Tonight’s cookout was an all-foil-packet affair, and we were the better for it! Who can resist a meal cooked fully on the grill, each component nestled safely within the confines of a packet of goodness? Not I.
An interesting note about this evening’s meal: Everything except for the veggie-meat items came from our CSA, Great Country Farms. The potatoes, in fact, were hand-picked by yours truly (and LeeLee!). You can’t get more locally sourced than that!
Anyway, once the coals were piping-hot, I got to work. First on the grill – three small packages of diced potatoes, about one potato in each. To help your potatoes cook in a more timely fashion, it’s best to grill them in smaller batches, rather than in one big uber-packet, which is my normal way. I’d known this – or at least suspected it – for some time, but tonight proved it to be the case. Split the potatoes up in multiple packets and they’ll cook in a snap!
Next, I diced a huge zucchini and placed the wedges in another foil packet, adding in a diced bell pepper, about a dozen yellow cherry tomatoes, some salt, pepper, vegan butter, and … veggie bacon. Because why not?
And finally, I poured the contents of a bag of Gardein beef tips into yet another foil packet, sealed it up, and placed it on the plate with the rest of the meal. Then I added everything onto the grill at once and cooked it all for about 35 minutes, turning each packet over every 10 minutes or so.
Great news! Each component to the dish turned out perfectly cooked. The potatoes were soft and tender, the veggie medley was bursting with flavor, and the beef tips were as good as ever. We polished off the beef and veggies with masterful aplomb, and there’s only a smidgen of the potatoes left – which will be just perfect for a lunch side tomorrow.
We lingered outside for quite some time tonight – the weather has mellowed to the mid-70s and is positively delightful. I’m looking forward to an autumn filled with lots of cookouts!
:)