THE PINCH: How to pinch pennies on the grill

MINNEAPOLIS • Grilling was made for these times.

Actually, it was made for all times, but particularly for those with economic struggles. Cooking with fire goes back to the days of the woolly mammoth, but during more recent millennia, the most prevalent meats for grilling were the cheaper ones - the kind many of us are turning to as food prices soar at a much hotter rate than our incomes.

"Barbecue was originally designed for the disenfranchised," said Steven Raichlen, author of the recently updated "The Barbecue! Bible" (now in its 10th year). "The ribs and the briskets weren't going to the masters."

True, except that these days, once-inexpensive cuts - pork ribs, flank or skirt steak and even the once-lowly Cornish game hen - cost several times as much as they did a decade or so ago.

But there remain plenty of ways to combine frugality, fire and flavor when vacations at home - and entertaining there - have become so prevalent. And just like in the old, cheaper days (not so long ago), the items best suited for grilling are the cheaper cuts.

Take ground beef. The extralean stuff is great for concocting some hockey pucks, while the fattier meat, whose grease adds sizzle and smoke to the process, produces spot-on burgers if cooked correctly (and to at least 160 degrees).

Same goes for fowl. Chicken breasts are notoriously illsuited for grilling: Boneless ones get tough with just a few seconds too much - or too little - cooking, while the bone-in ones have such an odd shape that only a real pro can cook them perfectly throughout. Meanwhile, the more reasonably priced dark meat is a grillmeister's pal, not to mention a continuation of America's dubious preferences.

"The great irony is that we send most of the dark meat from our birds to Asia," said Raichlen. "I love those cuts. I'm a big believer in the fact that any meat that's next to the bone is inherently more flavorful."

The penny-wise options extend beyond meats. Vegetables (who doesn't love grilled corn?) and fruits are gaining great favor by the fire. So are salads featuring charred greens. Grilled pizzas with fresh ingredients (although any meat toppings should be pre-cooked) and quesadillas with leftovers are "great fast food, and something people don't scoff at anymore," Raichlen said.

But when most folks think hibachi heaven or kettle karma, there's usually protein involved. So here are some tips on burnishing your grilling skills without busting your wallet:

Pork: Baby-back ribs have skyrocketed in price, and even country-style ribs have risen markedly. Truthfully, though, most pork cuts, even tenderloin (which is so rich that it's best in smaller servings), give decent bang for the buck. Your best bets might be ground pork (see recipe) or getting some cheaper pork chops and brining them in saltwater 12 to 24 hours before grilling.

Fowl: Turkey legs remain a reliable favorite. Chicken thighs are still a relatively good buy, and whole chickens thrust onto a beer can are an increasingly popular grilled entree. For those who think it has flavor, ground turkey is not a bad way to go.

Beef: Even brisket is getting expensive, but it goes a long way by feeding a crowd or providing tasty leftovers. Raichlen heartily recommends tri-tip, which you might want to call ahead for at the grocery. "It's the cut that cooks like steak and slices like brisket," he said. Another option is short ribs, best made with indirect grilling or in a smoker.

Seafood: In this landlocked region of ours, nothing from the oceans is a bargain. But alternating chunks of seafood (swordfish, salmon, or even shrimp or scallops) with veggies on a skewer provides decent economic mileage. Larger pieces of that most perennially underrated of freshwater fish, catfish (which Raichlen calls "the poor man's halibut") is a dandy option with a glaze or rub on the outside.

Ay, there's the rub. These seasoning blends and marinades can enrich the cheapest of foods, while honoring our heritage.

BARBECUED CABBAGE
Yield: 4 servings

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold, unsalted butter, divided
4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 medium-size green cabbage (about 2 pounds)
1/4 cup prepared barbecue sauce
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups wood chips, soaked 1 hour in cold water to cover, then drained

Procedure:
1. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and onion and cook until just beginning to brown, 3-5 minutes. Drain bacon and onion in a strainer over a bowl and reserve drippings.

2. Cut off a piece of aluminum foil, fold it over several times, and shape it into a ring about 3 inches in diameter.

3. Cut off one end of cabbage to make it level. Cut core out of cabbage (being careful not to go through to the opposite side) and discard. Coarsely chop remaining butter. Stir barbecue sauce into baconand-onion mixture. Prop cabbage upright on aluminum foil ring, cavity facing up. Place bacon-andonion mixture in cavity and top with butter. Using a basting brush, paint outside of cabbage with bacon drippings. Season cabbage lightly with salt and generously with pepper.

4. If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips in a smoker box or in a smoker pouch and preheat on high until you see smoke, then reduce heat to medium. If using a charcoal grill, set up for indirect grilling (with an aluminum pan in the center and the coals outside of it on all sides).

5. When ready to cook, place cabbage on its aluminum foil ring in the center of the hot grate away from the heat. If using a charcoal grill, toss all the wood chips on the coals. Cover the grill.

6. Grill cabbage until very tender (when done, it will be easy to pierce with a skewer), 1-1 1/2 hours. If using a charcoal grill, you will need to add 12 fresh coals per side after 1 hour if cabbage is not done. To serve, peel off any dried-out or charred outside leaves and discard. Cut cabbage into wedges and serve.

Source: Adapted from "How to Grill: The Complete Illustrated Book of Barbecue Techniques," by Steven Raichlen

GRILLED KOREAN-STYLE SHORT RIBS
Yield: 4 servings

3 pounds beef short ribs, 1/2 inch thick
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons white vinegar
Hot chile pepper, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 (2-inch) piece fresh gingerroot, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt, to taste

Procedure:

1. Place short ribs in large bowl.

2. Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, chile pepper, crushed red pepper, garlic, gingerroot, sugar and salt in another bowl. Mix well. Set aside a bit of the marinade to use as a basting sauce later.

3. Pour remaining marinade over ribs, tossing or turning them to coat. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours, turning once or twice.

4. Build a charcoal 1/2re or heat gas grill. The coals are ready when the temperature is very high. Remove meat from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Place ribs on grill and cook 3 minutes, or until well-seared on one side. Turn and cook 3 minutes more (for rare), or until meat is cooked as preferred, basting with reserved sauce during the last minute of cooking. To check for doneness, cut into the meat near a bone to be sure it is slightly less done than you like.

5. Transfer ribs to a platter, cover loosely with foil and set aside 5 minutes (the meat will finish cooking). Cut meat between bones into individual ribs.

Source: Adapted from "Grill It!" by John Willoughby and Chris Schlesinger

QUICK ‘N' EASY GRILL RECIPES

Punched-Up Burgers: Coarsely chop 3-4 shallots and toss with 2-3 tablespoons steak or barbecue sauce and 2 pounds ground beef. Form into patties, season with coarsely ground black pepper and grill, adding a slice of cheese or a dab of butter on top near the end if you wish.

Round Steak: Pound 2 pounds round steak to ½-inch thickness and marinate 1-2 hours in nonreactive containers. Grill about 5 minutes per side.

Turkey Drumsticks: Mix ¼ cup sweet hot mustard, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce and 2 teaspoons each vegetable oil, coarse salt and black pepper. Rub onto six turkey legs and marinate 1-2 hours in the refrigerator, then grill for about 40 minutes, turning so all sides are cooked.

Brine for Pork: Combine 1 gallon water, 1 cup salt, ½ cup brown sugar and ¼ cup whole cloves in a pot and boil. Let cool, then soak pork chops in brine for 12 to 24 hours in the refrigerator. Remove, pat dry, season if desired and grill over a medium fire until done.

Pop-Can Chicken: You've heard of the beer-can chicken? This time try orange or lemon flavoring with orange soda or other citrus soda (such as Sprite) or lemonade. Rub a whole chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper, and pull the bird's cavity down over a half-filled can of orange soda or lemonade. Place in the center of a grill set up for indirect heating, balancing on the two legs, and cook, covered, for about 1¼ hours, until thigh juice runs clear (internal temperature should be 180 degrees). Remove and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Grilled Pizza: Roll out prepared pizza dough, whether homemade or commercially made (Pillsbury has one in a can to make at home), and brush with oil. Grill for 1 minute on each side, then turn and put mozzarella cheese and other toppings of your choice on top and cook until cheese is just melted.

Quesadillas: Sprinkle a 10-inch tortilla with ½ cup cheese, 2-3 tablespoons chopped bell or chile pepper (hot, mild or both) and leftovers (meats or veggies of your choosing, chopped). Place on a metal grill tray. Top tortilla with a second tortilla (or fold the one with toppings over). Grill 2-3 minutes each side, being careful when flipping. Cut into wedges and serve with salsa, guacamole and sour cream.

Skewers: Cut cooked chorizo (a highly seasoned Mexican sausage) into 1/3-inch slices and alternate on skewers with ½- to ¾-inch balls of cantaloupe and honeydew. Brush lightly with oil and grill until fruit is lightly caramelized, about 3 minutes per side.

Peaches: Cut four peaches in half, remove pits and toss with just enough olive oil to coat. Grill 4 minutes per side and remove; while they're cooling, blend ½ cup thinly sliced basil and ¼ cup mascarpone, placing a dollop on each peach half.

Onion Medley: Cut sweet onions into quarters and place in aluminum foil. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt, black pepper and balsamic vinegar (a cheap one is OK). Wrap up foil and grill 15 minutes per side.

Squash: Halve 6 summer squash (zucchini, crookneck or other) lengthwise. Brush with olive oil and season with black pepper, if desired. Grill 3 minutes per side. Meanwhile, mix 2 tablespoons each red-wine vinegar and fresh lemon juice, ¼ cup olive oil, a minced garlic clove and pinches of salt, black pepper and cayenne. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the grilled squash.