Grilling Secrets

Part of The Underway Gourmet by Suzy O'Keefe

A small size propane tank (it looks a bit like a scuba tank) mounted on deck near the grill has several benefits. This size tank even fits in a back pack. With a high pressure fitting, it becomes your spare propane tank while you lug the big & heavy one for a refill. It's quick & easy to connect so that when the main tank decides to empty during prep of the morning coffee... you don't even need to find your glasses to change the connection. If you haven't already bought the big tanks, consider purchasing 3 or 4 small ones - one for the main system, one for the grill, and spares. This small size tank will probably last 6 to 8 weeks in primary use on a two-person cruising boat.

Fit your rail mount bar-b-que with a collar of stainless steel to prevent your dinner from rolling off into the deep. You may even find it works well enough to allow you to use the grill while underway (in mild conditions of course). To make the collar, use a 1 & 1/2" wide strip of stainless that's long enough to form a circle around the edge of the grill. Bend the circle, slant the top edge of the stainless inward slightly so that it won't interfere with the lid, and join the ends. Drill a few holes in the bottom edge of the collar and attach it to the edge of the bar-b-que so it too will stay with the boat.

The next time you use your grill, do a little planning ahead. If you'd like to have cottage fried potatoes for the next morning's breakfast, cut a couple of potatoes in half, wrap them in foil and put them on the grill just as you finish cooking dinner. Replace the cover and turn the grill off. There's enough residual heat to cook the potato by morning. Overnight baked potatoes only take a few minutes to slice and fry up for breakfast. Add a bit of rosemary for a special treat.

There's nothing quite like grilling a fish that you've just caught, so try grilling the whole fish like those wonderful Mexican restaurants do. Gut the fish and wash it thoroughly. Cut several half inch slits in both sides of the fish and insert a slice of fresh garlic in each slit. Grill as usual.

One of my favorite ways to prepare tuna is to coat the fish with a half & half mixture of mayo and soy sauce. It seals in the juices and adds only a delicate flavor of it's own. Dip the fish in the mixture or brush it on. Cook on the grill or inside in a skillet if it's raining.

Fish Foil Wrap is yet another method of grilling any fish and can also be used in the oven. Lay out a piece of aluminum foil large enough to completely wrap a sizable fillet. Place the fillet in the center of the foil and top it with chopped onion, canned or fresh mushrooms, chopped tomatoes, chopped garlic, a dash of soy sauce, and pour tomato sauce over the top. Seal the foil so that the juices will remain inside. Cook about 30 minutes. Cooking time will vary with the size of your portion. Make a package for each serving.

Baked Zucchini on the grill is done exactly like a baked potato and surprisingly takes almost as long to cook. Wrap the zucchini in foil and bake (don't puncture before cooking because all the juice will run out). Make a whole large zucchini for each serving. When cooked, slit lengthwise and top with a Ranch type dressing, butter, and loads of Parmesan Cheese.