When Jesse Romero was 19 years old, grilling for LSU tailgate parties was what he loved most.
The Baton Rouge native learned from his dad, Robert, who now has three pits out on his covered patio.
“He’s just a grill freak,” Romero says. “Any time a birthday comes around, he asks for something with the grill. He lives outside.”
At first, Romero didn’t consider himself a grillmaster. As he got more experience at tailgating, he started noticing the compliments. Then, Alabama fans were telling him just how good his food was.
“Friends in college will eat what you’re cooking, no matter what, because it’s free,” he says. “People from Alabama normally come here to talk trash. But if they come by and tell you, ‘This is one of the best pork tenderloins I’ve ever had’ … That’s when I realized I could make a career out of this if I put my mind to it.”
This spring, Romero achieved local hero status. He competed on the Fox television series MasterChef. Cooks, chefs and food personalities would die for this type of experience. Competitors create dishes with specific ingredients in a limited amount of time. Once they’re finished, chef/judge Gordon Ramsay is standing by to tear them to pieces.
“I’ve never been in a room with that much talent,” Romero says. “To have them taste my food and give me feedback was one of the most special moments in my life.”
Summer is the perfect time to fire up the grill. I asked Romero for a few tips for beginners.
To barbecue or to grill: “There’s a difference between barbecuing and grilling. Barbecue is low and slow. You have a bigger chunk of meat. Grilling is for the steaks and sometimes fish. Grilling has high heat and a short cooking time. If you have more than 10 people at a party, lean toward the barbecue side. If you’re having a family night, grill up a few T-bones or ribeye steaks. That way, you don’t have to spend all day on the grill.”
Monitor the temperature of meat. “Time your grilling. Use a thermometer. With chicken, you don’t ever want to serve it less than 165 degrees. For steak, you want to go for medium rare and medium for pork.”
Stay organized. Having everything in its right place and ready for grilling will help quicken the process. You don’t want to waste time trying to find stuff in the kitchen as you grill. “You want to have all the ingredients set out.”
Don’t go crazy with seasonings. “A lot of people like to go real complicated with all these special rubs. I’ll coat the meat with olive oil, salt and pepper. I let the meat do its own thing.”
Keep the grill clean. “If you have a really nasty grill, that will make a flame. You never want that when you’re grilling.”
Buy the freshest ingredients. “Go directly to the butcher. They have no problem cutting a piece of meat for you.”
Use charcoal or wood chips rather than gas. “This brings out flavors and a smokiness that gas doesn’t give you.”
Matthew Sigur writes about food for 225 Dine.
