Some homeowners refuse to let a little thing like a Maine winter – snow, ice, bone-chilling temperatures and all – get in the way of a well-cooked steak.
December 13, 2009
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enlarge Courtesy photoThe EZ Grill is being marketed as a no-mess, disposable winter grilling option. It sells for $4.99.
enlarge Shutterstock.com WINTER GRILLING PRIMER
IF YOU WANT to be the kind of Mainer who embraces winter and even gets outside to grill in cold weather, here are some things to consider:
MORE HEAT: Gas grills with higher BTU ratings heat up quickly even when it's very cold, so if you're purchasing a gas grill and know that you want to use it in cold weather, opt for a unit with a BTU rating per square inch that is higher than 125.
SAFETY FIRST: If you haven't used the grill recently, check all gas lines, burners and jets for possible blockages. Insects such as spiders may pick these places to build cocoons for the winter, and their homes will prevent fuel from flowing freely to the burners.
AND ALSO: Avoid wearing scarves or wide-sleeved jackets that may dangle into the flames and catch fire. Instead, opt for snugly fitted sleeves and a turtleneck sweater or a fleecy neck warmer.
OUTDOORS ONLY: Although the garage may seem like a wind-sheltered, inviting spot to grill, the comfort is not worth the safety risk. Instead, set up the grill at least 10 feet away from the house to avoid the risk of a fire or an explosion that can result when grill flames and stray vapors from the gas furnace, water heater or the lawn mower's fuel tank meet one another in an enclosed space.
ICE FREE: If necessary, brush off all snow on the grill to speed preheating, and shovel the surrounding area to prevent a dangerously slippery skating rink from forming under and around your grill.
AGAINST THE WIND: Position your grill out of the wind to conserve heat.
HANDLE WITH CARE: Many metals and almost all plastics get brittle in very cold weather, so handle the knobs on the grill gently to avoid snapping them off.
KEEP A LID ON IT: To ensure that foods cook evenly and that cooking times aren't unreasonably long in cold weather, make sure the lid of the barbecue is closed during cooking. Peeking too often will allow heat to escape, and extends cooking time.
SOURCE: Dana McCauley & Associates Ltd., Ontario, Canada, www.danamccauley.com
IF YOU WANT to be the kind of Mainer who embraces winter and even gets outside to grill in cold weather, here are some things to consider:
MORE HEAT: Gas grills with higher BTU ratings heat up quickly even when it's very cold, so if you're purchasing a gas grill and know that you want to use it in cold weather, opt for a unit with a BTU rating per square inch that is higher than 125.
SAFETY FIRST: If you haven't used the grill recently, check all gas lines, burners and jets for possible blockages. Insects such as spiders may pick these places to build cocoons for the winter, and their homes will prevent fuel from flowing freely to the burners.
AND ALSO: Avoid wearing scarves or wide-sleeved jackets that may dangle into the flames and catch fire. Instead, opt for snugly fitted sleeves and a turtleneck sweater or a fleecy neck warmer.
OUTDOORS ONLY: Although the garage may seem like a wind-sheltered, inviting spot to grill, the comfort is not worth the safety risk. Instead, set up the grill at least 10 feet away from the house to avoid the risk of a fire or an explosion that can result when grill flames and stray vapors from the gas furnace, water heater or the lawn mower's fuel tank meet one another in an enclosed space.
ICE FREE: If necessary, brush off all snow on the grill to speed preheating, and shovel the surrounding area to prevent a dangerously slippery skating rink from forming under and around your grill.
AGAINST THE WIND: Position your grill out of the wind to conserve heat.
HANDLE WITH CARE: Many metals and almost all plastics get brittle in very cold weather, so handle the knobs on the grill gently to avoid snapping them off.
KEEP A LID ON IT: To ensure that foods cook evenly and that cooking times aren't unreasonably long in cold weather, make sure the lid of the barbecue is closed during cooking. Peeking too often will allow heat to escape, and extends cooking time.
SOURCE: Dana McCauley & Associates Ltd., Ontario, Canada, www.danamccauley.com
Freezing temperatures? He bundles up.
Snowstorms? He shovels a path to the grill.
Freezing rain? He pulls the grill close to the garage and ducks in there for shelter.
"Really, it's surprisingly simple to grill outdoors in the winter," said Desmarais, 47, a manufacturing engineer who lives in Kennebunk. "I'm surprised more people don't do it."
He's got a point. In Maine, people know they've got to embrace winter weather if they want to keep from going crazy. So all season long, you see people outdoors – walking dogs, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, hiking.
But for some reason, lots of these same people won't stand outside near their grill for 20 minutes when the snow starts to fall. In fact, Desmarais says he has no pictures of himself grilling in winter because no one will even go out there with him to keep him company.
"Grilling in winter is not a team sport," he said.
But there are some hardy folks, besides Desmarais, who don't see grilling outdoors in winter as a big deal.
"The only real difference is being willing to stand out there in the cold," said David Beaudoin, 54, of Windham. "And if there's too much snow, I snowblow a path to the grill."
FIGHTING THE FEVER
Beaudoin has done a lot of winter camping in Maine, and cooks outside during those excursions. So he doesn't think outdoor grilling is very different.
In fact, Beaudoin says one of the reasons he likes to grill outdoors all year long is that he considers it easier than cooking indoors. Not so many dishes.
"Plus, it's fun to go out there in February with some corn on the cob and some chicken, put on some Beach Boys music, and try to get rid of some of that cabin fever," he said.
Beaudoin says one downside of winter grilling is that charcoal is not always readily available at the supermarket, as it is in summer. Home improvement stores sell it year-round, though, and some winters, Beaudoin just stocks up in the early fall by buying 200 pounds of charcoal to last him through the winter.
Beaudoin also can't use his outdoor smoker in the winter. Smokers cook at a fairly low temperature, and this time of year, it's usually too cold to keep the smoker at its required temperature.
While any charcoal or gas grill will work in the winter's cold, there is a ceramic outdoor cooker known as the Big Green Egg that is supposed to be ideal for winter cooking, said Sebastian Milazzo, a salesperson with Finest Hearth and Home, a stove and grill seller with five locations from Portland to Bangor.
The Big Green Egg uses wood charcoal, and its ceramic body keeps the temperature constant while outdoor temperatures drop or winds whip up, says Milazzo. But they are more expensive than other grills, ranging from about $300 to more than $1,000.
On the low end of the winter grilling equipment scale is a product being marketed as a no-mess, disposable winter grilling option. Available at Walmart and other stores for about $4.99, it's called EZ Grill. In one box you get a foil grill pan, grate, a little wire stand, and some all-natural charcoal that lights without lighter fluid. It's supposed to cook for about 90 minutes. Then when it's cool, you just throw it away.
Sounds like it might be good for skiing or tobogganing trips, or tailgating.
But Desmarais likes to go more high-tech, when possible, when grilling during the winter.
On New Year's Eve a couple of years ago, Desmarais began cooking a prime rib on his gas grill outside, getting ready for dinner guests. Then the guests called and wanted him and his wife to come over for appetizers at their house, before coming back to Desmarais' house for dinner.
Desmarais at first wasn't sure how he'd be able to keep a roast cooking on his outdoor grill while he was not there.
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