#getgrilling

5.07.2020 | 8:57 p.m.

When it comes to burgers, I typically season local beef with salt and pepper, but I do switch up my routine every so often and this is when I like to incorporate my all-purpose rub into the grilling routine. My spice rub works well in burgers, kebabs, ribs, brisket, pork chops or even shrimp.

Bun: I like an old-fashioned brioche-style bun. I like to brush butter on cut sides of bun, and grill them for extra flavour; butter is always a good thing!

Burger: For every pound of ground beef, I use 1.5 tbsp of my spice rub. I like to portion each of my burgers to weigh six ounces. I press the burgers out into a circle just wider than the circumference of the bun.

Grill the burger on medium-high heat for three minutes, then flip to the other side, and grill for another three minutes. Flip the burger again, and this time brush some of your favourite barbecue sauce atop the patty; grill for another two-and-a-half minutes. Repeat on the other side.

Chef Ilona’s All-Purpose Grill Rub

This rub is great on kabobs, steaks, ribs, chops or shellfish. This recipe is based on ratios you can make a big batch to last all summer with enough to give some to your guests to take home with them, or you can make one cup.

8 parts brown sugar

3 parts kosher salt

1 part paprika

1 part of each of the following: cumin, coriander, black pepper, garlic powder and mustard powder

How to cook with indirect heat on your BBQ

Cooking with indirect heat on an outdoor grill is essentially using your grill as an oven. Indirect heat is lower and slower than cooking directly over an open flame. Using indirect heat is the optimal way to prepare a whole chicken, a full side of salmon, or even my mango-cherry cobbler.

How to set up your grill for indirect cooking:

Gas Grill: Turn on half of the burners; one half of the grill should have no flame and the other side will. Close the lid and preheat the grill for 10 to 15 minutes to the desired temperature. Pop your ingredients on the unlit side of the grill, lower lid and allow ingredients to cook. Charcoal Grill: Scoot the hot coals to one side of the grill. The side that has no charcoal is where you’ll be cooking the ingredients indirectly. When you are ready to cook, follow the same method as with the gas grill

Use my all-purpose bbq spice rub for your chicken legs and thighs on the BBQ using the indirect method- score the chicken pieces cutting into the flesh about 1-2 cm. Sprinkle the chicken liberally w/ the rub and a bit of vegetable oil, and massage the seasoning into the all of the nooks of the chicken pieces.

Heat a gas grill to medium-high, 425˚F. When it reaches temperature, turn off burners in one area to create an indirect heat, cool zone. Place chicken thighs, skin side up, on the cool side of the barbecue and close the lid. Increase burners in hot zone as needed to maintain a temperature of about 425˚F.

Set a timer for 45 minutes. Check the grill occasionally to confirm that the temperature is staying caround 425˚F (preferably without opening the lid). The chicken thighs are done at 45 minutes (to check for doneness, a meat thermometer should read a minimum 165˚F internal temperature). Transfer to platter and serve.