Basic Grilling Baste

Adam Perry Lang recommends this Basic Grilling Baste in his Charred & Scruffed cookbook.

Makes 4 cups

Note: Recipe can be easily divided.

• 1 1/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons each grated garlic and red onion
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 2 teaspoons each kosher salt, fresh pepper
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Combine all the ingredients except the lemon juice in a 2-quart saucepan and bring just to a simmer. Remove from heat. Add lemon just before using.

It reminds me a lot of the basic baste that Jim Fergus also uses on game birds:

• Olive oil
• Soy sauce
• Lemon juice
• Red pepper flakes
• Tabasco
• Sea salt
• Pepper
• Garlic
• Chopped cilantro

For grilling temperatures, hold your hand over the fire and if the recipe calls for:

• high=2 seconds
• medium high=3-4
• medium=5-6
• low=6-7