Grill the Masters for 4th of July Barbecue Advice

Grilling up the perfect steak or juicy burgers for a backyard 4th of July barbecue isn’t always easy as it sounds.

That’s why LongHorn Steakhouse is loaning out some of its own experts to man the “Grill Us Hotline” over the long holiday weekend. The hotline opens Thursday and will remain staffed through July 4. LongHorn’s own chefs will be available from noon until 5 p.m. daily to answer callers’ burning questions about barbecuing techniques.

“We want to give people the opportunity to create food as we do in the restaurant each day,” explained Kim Boldus, managing partner of the LongHorn in Palm Harbor. Boldus will be one of more than 30 grill masters available to field questions during the hotline’s three-day run.

Boldus has been with LongHorn for almost 16 years, starting out as a grill master before becoming a managing partner. She said the No. 1 piece of advice she can pass along to backyard grillers is the proper temperature at which to maintain their grills. The heat should be kept in the 550-degree range for chicken and steak both, she said. For fish, a little lower is a good idea.

When queried about how to make steaks at home as tender as they are in restaurants, Boldus said the quality of the cut makes a big difference.

“I would say less fat the better as far as tenderness,” she said. “Filets are for sure the most tender.”

To get other questions answered, just call the hotline during its operating hours at 1-855-LH-GRILL or text LHGRILL to 40679.

LongHorn has also kicked off the ExpertGriller.com website in honor of July’s National Grilling Month. The site offers a way to “help grillers elevate their skills through chef videos with expert tips and tricks and epic summer recipes for steak, chicken, fish, sides and desserts,” spokeswoman Fernanda Horvath said.

Also, through Aug. 2, guests to ExpertGriller.com can enter the Be a Grill Hero Sweepstakes. Each week, five people will win $100 LongHorn Steakhouse gift cards and grilling-related gifts.

LongHorn Steakhouse was launched in Atlanta in 1981 and now serves markets across the country. It has numerous locations in the Tampa Bay area, including Palm Harbor, Tampa, Brandon, Largo, Sarasota and Bradenton.

Photo courtesy of LongHorn Steakhouse