Oh, how I love to play around on the grill in the summertime!

You just WANT to be outside and fill the air with the smell of something delicious grilling.

Here’s a wonderful recipe to perfect this summer. It’s so refreshing with lime juice and cilantro – Grilled KC Strip with Black Bean Sauce. Delicious!

Grilled Strip with Black Bean Sauce

Ingredients:
4 (8oz.) Kansas City Strips
1 cup black beans, canned or cooked
1 jalapeno, minced (optional)
2 tbsp. lime juice
1 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp. onion, minced
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1 tsp. cumin, ground
1/4 cup water or stock
salt and pepper

Directions: In a small sauce pan, sweat the onion and jalapeno if using. Add the garlic and cook another twenty seconds. Add beans, cumin and half of the lime juice and stir. Add the water and blend with an immersion blender or in a blender until smooth. Season to taste and keep warm.Grill your Kansas City Strips steak until medium, about four minutes per side. Remove from heat and let rest for five minutes. Slice the steak on a diagonal and season the slices with the lime juice and salt and pepper. Plate on top of the sauce. This is a great sauce since it has absolutely no fat. You can add some butter in the blender to make it a little creamier but if not it is a great, healthy accompaniment.

Try it out this summer!

Taking your show on the road? At the beach, lake or campsite?

Don’t get caught up in making your grilling on the go experience too complicated. Keep it simple with this advice!

1. Marinade/rub ahead of time. Pack it up in a cooler, then just throw it on the grill when you get there. Prep before.
2. Bring seasoning (salt, pepper, etc.) that you can throw away. The less you come back with, the better.
3. Expanding on that theory, pack everything in things you can throw away – ziplock bags, foil.
4. Be sure to pack paper plates that are sturdy enough to withstand your meal. Nothing worse than looking forward to a beautiful steak, then trying to figure out how to cut it on a flimsy plate. Yick.
5. Bring trash bags!
6. Whatever power source you use for your grill, make sure to check that you have enough charcoal/propane/other BEFORE you leave.
7. Have lots of fun! Grilling in the great outdoors is one of the greatest joys in the world! 🙂

Photo courtesy of KansasCitySteaks.com. 

Let’s dispel some common misconceptions about our favorite pastime, shall we?

Okay, you’ve got your gourmet steaks ready, the grill is lit – should you leave the cover open or shut?

That depends on how quickly you want them finished. Thicker steaks should probably be grilled with the lid shut – especially USDA prime steaks. And if you are concerned about charred food you may want to leave the lid open so you can put out flare-ups quickly. They can happen with the lid closed and you won’t even know it.

So how often should the grill be cleaned?

The answer is simple. Before every new grilling session. Leftover particles may contain bacteria – and we don’t want any of that! Be sure to let the grill heat up nice and hot before putting your meat on to let the heat burn off anything you didn’t get with the brush.

Should you coat your grill with oil to avoid sticking?

That depends on your personal preference. But many of us don’t want the fat content associated with oils so layering with foil is a great alternative or use a grill basket. Baskets are fun to use, too!

Want more answers to your “burning” questions about grilling? Check out our friends over BBQMyths.com‘s advice. You’ll be glad you did!

Photo courtesy of KansasCitySteaks.com.