In 1952, George Stephen decided to solve a pressing problem: how to create a grill for a better barbecue experience. Stephen worked at Weber Brothers Metal Works in Chicago “where he spent his time welding half spheres together to make buoys. He knew his way around a metal shop and after the flop of the barbecue, it all clicked. He took one of the half spheres, put legs on it, punched holes in the bottom for air flow and put a lid on top. Voila, the iconic Weber kettle grill was born.”
It’s not every day that you get the chance to attend an exclusive culinary experience with a cooking legend and to immerse yourself in the history of grilling. I recently had the opportunity to do just that, when I spent a delightful afternoon with renowned cookbook author and outdoor cooking icon Steven Raichlen at Weber Grill global headquarters in Palatine IL.
The event was focused on griddle-style cooking at home, a phenomenon that is taking over patios, decks, picnics, and parties everywhere. Steven Raichlen and the Weber Grill Academy team shared the history behind this sizzling trend, demonstrated griddle techniques, and guided guests in creating delicious dishes on Weber’s latest griddles.
I was excited to learn about the origins of griddling and the etymology of the word, and to check out Steven Raichlen’s latest cookbook, Project Griddle: The Versatile Art of Grilling on a Flattop.
We were split into several groups, and we made several dishes featured in Project Griddle, such as Grilled Rib Eye with Pepperoncino Chimichurri…
…Candied Salmon Crusted with Brown Sugar, Maple Syrup, & Mustard (my favorite!)…
…and Teppan Yaki Zucchini:
The menu looked impressive, the dishes expertly curated to provide a delicious and light meal that was perfect for a sunny summer day:
My husband and I are big fans of al fresco cooking, and we thoroughly enjoyed making the dishes we had been assigned to make on Weber’s griddle in the beautiful weather.
It was the perfect day!
During the event we also had the opportunity to check out George Stephen’s brick fireplace, which he originally used to barbecue, as was customary during the 1950’s.
It was that less-than-perfect experience which motivated him to search for an alternative, leading to the creation of the first iconic Weber grill.
Amazing piece of culinary history!
I loved the detailed brick work, which fueled a sense of inspiring rusticity.
As we were leaving, we were treated to bags of fresh popcorn made on a Weber griddle. It was a super fun experience (the corn was popping everywhere, lol), and the popcorn was soo delicious!
Weber griddles are available for purchase on Weber’s website and at a variety of local and national retailers. The technology behind these products is impressive, and so is their performance.
I look forward to exploring cooking on a griddle and Steven Raichlen’s Project Griddle cookbook. While summer may be winding down, we still have a few good warm months ahead of us – plenty of time to cook al fresco, to create, and to thoroughly enjoy.
You are welcome to check out this section of my website for recipes that involve outdoor cooking.
Are you a fan of outdoor cooking? Let me know in the comments 🙂
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