I was going to cook indoors after hearing it might be windy, but after some inquiries, however, I decided to venture back out into the back yard.
So what were these inquiries about? Roasts — that’s right, those big chunks of meat meant to feed a small army or at least more than one. A friend told me he was having a party and he sounded disappointed. When I asked why, he said he wanted to grill out but his friends were set on having a roast. I asked why not just grill the roast and he looked at me as if I was nuts. Maybe I am nuts, but it is definitely not because I grill roasts.
For a nice, juicy roast you always want to sear the outside first to keep as much of the juice inside.
Most people like their steaks, chops and chicken better when cooked on the grill, but when it comes to a roast, they’ll quickly move back into the kitchen and use the stove. The oven is cooking with indirect heat because you put the roast in a pan and the hot air circulates around it to cook it from all sides.
For a nice, juicy roast you always want to sear the outside first to keep as much of the juice inside. Get the pan hot on the stovetop and then put in the meat and sear all sides. Then, put it into the oven at 350 F degrees or lower if you want to slow roast it.
You can do the same thing outside on the grill, which will allow you to get that nice grilled flavor. It is quite simple and doesn’t take any more time or effort.
There are a few little things I’ll do different, such as how I set the charcoal up in the grill. and how I use the pan. Also, I will sometimes use a slightly different technique in seasoning the meat if garlic is involved, but like I said, none of these different steps really adds much more time or effort to the prep.
First, set up the grill. Instead of mounding the charcoal in the middle of the grill, put two smaller piles on each side leaving the middle open. If this is a roast such as a prime rib or something you would like to use the juice with, then place a small pan under the center of the grill. If you only have a small grill, place all the charcoal on one side and place the pan under the other. By now I’m sure you are starting to see the desired outcome — you are turning your grill into an oven.
Sear the roast over the open fire just like you would do in the hot pan. Then, once seared, move the roast to the middle of the grill over the pan, which will catch all the drippings. Put the cover on the grill and you are now roasting the meat as if you were cooking it in the oven.
You will have to check on it a little more often and maybe rotate it more often so the same points of the roast are not always the closest to the flame, but the added flavor makes this method of grilling worthwhile. If you would like to add a little smoky flavor to whatever it is you are cooking, simply soak a few pieces of hickory, cherry or whatever flavor you want and toss them on the charcoal.
Use this same method if your grill is a gas grill by simply lighting only one side of the grill. If there is no room for a pan, make a small catch pan out of tin foil. The foil catch will work as good for the charcoal grill.
If the roast starts to get too brown or burnt, wrap it in foil to finish. No matter whether you are using a gas or charcoal grill, you want to use smoke chips or just the natural fire flavor. The next time you are cooking a roast this summer, try grilling it and enjoy.
Roast on the Grill
Prepare the roast the way you normally would unless you are using garlic. Because burnt garlic is bitter, make a salt and garlic paste to lessen the chance of burning it during the searing.
Chop your garlic as usual and then pour salt over it while it is still on the cutting board. Use the back of the knife to rub the salt into the garlic to create a paste. Then rub this onto the roast and season with your pepper and anything else you are using.
Sear the roast over the open flame, then move it to the middle or side of the grill where there is no charcoal. Rotate the roast often, especially if all the fire is on one side, to insure even cooking all the way around. Use the cover to keep the heat in.
