BBQ

Brining meat takes us as humans right back to basics in terms of some of the first things we as a species learned both to store food, and ensure it was healthier to eat in terms of killing germs and other bugs which could not survive such a high saline solution. Basically here is what you want :

• 1 US/UK gallon water (4 liters)
• 1.5 cups non-iodized salt (kosher, pickling, sea)
• 1.0 cups white or brown sugar, maple syrup, honey or whatever (I always use honey from a local apiary)
• herbs and spices to your preference

You simply mix this ideally first in a pot on the stove and bring to near-boiling just for the sake of fully dissolving the sugars and salts.

Another day, another free grill for the Urban Hippy! A reader here in Ottawa saw my call for free grills and answered it with this Centro unit with lots of stainless steel ... oooooo ... shiny! Thanks very much BTW! He said he bought it in 2006 but recently picked up a Big Green Egg and is not looking back - doesn't want to have anything to do with gas or propane any more! Not that I can blame him that's for sure. If anyone out there has a Big Green Egg to give away, just let me know :-)