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THE sun is shining and the compounds, gardens and courtyards are bustling with Bahrainis and expats joining together for one of the delights of life in the kingdom … outdoor cooking.
Not surprisingly, a recent European survey found that 86 per cent of Germans, for example, cannot imagine grilling without sausages.
The second most popular grilled food, at 56 per cent, is a steak. Turkey filets came in third place, with 55 per cent of the vote.
But alongside these classics, a niche culture has quietly grown and added its own specialties to the grill.
“There are a lot of people who like to have something different from time to time,” says Robert Meyer, runner-up for the Grilling World Cup in 2003 and chairman of a barbecue association.
The simplest alteration is preparing the meat differently, putting it on skewers for example. More ambitious people will combine meat and vegetables: for example by filling zucchini halves with ground meat.
“You can also hollow out giant mushrooms, fill them with liquid and sausage pieces and cook it, using the mushroom as a pot,” suggests Meyer.
Fish lovers can never go wrong with a salmon or hamour fillet. His basic advice for attention-getting grill recipes? “Stuff and wrap ... and don’t think twice about putting a banana or some pineapple on the grill.”
Nutritionists also recommend mixing it up at the grill.
“Of course, you can still have your steaks,” says nutritionist Antje Gahl. But low-fat meat, like turkey, chicken or lean fillets are all healthier options. Gahl also recommends vegetarian alternatives, like stuffed-mushrooms, peppers or tomato-mozzarella sticks.
Different grilling styles are also an option. True experts make distinctions between smoking, barbecuing and grilling, says Meyer. The difference is in the temperature. “It can only be smoking at up to 80 degrees,” he said.
The practice is most common in the United States. “Americans will turn a whole cow into steaks and put the whole thing on a smoker.”
Smokers are fuelled by beechwood. Food can be cooked for up to 24 hours. “At the end, everything is as soft as butter.”
Of course, the food also tastes strongly of smoke.
Barbecuing means cooking meat at between 80 and 160 degrees and for longer periods than normal grilling. The lower the temperature, the softer the meat will be. Meat often gets cooked too hot during traditional grilling. “They’ll have a grey crust on the outside, but still be bloody on the inside.”
Another mistake is to let the fat drip onto the flame. “That can lead to health hazards, like the creation of cancer-causing benzpyrene,” says Gahl. That’s why it’s a good idea to cover the grill with aluminium foil or a special aluminium grilling bowl.
No matter how good the food tastes, it will all be for nothing if there’s an accident during grilling. Take care.
By Thomas Kaerst
