caper-dappled garlic-lemon sauce. Who knew that a chicken breast could be so flavorful?

As time passes, the owners will undoubtedly drop some items from the menu as their chef experiments with different dishes. There is certainly room for that among the house-made desserts, though I sincerely hope they retain the velvety-smooth chocolate mousse, which was among the fluffiest and more chocolaty that I’ve tasted.

Saltwater Grille: Sticking With What Works

 

Head out to Litchfield for a summer dinner and most think of the picturesque town green and its sprinkling restaurants that have a stellar history and reputation.

But drive west a couple of blocks and there is another rural gem and new owners are breathing new life into this charming landmark as well.

Litchfield Saltwater Grille, owned for many years by Brett Clugston and her husband, Albert, was sold eight months ago to a couple looking to do “something different” after they became empty nesters in Wisconsin.

New owners Andy Stowers and Brook Noel are not only loving the change of geography, but a shared profession they say is an adventure that they love.

“We were looking for an adventure,” said Noel. Our daughter had gone off to college and we were empty nesters. Andy was in corporate America and had enough. I was an author who had helped friends with their restaurant in Wisconsin, took classes in the hospitality program at Cornell and knew the business. We wanted to be in New England and knew if we were going to make a big change in our lives, now was the time.”

The couple looked at dozens of restaurants from Boston to Guilford. and when they found the Litchfield Saltwater Grille, they knew they found a match.

“It felt a lot like our home in Wisconsin,” said Noel. “A small town with a lot of culture and a lot of New England charm. We just fell in love and knew this was the place.”

Noel and her husband were happy with what they saw in the place, which has a rustic charm with its wood wainscoting and soft-colored walls, a pleasant outdoor dining area that can be used even when it’s raining and a busy tap room with bar that has a lively and Yankee Magazine award-winning happy hour. So any changes were barely noticeable and limited to some sprucing up and some tweaking of the menu.

The new owners kept all the staff, which Noel said made for a seamless transition and gave them a source of information when it came to learning the ins and outs of the business and the area.

“We inherited talented, capable staff,” said Noel. “We were fortunate because there are so many moving parts to a restaurant and there were nuances we did not understand in a new state like liquor laws and suppliers. The staff is a resource for us.”

One thing they were not braced for was Connecticut’s reluctance to go out once the snow starts to fall.

“We took over and were hit with one of the worst winters here in a long time,” she said. “In Wisconsin you go out even in 2 feet of snow; we just drive everywhere there in snow. But here everyone hides and we had to come up with ways to coax people out.”

The restaurant has initiated a slew of special seasonal events, ranging from wine dinners with hot air balloon rides to live music on Thursdays and Sundays and tarot card reading on Mondays. A cigar dinner, a bridal show, an outdoor block party and the continued wine series are some of the other special events planned for fall.

But what’s a good restaurant without good food? Noel and her husband addressed that by bringing their own chef from Wisconsin, Rob Peotter.

With him came a wonderful recipe for a seasonal cheddar cheese soup that includes a hint of Wisconsin beer; stuffed sole and blackened tuna choices, which have been the restaurant’s most popular dishes. Noel and her husband kept the restaurants signature raw bar, with choices that include Oysters Alaska, featuring oysters and smoked salmon with caviar and dill; and the Freedom Tower, with little neck clams, oysters, jumbo shrimp, chilled lobster tail, smoked salmon and sliced rare tuna.

Raw bar platters range from $10 to $69, with salads from $4 to $12 and entrees from $16 to $48.

“We want to make changes gradually,” said Noel. “We have added more seafood options as well as filet and ribeye steaks. We liked the menu we inherited but wanted to round it out a bit more and are talking to customers to see what they like or what they would like to see added to the menu.”

And they don’t have any doubts they did the right thing.

“I think we made the right choices,” said Noel. “We have no regrets especially as we get more and more comfortable in our new home and our new business. The community couldn’t have been more welcoming, and we are looking forward to a long, successful business and life here.”

>>Litchfield Saltwater Grille, 26 Commons Drive, Litchfield, is open Monday from 4 to 9:30 p.m. and Tuesday through Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Information: 860-567-4900 or litchfieldsaltwatergrille.org

6 simple tips to remember when purchasing fish

When walking into your local fishmongers or supermarket, you may find yourself overwhelmed with selection of fish available to choose from. To ensure that you buy the best quality fish we have put together 6 simple checks for you.

1) SKIN –  A shiny skin with slime on the surface is a good sign that the fish is fresh and good quality.

2) FINS – The fins should be clearly defined and perky, not scraggy or broken.

3) GILLS – A moist, shiny and pink or red gill is a great sign that the fish is fresh and good quality. Stay away from fish that has brown or faded gills.

4) SMELL – Remember fresh fish should smell of the sea not fish. Also make sure that the fish smells appetising and not of a smelly odour that you hope will  disappear when you cook it.

5) FEEL – A good quality fish will always feel firm. Some fish will feel softer than others however if the fish feels flabby or goes slack then this is a sign that the fish has gone stale.

6) EYES – Fresh fish should have bright clear eyes. Stay away from fish that have cloudy, sunken or red blotched eyes.

Top tip from Rick Stein…

“Rather than slavishly going for the fish in the recipe, choose the best looking fish on the counter and use that. Go for the brightest eye, the most sparkling skin. Like wine tasting, it’s easier to make a judgement of quality by contrasting one fish with another.”

If you would like more tips, learn how to skin a whole flat fish with our blog here.

6 questions you should always ask before buying fish

crispy_fishIf you have felt apprehensive upon approaching the fish counter—whether you don’t have much experience cooking fish or you just made eye contact with a finned fellow lying there on the ice—you’re not alone.

“I would say [people feel] terrified,” Mark Usewicz, one of the founders of the Brooklyn seafood shop Mermaid’s Garden, told me, for a few reasons:

They’re worried about their house smelling fishy, or they don’t know what to expect from a certain fish. Or they just feel uninformed about what cooking seafood entails beyond the occasional filet of salmon or halibut.

The first steps to bolstering your fish-counter courage? Find a fishmonger you trust and “Ask your fishmonger questions,” Mark said. These are the ones you should start with.

What’s in season?

salmon

Photo by James Ransom

“A lot of people don’t realize that most fish have seasons,” Mark said. Right now, for example, if you live in the Northeast, you should look into monkfish and skate, which aren’t as good once the water warms up.

This might mean that you have to adapt a recipe—but luckily, most recipes adapt easily to other varieties of fish. This comes with the added benefit of having an opportunity to try a lot of different kinds of fish. “We don’t sell farmed salmon, so we only have salmon from late spring to early fall,” Mark said. But there are lots of seasonal, responsibly farmed fish that make great stand-ins for salmon, like red rainbow trout and arctic char. “They’re both in the salmon family, and they’ll cook the same way,” said Mark.

When was this caught? By whom?

fisherman

Matt Cardy/Getty

These questions are a good way to gauge both how fresh the fish is and how knowledgeable your fishmonger is. Don’t be afraid to ask where the fish came from and how it was caught (by spear? by net? by trawl?). Ask if it came in from a big industrial fishing fleet, or a fisherman-owned boat. “A lot of big boats go out for weeks at a time, while the little guys go out overnight,” Mark added—so that will affect how long it’s been since your fish was pulled out of the water.

While you’re thinking about freshness, check out the fish case: Is there a fishy smell in the air? (If so, bad news.) The fish filets should look firm. The whole fish should look shiny, with clear, bright eyes; the gills should be reddish. Mark advised that you should “be suspect if the gills are pulled out of whole fish”—it’s a sign the seller is trying to hide how fresh the fish is.

What would you recommend?

fishmonger

Cameron Spencer/Getty

If you don’t know where to start (or just want to try something new), your fishmonger likely has a recommendation for you—or can tell you about something that they believe isn’t getting the love it deserves. For Mark, that’s albacore tuna, which is plentiful in the fall. Albacore isn’t as commercially desirable as yellowfin tuna is, but, said Mark, it’s delicious, and has a lighter, more delicate flavor.

A good fishmonger should also be able to to clue you in tovarieties of local fish that are abundant, cheap, and delicious. “Like porgy,” Mark told me. “They’re great fish. If we called it sea bream—it is a kind of sea bream—we’d probably sell a lot more of it.

Finally, they should be able to give you a recommendation for fish that are more sustainable and/or less overfished than their better-known counterparts. Shellfish, for example, have a very low environmental impact. And you can substitute overfished cod for haddock, hake, or pollock.

What do I do with this?

calm

Photo by Mark Weinberg

Many fishmongers can offer suggestions on how to cook a fish—or how to substitute one fish for another. “We ask if they [the customer] want something firm and meaty or light and flakey. And then we suggest something seasonal based on that,” Mark said. But the simplest thing you can do, which is what Mark recommends if you’re not so familiar cooking fish, is rub a bit of oil on both sides of the fish, sprinkle on salt and pepper, bake or broil the fish, and serve with lemon. Pan-frying is another excellent, simple option.

Can you help me do X?

scale2

Photo by James Ransom

Ask for advice! Whether you just need them to scale, gut, and filet a whole fish or are looking for a fish that won’t make your house smell, they should be able to help.

How should I store it until I cook it?

salmon2

Photo by James Ransom

Plan to cook the fish a day or two after you buy it—and just leave it in the packaging your monger wraps it in.

If you need to take it out of the packaging, place it in a zip-top plastic bag, squeezing the air out and sealing the bag. Place the bag between two layers of ice in a colander set over a bowl, and put the whole thing in the refrigerator.