A basket with plenty of storage? Check. One of those funky checkerboard blankets you always see in the movies? Check.
Um, now what are we forgetting for our Memorial Day picnic? Oh, that’s right, food!
With Monday being the “unofficial” first day of summer, the Weekender is getting our foodie freak on with an outdoor feast sumptuous enough to make this the best Memorial Day ever!
Get in contact with your inner caveman
What’s more manly than slapping animal carcasses onto an open flame?
To some, this is called grilling. But for Braunger’s Retail Market manager Steve Hein, it’s more of an obsession.
“I’m grilling up to 4 – 5 nights a week in the summertime,” Hein said in front of his electric grill. “I can’t get enough of it.”
Yet, barbequing some Memorial Day steaks or chops requires a fair amount of prep work. A full half-hour before flaming flesh, Hein seasons the meat with a good quality olive oil before dusting it with a fragrant dry rub seasoning.
“The seasoning helps the meat develop a nice crust,” he explained.
Hein then places the meat onto a hot grill, giving it a quick sear on all sides. This will seal in the juices.
Now, we’re ready to cook!
Though Hein said he can eyeball the meat’s relative doneness, we recommend investing in a meat thermometer. Pork must be cooked until it’s 150 degrees and poultry at 165. Medium, medium-well and well-done beef must be cooked to 140, 150 and 160, respectively.
But the act of grilling is very much a communal effort for Hein.
“(Grilling) means being around family and friends while having fun outdoors in the summertime,” Hein said.
Chances are, if you’re grilling up some quality meats in a public picnic site, you’ll have no shortage of friends.
But man cannot eat just meat, right?
Read more at http://siouxcityjournal.com/weekender/food/the-memorial-day-weekend-picnic-survival-guide/article_cadf93ba-1f24-5a68-8e06-994a8381a405.html
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