Our latest entry in the Timeshare Cooking Series is Timeshare Grilling. As we’ve mentioned in earlier posts, eating out every night while you are on vacation can be somewhat boring and very expensive. So maybe 1 or 2 nights out of a timeshare week, we like to cook on our own. We’d like to share some of our “grilling tidbits” with you.
First of all, determine what kind of grills your resort has. Many now have gas grills, which are great because they require little or no preparation. If the grills are charcoal grills, you will need charcoal and charcoal lighter, which can be purchased at most grocery stores. Of course, if you are driving to your timeshare, you can opt to bring those things with you. Call the resort ahead of time if you’re not sure what kind of grills they have. A few resorts have no grills, but they are few and far between.
Before you “get in gear” to grill, find out where the grills are located and if there are any tools available at them. Also, check to see if there is adequate lighting if you are going to be grilling in the dark. If you want to “picnic” once your food is cooked, locate picnic tables at this time.
Okay, what to cook? Obviously hot dogs, brats and burgers are pretty simple and very satisfying, along with some chips and maybe a salad. Our favorite chicken recipe for grilling appears in an earlier post. Steaks are great, too, along with a salad and baked potatoes. All of these are fairly easy, and you can pretty much get by with salt and pepper and a few simple condiments. Keep in mind the 3 guidelines of timeshare cooking: you want to cook something that’s easy, tastes good, and uses few ingredients.
If you’re looking for something a little different, here are a few of our favorite timeshare grilling recipes:
Barb & John’s Best Burgers
1 to 1-1/2 lbs. lean ground meat
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. Lawry’s salt (or salt to taste)
1 T. Italian salad dressing
1–2 T. crumbled bleu or cheddar cheese
Pepper to taste
Mix ground meat in a bowl with everything but the cheese. Shape meat mixture into 8 small patties. Put cheese between 2 patties and shape meat around the cheese so that it will not seep out. Form the other burgers in this way. You should have 4 good-sized burgers at this point. Grill burgers about 15-20 minutes, flipping about every 5 minutes. When done, serve with other condiments on buns. Makes 4 servings.
Dilly Salmon
4 salmon fillets 1/2 c. margarine or butter
1-2 tsp. refrigerated minced garlic 1 tsp. dill weed
mesquite seasoning to taste
Melt butter in microwave and add garlic and dill. Reserve half of this sauce for later.
Season salmon with mesquite and grill for 5 minutes, then turn. Grill 5 more minutes, then turn. Grill for 2 minutes, then turn. Grill 2 more minutes and it should be done. (Should flake with a fork). Baste often with dill/butter sauce after each turn. Heat reserved portion of sauce and pour over cooked fillets or use for dipping. Serves 4.
