Akseli Herlevi recommends one chicken meat for grilling right now.
According to Akseli Herlev, the steak can be grilled either whole or on a skewer, and it’s easy to do. Mia Ylöstalo-Kilpeläinen, Adobe Stock / AOP
Grilling season is really here. Known as a long-time burger man and TV chef Akseli Herlevi shares his best tips for grilling and seasoning chicken.
Broiler is a light and suitable choice for grilling. It is prepared quickly and is easy to cook. Akseli Herlevi recommends one chicken over the others for the grill.
– Boneless steak is the best for my taste – it has more flavor and is juicier than breast fillet pieces. I prefer unseasoned steak, and I marinate it myself.
He says he has been speaking out for a boneless thigh piece, or steak cut, for a long time.
– Now, in my opinion, it has happened that the roast is becoming more popular than the breast. A couple of years ago it was the other way around, the fillets were taken out of hand and no use was found for the steak. Maybe people have tried the steak and found that it tastes better.
According to him, the steak can be grilled either whole or on a skewer, and it’s easier to succeed.
According to Herlev, a breast clip is still a good option. It is lower in fat, but therefore dries out more easily.
Chicken is delicious grilled with salt and pepper, or marinated.
– I would recommend marinating the meat in advance, you get more out of it and it tastes better.
Herlevi prefers one general marinade for poultry. It has fresh ingredients like garlic, onion, herbs and lemon juice. All the ingredients of the marinade are put in a blender, “whirled until smooth”, and the cut is left to season overnight.
– It will definitely succeed, says Herlevi.
– In the summer anyway, you need such sharp acids – citrus and vinegar, as well as crispness, i.e. a summer mood.
Guaranteed grilling tips
When we get down to the basics of grilling, Herlevi reminds us that the grill should be quite hot when grilling.
– If you want flavor, I recommend grilling with charcoal.
According to Herlev, many grill longer just to be sure, so that the chicken meat does not remain raw. According to him, this is not worth it. If you are grilling a brisket, you can cut it in half and see if it is cooked and then continue grilling.
– Yes, that chicken is quite often cooked well in advance, before many people take it out.
When grilling, it’s good to brush a little oil on the surface of the meat, so it prevents a bit of it from sticking to the grill. Marinade is a good idea because it has oil ready. The grill should be hot, because that also prevents it from sticking, says Herlevi.
– The acid in the marinade tenderizes and prevents the meat from drying out. So it’s worth putting something sour in the marinade, which is one way to tenderize the meat. That’s why marinades are often sour or fruity.
So what to pair with grilled chicken?
– Yes, the side salad always tastes good. You should put fresh herbs in the salad and squeeze some lemon juice into it, it will give you such a summer feeling. Garlic dip or aioli goes really well with grilled chicken. You can also make potatoes, for example block potatoes or new potatoes, either roasted or boiled next to it. Basic things like that, because that chicken is the main thing.
Aleksi Herlev’s “killer marinade” recipe:
Killer marinade for chicken
Ingredients:
1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
4 cloves of garlic, peeled
½ tsp coriander
Juice of 1 lemon
0.5 dl olive oil
1.5 teaspoons of salt
(in addition if desired:)
1.5 teaspoons of cheese cumin
0.5 tsp ground allspice
4 tsp ground coriander seeds
0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1. Put all the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.
2. Pour over the meat to be marinated the day before grilling and store overnight in the refrigerator. The marinade recipe is suitable for all meat, but especially for chicken and lamb.