Tips & Hints

Grilling Pork

In this section you will find all the information needed to make you a into a skilled and confident grill master.

Select a link to quickly view a section:
Ribs top ten tips
Cooking the whole hog
Direct Grilling
Indirect Grilling
Marinades
Rubs
Food Safety and Grilling

Ribs top ten tips

  1. Do not boil ribs. Preserve that precious rib flavour by gently steaming.
  2. Remove the thin, tough membrane on the non-meaty (concave) surface.
  3. "Baby Back Ribs" are exactly the same as plain old "Back Ribs".
  4. "Spare Ribs" are exactly the same as "Side Ribs".
  5. Always grill ribs on "low" to avoid burning.
  6. Apply sauce, turn ribs, apply sauce, and continue until ribs are nice and hot with a good coating of sauce.
  7. Side ribs: make sure that the breast-bone has been removed.
  8. Buy ribs that have a good meat cover. On the meaty (convex) surface, you should not be able to see exposed bone.
  9. Allow at least one pound (500g) ribs per guest.
  10. Once ribs have been steamed, you can refrigerate them for up to three days before grilling them.

Cooking the whole hog

  1. All BBQ hogs should be stamped with proof of government inspection
  2. Order ahead from a reliable butcher, producer, or farmers' market for pick-up well before day of cooking
  3. If hog is frozen pick up hog three days before cooking to allow for defrosting
  4. Suckling pigs are usually 10-25 pounds. Allow at least one pound of pork per person. So a 25 lb pig would be the absolute minimum needed for 25 people
  5. A 24-inch barbecue unit will hold a 15 lb pig; a 30-inch unit will hold up to 25 lb. A larger animal will require cooking gear with greater capacity.
  6. Pig roasting requires tender loving care. The chef must be on hand during the barbecuing to keep the fire hot and to check the coals for flare up.
  7. Start fire early. Figure starting time needed by subtracting the hours needed to cook the hog, plus one hour from the planned serving time
  8. Allow at least 20 minutes per pound cooking time.
  9. Buy good quality charcoal briquettes in sufficient quantities.
  10. Baste a whole pig two or three times during the final 1 1/2 hours of cooking with a non-sweet basting sauces. With sweet basting sauces, baste during the final 1/2 hour only, to avoid charring.

Direct Grilling

  1. Pork cooked on the grill is a thing of beauty when properly cooked; do not overcook it.
  2. Give the grill a good cleaning before starting. Check propane or charcoal supplies.
  3. Allow grill to pre-heat before you start to cook
  4. Pork does not like to be cooked at high temperatures ­ except for tenderloin
  5. Use tongs to turn meat; do not pierce with a fork.
  6. If you basting sauce has any sugar in it, be careful; it can burn easily. Cook on low, and turn frequently.
  7. Thicker cuts are easier to grill. They do not dry out as easily as thin cuts.
  8. Do not pay too much attention to suggested cooking times. A strong wind or cool ambient temperatures can double cooking times.
  9. Pork is ready to turn when small beads of liquid appear on the surface of the meat.
  10. Pork is ready when it is JUST cooked, with perhaps a hint of pink.

Indirect Grilling

  1. Use for larger cuts: loins, leg or shoulder roasts
  2. Start by preheating barbecue to about 325F (160C) with all burners lit.
  3. Set one side of the grill at medium to medium-low and shut off the other side. If using charcoal, bank coals on one side of the grill only.
  4. Place meat on "off" side of grill and close lid
  5. Always use a meat thermometer
  6. If roasting a shoulder cut, put a drip tray under the meat to catch any fat.
  7. Check meat every 20 minutes or so.
  8. Cook loin or leg roasts to an internal temperature of about 155 degrees F (68 degrees C). Remove meat and let stand for 10 minutes. The meat's internal temperature will rise (about 5 degrees F) after cooking.
  9. Cook shoulder roasts to an internal temperature of about 175 F (80 C).
  10. For that smoky flavour, wrap some damp wood chips in foil, pierce a few times, and place directly on heat source.

Marinades

Marinating is the procedure of brushing with, or immersing a food item in a flavoured liquid before it is cooked.

The oil in marinades adds succulence to food and gives it flavour. The acidic elements of a marinade are commonly wine, vinegar, soy sauce, mustard, citrus juice, or yoghurt. The acid will permeate the meat and break down tough fibers, thus tenderizing meat and leaving it lightly flavoured. The ratio of oil to acid depends in part on the food being marinated

Tips:

  • The liquid may be wine, fruit juice, vinegar, or any combination of these with spices, herbs, or other flavouring agents.
  • A less tender cut of pork (shoulder or leg) requires more wine (acid) than oil, and would benefit from marinating overnight.
  • Pork tenderloin should stand no longer than an hour or so and only in oil based marinades.
  • Most vinaigrettes or salad dressings can make excellent marinades.
  • If you are planning to marinate for only a short time, mix the marinade an hour in advance to allow the flavours to infuse and mellow.
  • Do not add salt to a marinade.
  • If you are using the same marinade to baste the meat, divide it in two; use half to marinate, the other half to baste.
  • Bowls and rectangular baking dishes made of glass, enamel, porcelain, or treated aluminum, are ideal for marinades.
  • Select pans in which the meat sits snugly and lies flat. The marinade should come up around the edges of the meat, but need not cover it.
  • Alternatively, meat and marinade can be put into a sealable plastic bag - a zip-loc is ideal. Squeeze out most of the air, seal tightly, and place in a bowl. Turn bag from time to time to distribute marinade. This is the perfect method for larger cuts.
  • Always marinate pork in the refrigerator.

Rubs

Rubs are spice and herb mixes applied to meats to flavour and, less often, to cure them before grilling. Rubs combine with the juices drawn from the meat and work like a dry marinade. It is difficult to decide where 'seasoning' ends and 'rubs' begin. In general, rubs are a mixture of several flavouring ingredients that are blended to a paste, rubbed onto the meat, which is then roasted or grilled, usually over a low heat.

Tips:

  • For best results, use whole spices like coriander, cumin, anise, mustard, caraway, etc.
  • Toast the spices for a few minutes in the oven, and then grind them in an electric coffee mill.
  • Rubs can be stored in a sealed container for up to 6 months before they start to lose their flavour.
  • There are excellent commercial rubs available. Just be careful to check the salt content before use.
  • Rubs can be applied to meat, covered and refrigerated overnight for roasts, or applied 10-20 minutes before grilling for thinner chops and steaks.

Food Safety and Grilling

There's no better way to enjoy food than hot from the grill in the open air. But you don't want food borne illness to ruin an otherwise perfect day. But when you're cooking outside on the barbecue, a few simple extra precautions will ensure that your food is safe, as well as delicious.

Transport

  • Pack food in a cooler with freezer packs or frozen containers of ice.
  • If you can, use separate coolers for beverages and perishable food
  • Carry cooler inside an air-conditioned vehicle, not in the trunk.
  • Place food, especially meat, in the shade when you arrive
  • Wrap meat in plastic and place in sealed bags or covered storage containers to avoid meat juices dripping on other foods.

Before You Start

  • Check grill valves; if flames are coming out of anywhere except the burners, it's time to get a new barbecue.
  • Keep salads refrigerated until the last minute. Do not leave any food, cooked or raw, out in the sun.

At the Grill

  • Have a water supply close by. Wash hands frequently.
  • When grilling meat, baste only cooked surfaces with sauce so you don't contaminate the sauces with bacteria from raw meat surfaces.
  • Always marinate pork in the refrigerator.
  • Always use fresh marinade to baste meat.