In grilling or broiling, an article is cooked over an open fire, preferably a bed of glowing coals. The article to be cooked is held upon a grill, gridiron or broiler - a frame consisting of parallel bars of iron or wire, with open spaces between. Sometimes the grill itself may be turned, and again the grill is stationary and the article to be cooked must be turned as needed.

Grilling in its simplest form was probably the first known form of cooking, and roasting on the "spit" was the natural outcome of this procedure.

Grilling is suitable for pieces of meat or fish presenting surface rather than thickness to the source of heat.

Care must be exercised, to avoid smoke from the fuel or from smoke occasioned by the dripping of fat upon live embers. Thus a wood fire must be reduced to glowing, live coals before grilling can be accomplished successfully over it. Also dampers must be set in such a way - when a stove is used - that all smoke be conveyed at once up the chimney.

The grill must be made very hot in advance of use or the article thrown upon it will stick to it. Rubbing over the hot bars with a bit of fat pork or beef suet is, also, of help in keeping the article to be cooked from adhering to the bars.

In cooking, the article is first subjected to strong heat, to sear over quickly the outside and imprison the juices. If the article were cooked several minutes on one side, the juices would be driven out upon the other side; to obviate this, cook ten seconds on one side, turn, cook ten seconds on the other, and repeat until the initial process is assured. Then withdraw the article a little from the heat to finish the cooking. When the juices at the center are slightly coagulated, the cooking is completed. This holds good in the cooking of dark meats, cut about an inch and a half thick, and which require about ten minutes cooking. When dealing with thin fillets, grenadins, noisettes, chops and similar articles, the initial searing and the full cooking are often completed at the same time.

The searing over of white meats is not essential and it is not desirable to color the meat before the cooking is completed. The cooking and browning should occur simultaneously.

Preparation Of Articles For Grilling

Wipe the articles to be grilled with a damp cloth. Wipe chops with the greatest of care to remove bits of bone that may be present. Baste with olive oil or clarified butter before setting to cook and, occooked; ally, while cooking. This basting is espec:ssed, necessary when grilling white meats or fish, fitry will brown better if it be first rolled in flour. Fish is cooked when the flesh separates easily from the bones. Many small articles, as oysters, slices of sweetbread, chops and small fillets are often brushed over with clarified butter and then rolled in sifted bread crumbs.