The photos took me instantly to the last time I had that very dish and spurred the thought – why has it been so long since I made it?

Freezing where you are? Read on for tips on successful winter grilling.

I’m in Texas now, but I grew up in the cold northeast. I’m inspired to write a little bit about winter grilling because we’re having some uncharacteristically cold weather and it’s reminding me of the days when I had to trudge out in the snow for a good chunk of the year if I wanted a good steak or burger.

I’m assuming if you’re reading this, I don’t need to win you over on the value of grilling, but you may benefit from a quick bit of positive reinforcement. Here’s what I love about firing up the grill when it’s cold.

• It’s a reason to get outside.
• You get to laugh at nature.
• Fire and snow go really well together.
• It’s satisfying to come inside – freezing – to a hot grilled meal.
• Your neighbors could be impressed by your fortitude.
• Your neighbors could be intimidated by your craziness.

If you’re ready to get out there, you need to be able to deal with a few challenges; it’s cold, preparation takes longer, food cooks differently, and some foods simply will not fare well.

First things first. Obviously it’s cold out. It’s important to dress for success – make sure that you will be adequately protected from the elements. More than once I’ve assumed that I could just hop outside in whatever I happened to be wearing only to find I had to spend a little more time than I thought and rushed back in. Good grilling takes precision and precision takes time.

Don’t forget hand protection. You’re going to be exposed to the elements but you’ll also need dexterity.

You can also hedge your bets against the cold. Can you move your grill closer to the door and still maintain a safe distance between the grill and the house? If so, go for it. It’s important to consider the wind as well – cold wind has an incredible effect on cooking times and can cool off hot food extremely quickly. If you can adjust to block the wind – again, safely – your efforts will be rewarded.

Remember that your grill will heat up much differently when it’s freezing outside. It will also cook differently. The air above the food in the grill will be colder than normal, so indirect heat cooking will be greatly affected. Plan on more time for preheating and paying more attention to how your food is being cooked. Depending on the conditions, effects will vary, so it pays to be dynamic.

Some foods simply do not respond well to winter grilling. They will be cold before you even get back to the door. When it’s freezing out, the heartier the food being cooked the better. Things I don’t like to grill when it’s very cold out include:

• Delicate fish
• Chicken less than 1/4″ in thickness
• Sides like mushrooms, asparagus, onions
• Bread or pizza
• Shrimp
• Basically… anything smaller than a closed fist

Steaks, burgers, significant cuts of meat; these are the things that make for successful winter grilling.

The key here is basic – prepare. Think about how the cooking will be affected, what you can do to reduce the weather’s effect on your efforts, and be ready for the cold. My final tip – have fun with it. If you find a way to enjoy yourself when grilling in the cold, you’ll be able to stay out there much longer, and the results will show in your food. What better way is there to enjoy the cold than lighting a fire?

How do you deal with grilling in the cold? What do you like to grill? Comment below!

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11 Grilling Gifts for the Most Discerning of Grill Masters or Aspiring Enthusiasts!

Tongs
Spatula
Basting Brush
Thermometer
Chimney Starter
Mitts & Gloves
Skewers
Grilling Shovel
Cast Iron Skillet
Grill Pans

Whether it’s for Christmas, a birthday, an anniversary, a random second tier holiday or just because, grilling tools make great gifts. Here are some of my favorites with a few options ranging from ridiculously practical to borderline crazy. As an awful recipient of gifts – I just can’t feign it – I’ve culled the list to only things that:

1. I would be genuinely excited to get
2. I have used or currently do own
3. I recommend

Browse below, and please let me know your questions, thoughts, and/or opinions!

(Note that many of these links go to Amazon. This isn’t by design. I used Google Product Search to find the best prices for most of these products… and Amazon just happened to have them. If you find a better deal, please let me know in the comments section!)

Grilling Essentials

Oxo Tongs are great for grilling.

Tongs
Possibly the most used of the grilling essentials, tongs provide digit-like manipulation without the danger of getting burned. Anyone serious about grilling will need more than one set of tongs.

What to look for:

• Solid, thick-gauge construction
• Wide opening with a smooth locking mechanism
• 12+ inches for use on the grill

Recommended: Lodge ($10), Oxo ($17)

My favorite Weber spatula.

Spatula
Many grilled dishes are made or broken on the spatula. Whether it’s a failed flip or a pierced and split burger, the right choice here pays off.

What to look for:

• Solid, thick-gauge construction (a trend?)
• Smooth edges
• A spatula. No multi-tools here
• Offset neck and a wide blade

Recommended: Weber ($12), Oxo ($10)

Kingsford Basting Brush

Basting Brush
The basting brush won’t make an appearance every time the coals are lit, but it plays a major role in many dishes. A good basting brush will last forever.

What to look for:

• Silicon bristles
• Stainless steel handle
• Variety of brush widths

Recommended: Weber ($9), Kingsford ($18)

Overkill but awesome.

Thermometer
Using a good instant read digital thermometer takes the guesswork out of done-ness. This is also a good hint gift if the recipient cooks dry chicken, or cold burgers.

What to look for:

• Instant read
• Digital display

Recommended: Weber ($18), Taylor ($110, probe and infrared!)

Weber 7416 Chimney Starter

Chimney Starter
I went nearly 20 years without seeing a chimney starter in use. Anytime the family brought out a charcoal grill, copious amounts of lighter fluid were used to get things kicked off. This is not the way of the master.

What to look for:

• Solid construction from a light material
• Second handle for additional control
• Shielded handle

Recommended: Weber ($19)

Grill mitt by Charcoal Champion

Mitts & Gloves
It’s easy to ignore mitts or gloves… until you have to reach something on the back of a grill or move a hot cast iron pan.

What to look for:

• Insulated cloth with silicone inserts
• Cuffs that extend a bit to protect the forearm

Recommended: Charcoal Champion ($12)

The Expanded Tool Chest

Bamboo Skewers

Skewers
Aside from the obvious – like kebabs! – skewers are very useful for things like shrimp, scallops, or even wings. Both bamboo and metal skewers are acceptable in the grilling world. My personal preference depends on the fare, a heavier skewer for a heavier dish.

What to look for:

• Metal: flat or double pronged
• Bamboo: thick, splinter-free skewers

Recommended: Bradshaw ($3), ThinkBamboo ($15)

Grilling Shovel

Grilling Shovel
A small shovel is the most efficient tool for flipping giant burgers. Not really, but shovels are great for masterful coal arrangement, which allows you to control direct and indirect heat.

What to look for:

• All steel or mostly-steel construction
• Rubberized grip or handle

Recommended: Michigan ($10), Black & Decker ($20)

Lodge Cast Iron Skillet

Cast-Iron Skillet
A good skillet helps move stove favorites out to the grill. This isn’t the place for a bunch of cast iron recipes but a quick view into my favorites: grilled breakfast, bacon, sauteed mushrooms, seared filet mignon…

What to look for:

• Pre-seasoned
• Dual handle design

Recommended: Lodge ($28)

Calphalon Rib Rack

Rib Rack
A basic rib rack makes efficient use of grill space and provides better results than just laying ribs directly on the grates by enhancing air flow. This is the best way to achieve indirect heat on a charcoal grill, in my opinion.

What to look for:

• Thick gauge wires
• 4+ slots spaced for ribs or poultry

Recommended: Charcoal Companion ($15), Calphalon ($19), Weber ($16)

Weber Grill Pan

Grill Pans
Grill pans and sheet pans offer expanded prep area and a solution for grilling delicate or small foods. It would be crazy for instance to grill a delicate fish filet directly on the grates. Grill pans expand the utility of a grill, and thus make the list.

What to look for:

• High grade stainless steel
• 14-16″ length

Recommended: Weber ($23), Norpro ($20)

If you have a suggestion for this list, I’d love to hear about it.

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Turkey Burgers w/ Apples and Cranberry Sauce

Grilled Acorn Squash with Orange Glaze

Entering the weekend, a few buddies and I decided that we would make this week’s Burger Sunday a pre-holiday celebration. The goal was to capture the essence of Thanksgiving dinner with a couple of relatively simple grilled dishes.

Then I decided to complicate things a bit, hoping it would be worth it. A few weeks ago I was browsing A Hamburger Today and something caught my eye. Kenji conducted a Burger Lab to enhance Turkey Burgers and came up with a surprising and wonderful sounding recipe. The short of it is that Kenji’s recipe results in a very meaty, incredibly tasty turkey burger. I backed up my plan by running a blind taste test with my roommate. The complication was worth it.

Armed with a better kind of turkey burger, we brought in a go-to turkey burger recipe featuring granny smith apples and cranberry sauce. The very basic, lightly modified recipe is below:

• Seriously Meaty Turkey Burgers
• Hickory Smoked Muenster Cheese
• Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
• Thinly Sliced Granny Smith Apples

Sound easy? It really is. The result is a burger that is like eating a Thanksgiving feast in every bite.

Second up, and just as easy, is the grilled acorn squash. This one was a completely ripoff from a Boy Meets Grill episode, so I’m going to link and paraphrase:

• 4 halved acorn squash, halved
• Reduced orange juice w/ brown sugar, cinnamon, and allspice

Prep was pretty basic, but a little time consuming.

1. Roast the squash until nearly done
2. Prep the orange glaze
3. Prep the turkey burgers
4. Grill the squash, skin side down then flip (5 min or until soft)
5. Put cranberry sauce over low heat
6. Grill the turkey burgers, throw on the smoked muenster
7. Slice apples (The thinner, the better.)
8. Toast buns (Warm works best here.)
9. Construct burgers!

This menu made for a dinner that was light but filling and a nice preview of a week full of thanksgiving grilling! Apologies for not having more pictures… the burgers didn’t stick around for long.

I often feel pretty lucky to have landed in Fort Worth. It’s a great city with great people. The grilling culture here is exceptionally strong, and a lot of the local fare focuses on it. There is great food here. There are great restaurants. Love Shack is one of those.

Two Love Shacks, one Fort Worth

Recently, a second Love Shack opened up the city. Now, I have the convenience of one by my office and one by my home. Tim Love: I appreciate how thoughtful you’ve been here. You have my continued support.

Love Shack Stockyards is the original. It fits its surroundings. If you haven’t been to the Stockyards in Fort Worth, it’s a tourist’s view into the west. They run longhorn cattle down the street twice a day. There is a native american that stands on the size of the street with a painted horse. He says things like “feel free to take a picture, we just work for tips.” Love Shack Stockyards is not out of place here. It’s awesome, and it’s all patio so you get to take in your environment completely.

Love Shack So7 is in an opposite location. It’s just outside downtown in an area of Fort Worth that is being redeveloped in a luxury-living sort of way. The So7 location is ritzier, it has a different crowd, but it’s not a completely different feel. More, it’s a shifted feel.

I’m going somewhere here. These two locations are Tim Love. It’s clever but not overly contrived. Chef Love is western, but urban. The Shack locations are western and urban. Burger and a beer or burger and a cocktail. Regardless of location, it’s a hell of a burger.

Dirty Love Burger

This burger is magnificent. It’s a mix of cuts, always cooked medium on a flat-top or griddle. The combination of brisket and tenderloin results in a tender, juicy burger that I can only best describe as burgery in the best of ways. It works. It’s complimented with American cheese, which just fits the end compilation as rustic and honest. Bacon adds to the heartiness, and a quail egg creates delicate sophistication. The bun gets a bit of Love Sauce, a mystery recipe that I’d imagine has a base of ketchup, a little mustard and mayo, and some Worcestershire to start. It is complex and light. It works well on the burger.

Alternate Attractions

I’ve eaten at the Stockyards Love Shack at least 20 times. The burger is always the same. Always great. I know what I’m getting into. I’d give the same to the Crazy Good Onion Rings. The fries and fresh chile parmesan chips seem like a 50/50 to me; they’ll either be passable or great. The chips seem to suffer from the wildest inconsistencies, and they’ve been nearly soggy more than once. It’s easy to forgive that though, based on my experience with the other menu items.

I’ve been to So7 a few times recently and something on the menu has been catching my eye. Last Saturday morning – after a particularly eventful Friday night – I decided to get adventurous and went for the deviled eggs. They were exactly what I wanted them to be – basic deviled eggs with a little smoke and bacon on top. Very nice.

If you have the chance, go to the Love Shack and get the Dirty Love Burger. Either Fort Worth location will do. You may see the man himself. Two days ago I walked by the Stockyards location and saw Chef Love outside. I was on my way to the Lonesome Dove for one of my favorite BLT’s in the world, but I’ll save that one for another day.

• Chef Tim Love
• Love Shack

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Of course this isn’t true. But I had to defend, and cook a set of steaks to let my buddy judge.

Roasted Garlic & Chive Compound Butter

• roasted garlic
• chives
• Plugrá salted butter

The compound butter is an easy prep. Roast the garlic out on the grill or in the oven by lathering it with olive oil, salting it with kosher salt, and cooking it until the cloves are tasty and soft. Mix it with the butter (at room temperature) and chives and refrigerate.

There was no magic to the ribeyes. I let them come to temperature by taking them out of the fridge 20 minutes before they hit the grill, salted them, and ground on some fresh black pepper. When the grill was rocket hot, I seared the steaks and when I achieved some good grill marks and carmelization, I took them off direct heat until the desired internal temperature (rare) was achieved.

I was satisfied with the results, and the butter is always a hit.

Follow the guide, except do it all on the grill. I don’t want to beat it to death but when you can grill bacon, why grease up the kitchen?

Grilled Romaine

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