When it’s -19C below…
There are some things one really misses in the winter time. The way how days just seem to linger on forever, being outside in the warm sun, and of course the chance for a good barbeque.
When I came home from work last week, my wife had some steak marinating in the kitchen which she intended to use on an indoor grill. This type of grill is of a style which allows grilling indoors by placing it over a stove element. I for one have never had much luck with this type of grill; the constant replenishing of water in the basin, the small cooking surface and the inevitable smoke that ends up permeating throughout the house just doesn’t do it for me. That’s when I decided barbequing would be the better option.
Barbequing in winter isn’t something we attempt very often, after all it is mid January and that means cold weather, lots of snow, and if it’s after 5:00pm total darkness as well.
Before getting started, let’s review the necessary equipment required for a winter barbeque:
- Winter wear: It’s -19C out there. Dress up!
- Snow Shovel: Required to gain access to the barbeque.
- Ice Scraper: If you didn’t have the forethought of either tucking the barbeque away for the winter or at least covering it up – you’ve some scraping to do. If you have a car – chances are you already own one of these.
- Light (torch): It’s January, and its dark outside. A caving headlamp can be particularly useful as it leaves your hands free. Be warned, one tends to look like a geek wandering around outside in the dark with one of these on. If you’re not bothered by this (as I wasn’t), then by all means continue…. 
- Patience: It’s going to take a while for the barbeque to warm up at these temps.
After making a path to the barbeque, it’s time to uncover it. The vinyl cover is quite malleable in warmer temps but at -19C, it takes a bit of effort to peel it off as it has a stubborn tendency to hold its shape. Prepare to light the barbeque by opening up the propane tank – hoping that you didn’t use it all up last season. Get out the matches and de-glove. Open up the taps and strike the match – the winter wind can be somewhat nasty so have a few extra matches on hand. Fortunately there are no worries about burning anything by discarding spent matches in the snow. Once lit, close the lid and run back into the house; wait 15 minutes.
By this time the barbeque should be nice and hot. Dawn your winter gear and heat outside again. Hmmm, the gauge only shows 3/4 of maximum. Best to check back in another 10 minutes or so.
Now we’re back outside again, this time with the steak. With the headlamp turned on, lift the lid on the barbeque and slap on the steak post haste! The barbeques internal temperature will plunge with every second the lid is up so close it again quickly! Turn off the headlamp and rush back inside before the person walking down the street sees what you’re up to.
Waiting inside will give you time once again to ponder how long to leave the steak on the grill. Typically (in summer) I’d have the barbeque on high heat and flip the steak only once at 8-10 minutes in. This is winter however and with the barbeques temperature only at 3/4 of maximum, and if one factors in the howling wind outside – this formula doesn’t hold up as well as one might think. The result is, while the bottom side of the steak gets nice and toasty, the top side can tend to dry out a bit. Here’s where a constant basting of HP Sauce comes in. This of course requires more trips out to the barbeque and loosing precious heat every time the lid is opened. Judge the situation wisely and use your headlamp to its best advantage! With careful consideration to the elements (and to the wonderment of your neighbours) you CAN enjoy some delicious HP Sauce on barbecued steak this winter! Bon Appetite!
