7 Summertime Grilling Tips #Applegate

There is a new hotdog in town. Applegate Farms just came out with an all new, uncured beef hot dog made from quality cuts of natural beef that has no added nitrites or nitrates plus no chemical preservatives. This hotdog is also lower in fat than most other beef franks.

Applegate Farms has been around since 1987 and since then, they have been making quality natural and organic meat products from animals that have never been given antibiotics. Their livestock enjoys a completely vegetarian diet including grass-fed cattle and grain-fed hogs and poultry. Animals grow at their natural rate and are NEVER given hormones or artificial growth promotants.

We are grill lovers in this household. On any given night of the week, you will most likely find us grilling out  and on other nights we are most likely shopping for things to grill out on the other nights. Our grill gets a workout. Now yours can too if you utilize some of these grilling tips that will definitely enhance your grilling experience.

Very often, our entire meal is make on the grill. Think twice if you find yourself using the stove or microwave while grilling out. I found myself microwwaving a can of corn while my husband was grilling one night. I stopped almost immediately, made a packet out of aluminum foil and tossed it on the grill with everything else. The flavor was amazing and defintiely one of the hits of the evening.

Experiment with different woods. Once your natural briquette has coals (it burned down to embers), you can use flavoring chips like Applewood, Cherry or Mesquite. We soak our chips in water and then throw them on the grill to create smoke which adds flavor. Don’t be afraid to experiment with wood to add different flavors and dimensions to your grilling.

We season everything beforehand rather than while it is cooking. This lets the seasons dissolve and really provides an even flavor to your meat. Seasoning once the meat is on the grill could leave a lot of flavor on your grill rather than on your food.

If you are cooking several meats at one time, use those racks as a holding area for meats that will be cooked at a lower temperature or for the things that cook quickly.

Specialty racks are also a good idea. We have wire baskets for shrimp and veggies, porcelain racks for roasts and chicken, a grill wok and more. There are lots of accessories that can complete enhance your grilling experience.

I take the food out about 20 minutes before cooking so that the food is not refrigerator temperature. It cooks faster this way.

I also food rest 5-10 after cooking so that the meat relaxes. This is especially true with steaks. Letting steaks relax with help them hold their juice and produces a much better steak.

To get a good sear, you need to leave the meat alone. Don’t move the meat around too much or you will never get those good grill marks and you might mess it up. Once you grill out a few times, you will learn how long it takes for things to cook. Give the meat time to cook properly and you will be much happier with the results.

Let your grill stay hot and then hit it with your grill brush. Nothing tastes worse than a freshly cooked steak that tastes like last week’s chicken. Cleaning reagularly is crucial for great tasting food.

THE APPLEGATE PROMISE

When you pick up an Applegate product, you can be assured that…

Their animals are never given antibiotics.

Healthy animals don’t need medicine. Instead, we give them space, fresh air, and a healthy diet, which we’re certain beats the alternative.

Their livestock eat a completely vegetarian diet with no animal by-products.

Cattle in Applegate organic program are grass-fed. Hogs and poultry in their organic program are fed a grain diet that includes corn, soy, barley, and flax that are free from GMOs. Their animals are never given hormones or artificial growth promotants. They grow at their natural rate. All of their products are made with natural and organic ingredients. If you aren’t familiar with a particular ingredient, email Applegate and they’ll tell you what it is.

Their products are all minimally processed, allowing for a wholesome texture and taste.

Their products never contain artificial nitrates or nitrites.

Instead, we use celery juice and sea salt to preserve their products the natural and old fashioned way.

Their deli meat, hot dogs, burgers, and bacon are gluten and casein free.

Their products are made from natural and organic whole muscle meat.

Yes, even their hot dogs! No mystery here.

THE RESULT

FIND APPLEGATE FARMS HOTDOGS

Applegate Farms hotdogs are now available in Kroger stores in addition to Whole Foods. You can locate a store near you using the Applegate Farms online store locator.

GET SOCIAL WITH APPLEGATE FARMS

Follow Applegate Farms on Twitter: @ApplegateFarms

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Applegate blogging program. I was compensated for my post. The opinions and ideas expressed here are my own. To read more posts on this topic, click here.