Tips and tools for great grilling

I've already fired-up my grill several times, and the Fourth's just around the corner; grilling season's definitely well underway.

After writing "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Grilling" I regularly get asked grilling questions: Which do I like better, gas or charcoal? What's the best way to start a charcoal fire? Do I prefer certain grilling tools over others? Here are my answers.

Which grill do I prefer: gas or charcoal? I used both gas and charcoal grills to test the recipes in my book since they're both popular. After using them for several months I learned that both deliver good results, but I also decided to keep my Weber kettle charcoal grill and sell the gas.

Yes, gas is easier; takes 10 minutes to heat up and, when done, turn it off, close the cover and walk away. Charcoal dirties my hands, and requires some startup and shutdown effort, but in return charcoal-grilled food tastes better, especially when I used real-wood charcoal.

What's the best way to start a charcoal fire? There are several choices for producing a charcoal fire: pertroleum-based lighter fluid, charcoal chimneys, paraffin blocks, electric starters and quick-start briquettes. Based on testing and experience, I believe a charcoal chimney works best and is the most economical method for starting hardwood or briquettes.

If you haven't seen one, a charcoal chimney is a metal tube, with a handle on the side. On the inside, near the bottom is a grate that keeps charcoal from falling through. There's usually a ring of large evenly-spaced holes around the chimney's bottom edge.

Roll up four newspaper sheets, two at a time, twist them into a doughnut shape and put them under the grate. Set the contraption on the grill's coal grate and fill it to the top with either hardwood charcoal or briquettes (2 to 2.5 pounds). Light the newspaper, and the holes around the chimney's bottom draw air in, feeding the newspaper's flames up through the chimney and igniting the charcoal. In about 20 minutes the charcoal's ready to dump on the grate and, after a little redistribution with tongs, the fire's ready to go. Easy.

After letting the cooking grill get hot, I quickly clean it with my Grill Wizard grill brush (www.grillwizard.com) and then oil the grate with a small wad of oiled paper towels.

What tools do I prefer? An instant-read digital thermometer ($10-$40) is the best way to determine when meat is done. Most digital instant-read thermometers come with charts indicating doneness temperatures for all sorts of meats. I always remove my grilled meat when it's five degrees lower than the recommended temperature, since residual heat keeps cooking the meat.

I also use a pair of barbecue mitts ($5 to $20) that reach halfway up my arms. Charcoal fires burn hot, and my mitts make it easy to work over the heat without singing the hair off my arms or getting burned.

How do I prepare for a grill fire emergency? Since grease can be an issue (and water won't extinguish a grease fire), I have a small fire extinguisher ($10-60) sitting near my grill. I've never had to use it, but it's still there every time.

Try this recipe: Here's one of my favorite lean ways to start-off a summertime meal - hot off the grill. Give it a try.

Don Mauer appears Wednesdays in Food. He welcomes questions, shared recipes and makeover requests for your favorite dishes. Address them to Don Mauer, Daily Herald Food section, P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006 or don@theleanwizard.com.

Asian-spiced Grilled Shrimp

1 pound colossal (about 12 per pound) shrimp, shells attached

5 tablespoons dry white wine

2 tablespoons sodium-reduced soy sauce

1 tablespoon Oriental sesame oil

1 tablespoons clover honey

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1 tablespoon Chinese hot chili sauce

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced or pushed through a garlic press

2 green onions, trimmed and finely chopped

¾ teaspoon grated fresh ginger

teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

Peel and devein shrimp, leaving tails attached. Rinse under cold water, drain and reserve.

To a 1-gallon, reclosable plastic bag, add wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, sesame seeds, Chinese hot chili sauce, garlic, green onions, ginger and five-spice powder. Seal the bag and shake until combined. Add shrimp, push out air, seal the bag and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

While shrimp marinates, begin heating a gas grill, setting it at medium when hot. For a charcoal grill: Ignite about 6 quarts (2.5 pounds) charcoal. When the coals are hot, set up for a one-level, medium heat fire (so you can hold your hand about 5-inches above the coals for only 4 to 5 seconds).

Remove shrimp from marinade, discarding solids. Transfer marinade to a small saucepan, place over medium heat, bring to a low boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer about 5 minutes or until marinade becomes syrupy.

On a charcoal grill: Oil the grill rack well. Grill shrimp on the grill rack over coals about 3 minutes per side or until cooked through, brushing frequently with glaze.

On a gas grill: Oil the grill rack well. Grill shrimp on the grill rack over heat source, covered, and follow as directed for a charcoal grill.

Evenly divide cooked shrimp among serving plates and serve.

Serves four.

@Recipe nutrition:Nutrition values per serving: 215 calories (27.1 percent from fat), 6.5 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 9 g carbohydrate, 0 fiber, 25.6 g protein, 175 mg cholesterol, 518 mg sodium.

"The Complete Idiot's Guide to Grilling" by Don Mauer (2006 Alpha Books)