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By Kathie Smith/Toledo Blade | Thursday, July 3, 2008 9:38 AM CDT | () comments

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The Fourth of July is among the most popular occasions for grilling. With state-of-the-art grills and cookbooks, you can have a memorable celebration.

You can choose healthy recipes, healthy grilling techniques and healthy foods.

If you want to splurge by eating a T-bone steak, don’t feel guilty. Enjoy it.

Spicy Five-Pepper T-Bone Steaks is a recipe from “The Healthy Beef Cookbook” (Wiley, $21.95). Its authors are Richard Chamberlain, owner of Chamberlain’s Steak and Chop House in Dallas, and registered dietitian Betsy Hornick.

According to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, T-bone is one of the 29 cuts of beef that meet government guidelines for lean — meaning it has less than 10 grams of total fat, 4.5 grams or less saturated fat and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 3-ounce serving. Leaner cuts of meat prevent dripping fat from causing flare-ups on the grill. Note the serving size.

A T-bone is actually two lean beef steaks in one. One side is a top loin strip steak; the other is a tenderloin (filet). That’s why you can get two servings out of a 16-ounce T-bone. To prepare spicy T-bones, rub with a peppercorn seasoning, grill and then serve with a sweet-spicy sauce. The sauce teams peppercorns with raisins and balsamic vinegar. Serve with fresh vegetables and a mixed green salad.

“The New Steak,” by Cree La Favour (10 Speed Press, $19.95), features 55 steak recipes. They use often overlooked, but versatile and reasonably priced, cuts such as skirt, flatiron, hangar and flank steak. Chuck steak (or roast) and an English-cut roast also can yield flavorful grilled meat. These often need to be tenderized; once they are grilled, they should be carved against the grain.

When it comes to burgers, options range from portobello mushrooms to lamb and from beef to chicken burgers. “Recipe of the Week: Burgers” by Sally Sampson (Wiley, $16.95) has 52 easy recipes for year-round cooking. For instance, Curried Chicken Burgers with Chutney Mayonnaise features classic Indian flavors. The author uses the condiment on roast-beef sandwiches, tuna sandwiches and salmon.

Chicken: a 3-step process

When grilling chicken, the National Chicken Council advises a three-step process when using charcoal. Begin cooking chicken on the hottest section to sear the surface, move it to the middle, then finish it on the coolest section. When using a gas grill, begin grilling chicken over the burners on high heat. After the chicken is seared on both sides, turn off the middle burners and move the chicken to the cooler area of the grill.

Bone-in chicken meat takes longer to cook than boneless meat, so place these parts on the grill and the hottest place first. After browning, move these pieces to a cooler area.

Use a meat thermometer. Bone-in parts should reach an internal temperature of 170 degrees. Boneless/skinless parts are done at 160 degrees, and, when cooked, a whole chicken should be at 180 degrees. You don’t want any red juices or redness near the bone.

For Chicken Drumsticks with Lemon and Garlic, the chicken is marinated an hour or up to overnight in the refrigerator.

Poultry serves as a topping in “Pizza on the Grill,” by Elizabeth Karmel and Bob Blumer (Taunton, $16). The authors provide a recipe for Beer Can Chicken, advising that a 4- or 5-pound roasting chicken can yield 4 cups of chopped chicken. The recipe for Kansas City BBQ Chicken Pizza uses 1 1/2 cups of shredded leftover Beer Can Chicken or any sliced cooked chicken breast.

Possibilities are endless

n Making pizza on the grill has to be an art form, and this book provides basic training. It contains four recipes for pizza dough, though the authors note that they’ve also bought prepared dough from pizza shops.

n Overlooked meats such as ham steak get attention in “New South Cooking” by Robert St. John (Hyperion, $29.95). Molasses-Glazed Ham Steak, which St. John serves for a brunch with grilled potato salad and grilled asparagus, is simple and satisfying. Any leftovers would enliven a pasta salad.

n The cookbook includes recipes for Marinated Cedar-Plank Salmon and Snapper Ponchartrain.

n For “The Best Barbecue on Earth” (10 Speed Press, $22.95), Rick Browne researched grilling across six continents and 25 countries, traveling a quarter-million miles. His findings appear in 170 recipes.

“Food is cooked over fire all over the world. In most of the world, they cook more simply, with salt and pepper,” he said.

Some contemporary American chefs put sauce over all of the meat, so you can’t even taste the meat. “The sauce should be used to enhance the meat,” he said. “I don’t want to pay barbecue rates for sauce.”

His recipes have an international flair, ranging from Mexican Turkey Mole to Japanese Yakitori-style Grilled Vegetables to Jamaican Grilled Spicy Shrimp with Lime.

Kathie Smith of the Toledo Blade can be contacted at food@theblade.com.

GRILLING RECIPES

CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS WITH LEMON AND GARLIC

Makes 4 servings

3 lemons

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

8 chicken drumsticks

Peel zest (yellow peel) from whole lemons, using a zester or vegetable peeler. (Be sure to avoid bitter white pith.) Mince zest and set aside. Halve lemons and squeeze into small glass bowl or measuring cup; set aside.

Combine olive oil, garlic and lemon zest in small skillet over medium-low heat. Cook until garlic begins to color, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper. Place in zippered, 1-gallon plastic bag. Add chicken drumsticks; toss well to coat. Refrigerate and let marinate at least one hour or up to overnight.

Prepare gas or charcoal grill or preheat broiler. Remove chicken from refrigerator and sit at room temperature 20 minutes. Discard marinade.

Grill drumsticks uncovered (or broil) over high heat 3 to 4 minutes, turning to sear all sides. Move chicken to medium-low heat and continue grilling for additional 12 to 15 minutes or longer, turning every 3 minutes, until cooked through. Drumsticks should register 170 degrees on meat thermometer.

— Adapted from the National Chicken Council

CURRIED CHICKEN BURGERS WITH CHUTNEY MAYONNAISE

Makes 4 burgers

For the Chutney Mayonnaise:

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons mango chutney

For the burgers:

11/2 pounds ground chicken or turkey

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves, plus extra for optional garnish

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon curry powder

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon coconut, toasted or not, plus extra for garnish, optional

2 teaspoons grated lime zest

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To make chutney mayonnaise: Combine mayonnaise and chutney in a small bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 1 week.

To make burgers: Combine chicken, cilantro, curry, coconut and lime zest in a large bowl. Mix with hands until ingredients are evenly incorporated. Place mixture on a work surface and divide into 4 equal balls. Form each into a patty about 3/4- to 1-inch thick, tossing it back and forth between your hands. Handle patties as little as possible.

Prepare grill to medium-high. When coals are glowing red, after 15 to 20 minutes, cover with the grate. After 5 minutes, use a wire brush to thoroughly clean the grate. Brush the grate with oil. When the coals are covered with pale gray ash, they are ready.

Sprinkle both sides of burgers with salt and pepper. Place burgers on the grate and grill until well-seared on both sides, about 8 minutes or until interior temperature reaches 160 degrees. Transfer to buns or serving plate and serve immediately, topped with chutney mayonnaise. Top with extra cilantro and coconut, if desired.

— From “Recipe of the Week: Burgers”

MOLASSES-GLAZED HAM STEAK

Makes 6 to 8 servings

3/4 cup orange juice

1/2 cup molasses

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 bone-in ham steaks (1 pound each)

Heat orange juice in saucepan over low heat just until warm. Whisk in remaining ingredients except ham steaks. Place ham steaks in 1-gallon, sealable plastic bag and pour in marinade. Seal bag and refrigerate ham for 2 to 3 hours, turning once or twice to make sure all surfaces are covered.

Remove steaks from refrigerator 1 hour before grilling. Remove steaks from marinade and pour remaining marinade into a small saucepan. Place liquid over medium heat and simmer until reduced by half.

Using a small paring knife, make small slits through fat on outer perimeter of ham steaks. Grill over direct medium heat until ham turns brown and crispy. Turn once while cooking. While ham is grilling, brush surfaces with reduced marinade. Remove ham from grill and cut into serving-size pieces and drizzle with any remaining marinade.

— “New South Grilling”

SPICY FIVE-PEPPER T-BONE STEAKS

Makes 4 servings

2 beef T-bone steaks, cut 1 inch thick (about 16 ounces each)

For the Five-Pepper Seasoning:

3 tablespoons coarsely ground mixed peppercorns (black, white, green and pink)

2 teaspoons kosher or table salt

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

For the Spicy Peppercorn Steak Sauce:

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup ready-to-serve beef broth

1/3 cup raisins

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon molasses

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Additional ready-to-serve beef broth (optional)

Combine Five-Pepper Seasoning ingredients in small bowl; mix well. Reserve 2 teaspoons for Spicy Peppercorn Steak Sauce. Set aside remaining mixture for seasoning steaks.

Prepare Spicy Peppercorn Steak Sauce: Heat oil in small saucepan over medium heat until hot. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes or until tender but not browned. Stir in ketchup, broth, raisins, vinegar, molasses, soy sauce and reserved 2 teaspoons Five-Pepper Seasonings; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer gently 10 minutes to blend flavors, stirring occasionally. Sauce will thicken slightly.

Place sauce in blender or food processor container. Cover; pulse on and off for slightly chunky texture. For a thinner sauce, additional broth may be added 1 tablespoon at a time; pulse on and off after each addition. Return sauce to saucepan; keep warm until ready to serve.

Press remaining Five-Pepper Seasoning evenly onto steaks. Place steaks on grid over medium-ash-covered coals. Grill, uncovered, 14-16 minutes for medium rare to medium doneness, turning occasionally. Remove bones; carve steaks crosswise into slices. Serve with sauce.

— National Cattlemen’s Beef Association