3 Great Grilling Ideas
From a Fred Flinstone Steak to creative kebabs that are fun for the whole family, Theo Weening, Global Meat Buyer for Whole Foods Market, shares his favorite meats, recipes and grilling techniques
From the LifeMinute Team
July 13, 2015
Grilling up the perfect summer meal doesn't require a lot of ingredients and fancy techniques. The one thing you really need: "The best quality meat," says Theo Weening, Global Meat Buyer for Whole Foods Market. "We work with Global Animal Partnership's 5-Step Animal Welfare Rating program, which means that every farm has been visited by a third party to ensure animal welfare standards, there's no use of antibiotics ever and that the animals eat a vegetarian diet," he explains. Here are Weening's favorite meats to grill this summer.
1. The Tomahawk Steak
I call it the Fred Flintstone steak because it's huge--2.5 to 3 pounds with a 7 to 9-inch bone," he says. "When you cook a big steak like this, you want to make sure the grill is really hot and that you let the steak rest after you take it off the grill. Don't poke a fork or a knife in it or else all the juices and the flavor will disappear," he explains. "And keep it simple. Just put a little bit of salt and pepper on it. Don't go crazy with a lot of seasonings or marinades."
2. Grass-fed Burgers
"One of my favorite burgers is the 100% grass-fed burger," says Weening. "This means that the animals are raised on the pasture and ate grass all their life. It gives a really distinct flavor and also makes it a little bit leaner as well. If you want to spice it up a little bit, our butchers make, on a daily basis, fresh, gourmet burgers. They add bleu cheese, cheddar cheese, mushrooms, Sriracha sauce, barbecue sauce--anything you like. They can also custom make a burger for you as well," he says.
3. Killer Kebabs
Kebabs are perfect for adults and kids, who love to make their own. "Use beef, turkey, chicken or pork and add peppers, onions, potatoes, corn, whatever you like," says Weening. "When you do pork, chicken, or turkey, cook it in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes to make sure the inside is well done, then finish it off on the grill for some additional flavor," he advises. Check out the Whole Foods Market 365 Everyday Value chicken, which has no antibiotics and has an all organic option. "Marinate it, season it--the sky is the limit!" he says. You can also browse more grilling recipes on Whole Foods Market website.
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