This Saturday I was able to go out to the Weber Grill in Schaumburg, IL for a grilling class titled "Thanksgiving Feast". I enjoyed the class I took there a couple months ago and thought this class sounded like a good idea to get me prepared for the upcoming holiday. This was a demonstration class but still an enjoyable time. The menu for the day was: Grilled Butternut Squash and Apple Soup, Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Maple Glaze, Grill Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Apples and Sweet Potatoes, Smoke Roasted Whole Turkey with Beer Can Chicken Spice, Cornbread Rosemary Stuffing, Roasted Whole Apples Stuffed with Apricots and Raisins, and a featured beverage of Spiced Cider Sangria. Overall this was an enjoyable class but I did not like it as much as the previous class. My main reason for this was the other class dealt with smoking and barbecue as the main subject. This class was slow roasting and grilling. Quite simply, I enjoyed the smoking/BBQ class subject more. Both were quality classes without doubt.
Here is what I pulled up to (I knew it was going to be a good day seeing this).
From the beginning you are treated with the exceptional Weber customer service. After taking your seat you are greeted with mimosas and coffee. After a brief introduction the demonstration begins.
We start right off with the turkey. Some highlights were to make sure it is dried off before cooking, bringing it close to room temp prior to placing it on the kettle, and remember the dark meat cooks faster. To aid in cooking time and to ensure the bird will fit on the grill, the turkey was split in two.
The majority of the class was giving an explanation of how to prepare the food to be cooked and general cooking tips. Sorry there aren't more photos, I was busy listening and then stuffing my face with the very tasty food we got to sample.
I did ask how they liked the new all natural charcoal they are using. The chef said he liked it and didn't miss the smell of Kingsford. It is interesting to note that, even with the new charcoal they are using, they still don't like to add unlit coals to a fire. They still prefer to have it ashed over before adding to an ongoing cook. I am sure it does produce a lot less ash but it still looked to choke out a lot like Kingsford would. It seems like the main thing they feel they are accomplishing is the elimination of the initial odor of Kingsford, even though they used it successfully for decades.
There was also a brief side discussion regarding searing. Some of you that have worked in the biz may already know this but the chef said they always reverse sear the steaks in order to get better, more consistent results in the environment they are dealing with. Generally, they only get the nice marks on the one "presentation" side.
If I ever get time I will scan the recipe book they gave out and share it.
Thanks for stopping in to read this and I wish you could have been there!