Sometimes size really does matter. And so does time. Real grilling can – no, must not – be a rush job. Even though our efficiency-obsessed civilisation has done everything to save time here too: the result was the invention of the gas grill, with which anyone can quickly sizzle something up. Convenient and very democratic. But let’s be honest: does that still have anything to do with grilling? With this ancient activity, so wonderfully relaxing, that teaches humility because nothing about it can be artificially sped up? Anyone who embraces slow grilling discovers something astonishing: when something takes time, you get time back – for a good chat with a friend, say, or a beer tasting.
Something takes a long time on the grill when the cut is large: a so-called grand pièce, the opposite of a quick schnitzel. Such a piece may weigh 1.5 to 2 kilos and, thanks to its size, has clear advantages: the juices stay inside, and you don’t have to watch the seconds until it’s perfectly done. So these cuts always turn out well. Goodbye to the dry, tough or burnt pieces that impress no one.
Besides time, two more things are needed: the right meat and a grill thermometer. The meat comes from Switzerland and from your trusted butcher – hands off anything cheap! The same goes for the thermometer, which may well enjoy the luxury of a Bluetooth connection to your smartphone: the app tells you exactly how far along the meat is and how long until you can tuck in.
That leaves charcoal and grill. Anyone tackling a grand pièce needs one with a lid – the only way to grill indirectly: the meat is placed next to the coals, an aluminium tray of water beneath it, the lid closed so the warm air circulates as in a fan oven. It has to be briquettes; they hold the heat longer. For long grilling, the so-called Minion Ring method works best (just google it). That’s all it takes. Plan your grand pièce – often to be ordered from the butcher in advance –, take your time and enjoy it to the full. En guete!
Picanha
Serves 6 · Prep approx. 15 minutes · Grilling approx. 45 minutes. Meat: 1.5 kg picanha (rump cap), 2 tsp coarse sea salt.
Score the meat crosswise on the fat side and rub all over with salt. On the grill preheated to 170–180 °C, grill indirectly and covered, fat side up, for about 30 minutes, then fat side down for a further 15 minutes. The core temperature should be 50 °C. Before carving, let it rest for 10 minutes covered with foil. Tip: serve with a chimichurri sauce.
Flank Steak with Coconut Fruits
Serves 4 · Marinate approx. 5 hours · Prep approx. 45 minutes · Grilling approx. 45 minutes. 1–2 flank steaks (approx. 600 g each). Marinade: 3 tbsp pineapple juice, 2 tbsp cooking cream, 3 tbsp desiccated coconut, 1 clove garlic (pressed), 1–2 tsp curry powder, 1 tsp salt. Garnish: 6–8 stone fruits (apricots, plums or nectarines), halved and stoned, 2 tbsp cooking cream, 4–5 tbsp desiccated coconut, a little fleur de sel.
Rinse the meat in cold water and pat dry. Mix all the marinade ingredients, brush onto the meat and marinate, covered, at room temperature for 4–5 hours. Wipe off the marinade and grill the meat indirectly, covered, over the water-filled aluminium tray at about 120 °C, turning once; then let it rest briefly, covered. For the garnish, brush the cut surfaces of the fruit with cooking cream, press into the desiccated coconut and grill over the direct embers for the last 5–10 minutes, turning once, then sprinkle with a little fleur de sel. Carve the meat at an angle, against the grain, and serve with the coconut fruits.
Lamb Pastrami
Serves 6–8 · Cure 3–4 days · Marinate approx. 5 hours · Smoke approx. 5 hours · Rest approx. 3 hours. 2 kg lamb breast with a fat cap (US flat cut), 50 g coarse mustard. Rub: 2 tbsp coriander seeds, 2 tbsp black peppercorns, 1 tbsp mustard seeds, 1 tbsp chilli flakes, 3 tbsp raw sugar.
Rub the lamb breast beforehand with 40 g curing salt, 20 g sea salt, 20 g raw sugar and 2 tbsp crushed coriander seeds, then cure for 3–4 days in the fridge; rinse thoroughly and pat dry. Finely crush all the rub ingredients in a mortar. Rub the meat with mustard, sprinkle with the rub and marinate, covered, for 4–5 hours. Smoke at 120 °C for about 2 hours over the water-filled aluminium tray placed in the centre (add smoking wood to the embers). Then wrap in butcher’s paper and foil and continue smoking at 100 °C for 2–3 hours (core temperature 85–90 °C). Unwrap, wrap without the juices in a second sheet of butcher’s paper and rest for 3 hours. Slice thinly. Tip: serve with bread.
Free: the Le Menu Grill Book
The recipes featured here and many more – plus valuable tips on grilling – come from the e-book «BBQ – Grillparty im grossen Stil» by Le Menu. It can be downloaded free of charge at ebook-lemenu.ch/grill.
This article appeared in MEN issue 1/23 (June 2023).
