STREETERVILLE — Celebrity chef Graham Elliot expects to do plenty of grilling after laying down roots in Morgan Park.
The judge on Fox's "MasterChef" and "MasterChef Junior" said he recently bought a home in the neighborhood on the far Southwest Side and gladly offered a few tips for his neighbors.
But it was the Streeterville crowd that was treated to Elliot's GrahamBurger and other culinary delights on Friday afternoon courtesy of Mike’s Hard Lemonade Co.
The West Loop-based beverage company partnered with Elliot to promote its new variety pack via a "pop-up backyard" at 401 N. Michigan Ave.
Howard Ludwig offers some additional grilling tips of his own:
Elliot, the owner of Graham Elliot Bistro in West Town, offered samples of his summertime favorites to those near Pioneer Court and followed up the promo event with a bit of advice for anyone working a grill:
• Summertime and grilling — both are supposed to be hot, right? Well, not exactly. Elliot said it's best to have two sides of the grill. A hot side for initially searing meat, fish and other grill-ables. Then, shift your food to a side of the grill with a low, steady heat to finish cooking.
• Propane grills are the most consistent for providing this dual grilling technique. But Elliot said there's something about the taste of food coming off of a traditional charcoal grill that's unmatched. Even the slight taste of lighter fluid can bring back memories of dad grilling in the back yard, Elliot said.
• When it comes to grilling, burgers are a staple. Fresh meat is always better than frozen, but frozen patties do have one advantage — a consistent thickness.
• A common mistake among backyard chefs is making burgers that are too wide in the middle. It's important to keep a burger at a steady, moderate thickness, Elliot said.
• Thus Elliot advised against making "mini meat loafs" or filling thick burger patties with onions or green peppers. A good burger needs to be little more than beef with an 80/20 fat content. To up the fat content a bit more, mix in a touch of ground pork, Elliot suggested.
• If you prefer a bigger burger, Elliot recommended gently pushing an ice cube into the middle of the burger as you set it on the grill. This will keep the middle of the burger pink.
• When it comes to bratwurst, Elliot recommends the tried-and-true method of boiling brats in beer before they hit the grill. Once the sausages are ready, simply top them with some roasted onion and grainy mustard.
"Grilling is simple. It's caveman cooking," Elliot said. "You have a big fire, and you put the food on top."
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