HomeLife

Grill. Master.

I should start with a confession.

A Grill Master, I am not.

A Grill Student? Eh, maybe.

I mean, yes. I AM a student of the grill.

Now. That’s what I am now.

Two weeks ago I was a forty-six year old woman who had never grilled anything in her life.

Unless you call cooking over a campfire that someone had placed a grill type grate over and even then I cannot recall if I ever actually have done that but it sounds like something I might have done while camping. Sometime.

But two weeks ago all that changed.

I was gifted a used grill and I was kind of ecstatic. I can’t understand why. But I was.

The day it arrived on my back deck was the day I decided I should learn to grill.

Propane has always intimidated me. I know All The People say cooking with gas is the only way to cook. I see that “serious” cooks put gas ovens in their homes. I’m not exactly serious and I’m probably not really a cook and my kitchen does not have a gas oven and I’m not certain even if I remodeled that I would switch out my electric stove to a gas one.

Propane outside is as scary to me as propane inside. Nope, no tragic accident has ever occurred to me nor to anyone I know. Still leery. Not certain why. I don’t have to examine ALL of my unexplained feelings, okay?

The point is – I have been a grill and propane avoider.

And there I was, fancy new to me grill on my deck. I picked up my phone to send my friends a text that read something like this: “Hey, propane scares me. Can you come teach me all the propane and grilling ways? Like how do you even turn this thing on?”

I started typing.

Then, I started deleting.

Nah, I decided. I am forty-six years old. I own my own home. I am raising six children. I have grandchildren. I own a business. I CAN FIGURE OUT HOW A GRILL WORKS ALREADY.

(I speak to myself in capital letters a lot.)

I put down my phone.

Did you know that inside of the grill there are directions?

I mean, the directions were only for the lighting of the grill but the rest seemed sort of self-explanatory. I don’t care for reading directions. I would always prefer to be shown how to do something over reading about how to do something.

I connected the propane via what looked logical and I read the directions for lighting the flames and you know what? After turning the knob and hearing the ominous click click click, there were flames! I celebrated by cheering for myself.

Then I turned off the flames and shouted to the kids, “I”m going to the store to buy supplies for burgers! I’m going to grill out!” And then, for good measure, I added, “I own a grill! I know how to turn on a grill!”

I convinced Otto to join me and off we went. I purchased burgers and hot dogs because I’m not creative on the grill just yet. When I came home I researched the correct temperature for beef because I didn’t feel like poisoning my family.

The teens were already in town with buddies and they texted if two of their friends could join us for dinner. Cooking on the grill for the first time for other people too?

Sure, why not.

I recruited their help in making the sides and the burger toppings. I spontaneously asked their friend to slice a fresh from the neighbor’s garden zucchini into long spears and toss it with whatever seemed right. (We picked fresh squeezed lemon, oil, salt, pepper and oregano.)

Outside, hovering near the grill and marveling at its wonder, I realized something about those Grill Masters I have known in my past. Those people who spend time, beverage in hand, near the grill, checking on this and that, standing watch or guard over the preparation and the execution of the grilling, are actually geniuses. Because the grill is doing ALL the labor. All I had to do was to stand still, look engaged in the process, and WAIT. And you know what else? The kitchen was full of chatty teens cutting up potatoes for fries and placing sliced tomatoes and sliced onions on a tray and you know what was happening outside? NOTHING. It was quiet. I think I heard birds chirping. There was a breeze. And it was kind of glorious.

So THAT’S why the folks sign up to be Grill Masters.

I think I get it now.

In the end, the burgers were the right temperature. They tasted pretty good. The zucchini grilled randomly was a hit – actually truly delicious.

And I became a fan of The Grill. I’ll probably name it soon.

I made hot dogs for lunch the next day.

I requested two grilling cookbooks from the library and I want to conquer chicken soon, even though that really intimidates me.

But I’m on the way.

Who says you can’t learn new things after 40? (Well, no one says this, but you know what I mean.)

Send me all of your grilling recipes and ideas. Links are great – specific instructions are helpful.

I’m ready to stand outside quietly for every meal!

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