Sophie's Foodie

A Watermelon Roast goes by many different names: Diamond-cut Roast, Full Rump, Manhattan Roast, Melon Roast, Rump Tail, Round Tip Roast, Rump Roast, Rump Triangle, Wedge-cut Rump Roast, Sirloin-Tip Roast... A George C. Roast. But, hey, many look good, but some are better than others...so get a little picky and get a good one.
For the girls this narrows down to the:" The George C. Roast"! The girls have class and dwell on the coolest. They know how to pick them out. Also, George maintains a open mind!
It kind of bugs me that when you purchase sliced roast beef at the Deli that can get up to eight to nine bucks a pound. So we purchase a Watermelon Roast at three to four something a pound and cook and slice our own. And, I bet it is a lot leaner cut of meat than the pre-sliced stuff at the Deli counter.
Fixing a roast like this is a piece of cake. I prefer to marinate it before hand, but you don't have to. But, I will tell you what I do and you can take it from there.
Through the years, I have found that marinating tenderizes, adds flavor to any cut of meat. For simplicity, try McCormick's "Grill Mates Zesty Herb Marinade". Follow the directions on the package except for one thing. Poke multiple holes in the roast with a fork to allow the marinade to penetrate the meat.
An alternative is to use Italian Dressing as a marinade. It contains excellent spices to enhance and tenderize the roast. Use Paul's�.the money goes to good causes.
No matter what, I marinate the roast over night in a proper marinating container�even the McCormick stuff who tell you it's only a 30 minute marinate thing.
When I cook a roast like this, I use a water pan between the heat and the roast. You can do this on any kind of a barbecue grill or an oven. It's self-basting, adds moisture and keeps it from burning.
First the oven: Set the temperature at 350 degrees. Let the roast sit out on the counter for at least 30 minutes. Use your oven drip pan. Fill it with warm water almost to the top, but not quite. Allow for some boil over. Place the roast on top of the drip pan and cook for several hours, checking with a meat thermometer after one and half hours or so. Don't run out of water. Add more as needed.
It's almost the same scenario on the BBQ grill, except I use only one burner and place a water pan in the middle of the grill so I can easily close the lid. Same temperature thing�you can even use the oven's drip pan if you want, but watch the water level.
140 degrees is rare, 160 medium and 170 is well. Wrap the Watermelon Roast in aluminum foil when done and let it sit on the counter for 15 minutes before slicing.
Use a carving fork and a sharp knife and cut at an angle and cut very thinly.
Best of all enjoy!

Labels: Diamond-Cut Roast, Full Rump, Manhattan Roast, Melon Roast, Round Tip Roast, Rump Roast, Rump Tail, Rump Triangle, Sirloin Tip Roast, Watermelon Roast, Wedge-Cut Rump Roast

If you are interested in barbecuing like a pro and have a gas grill, here are some tips to get you going.
I wrote an Ezine Article about turning your gas grill into a raging barbecue machine. Rather than present all the information again, you might want to access the article and read it for yourself.
But, what I couldn't do in the article is show you a photo using a water pan in between your gas grill and whatever you are cooking. In essence, it an indirect cooking method and it allows you to slow cook and not burn the heck out of things.
The method comes from the Chinese way of steaming and goes back centuries. Since it has evolved into commercial-made "water smokers".
In between the coals and whatever is being cooked is a pan filled with water. It is self-basting and you can add all kinds of spices, and/or garlic, onions, cola, beer, wine to the pan.
In turn, while things are cooking, the contents of the water pan will permeate what you are barbecuing. Does this sound good or what?
Now, with a gas grill you need to make sure that the lid to the grill will close completely over the water pan, and the meat and/or veggies. This is critical.
In the above photo I am using a water pan and grill from my water smoker. You could use any 9 � by 13 � by 2 inch baking pan along as it is sturdy. You can buy grills almost anywhere to place on top of the pan.
Just make sure everything fits on your grill, and that you can place whatever you are going to barbecue on that grill without it hanging over the sides of the water pan or that part will burn.
Some folks use disposable aluminum pans. Personally, I think they are too flimsy and too expensive to be using all the time. Plus, eventually you have to take them off the grill and you don't want to do this while they are full of water.
Start your barbecue and set one burner at medium heat�..325-350 degrees. No need to use both burners unless you want to.
Place the water pan on the center of the grill and immediately fill with hot water all the way to the top of the pan. Use a pitcher.
At first, don't add anything to the water. I want you to get acquainted with using a water pan.
Barbecue a sirloin-tipped (watermelon) roast, or a pork loin roast. Neither of them require a lot of room, height-wise on a grill, so this shouldn't be a problem.
Use rubs and marinates as usual. See my "watermelon roast" post here. Cooking times should be around hour and a half for the sirloin, and longer for the pork. Always use a meat thermometer for doneness.
In fact, don't open the lid for at least an hour and a half. Then you can check for doneness.
This is more or less the tip-of-the-iceberg for using a water pan on your gas grill. I will have further tips about grilling and barbecuing soon�.stay tuned!

Labels: Barbecuing, BBQ, Gas Grill Tips, Gas Grilling Tips, Watermelon Roast

On Monday, January 12th, (Let's get real, this wasn't really on the above date) I got off my duff and barbecued a watermelon roast and a pork loin on my gas grill. The roast is on the front part of the grill and the pork loin in back using a Brinkmann Water Pan and Grill.
You can purchase the pan through Amazon (below). Get the grill at a local hardware store that fits the pan.
It's well worth your time to do this, but most folks won't bother.
I prefer to barbecue these type of cuts using a water pan between the fire and whatever I am barbecuing. You won't believe how it keeps the moisture in. And you can put onions, garlic, apple, oranges, liquid smoke, a brew ( or put the brew in you), and just about anything you want to flavor the meat with in the water pan.
Prepare the watermelon roast by applying EVOO and a Dry Rub. I used my favorite "Wild Willy's Number One-derful Rub Recipe" ......see my earlier post here for the recipe.
There was "no further action required" with the watermelon roast, other than sprinkling a little more Rub on it. But, with the pork loin, I applied and rubbed in Paul Prudomme's Pork and Veal Magic (below) as the Rub and covered it with plain-old yellow mustard, and then sprinkling on even more Pork and Veal Magic, but not rubbing it in this time.
I put it all in the fridge overnight (in a safe marinade pan, don't use aluminum foil) and then sit it out on the kitchen counter for about a half hour before barbecuing. In the meanwhile I started the gas grill on high, on only one burner. Although you can turn on all the burners.
Place the water pan in the middle of the grill so you can shut the lid while cooking. Turn the heat to medium 325-350 degrees.
Using the water pan feature, the barbecuing times will increase, but check your watermelon roast after an hour and a half for doneness ( I don't do well-done). The pork will take longer...170 degrees. (I had a pop-up button on the pork) Don't overcook!
I didn't mop the roast like the normal person would, but after an hour or so on the grill, I sprayed on a mixture of apple juice and apple cider vinegar on the pork loin. (Get a spray bottle like what is in the above photo). Spray every half hour after until the loin is done, or you are personally smoked and done!

Labels: Barbecue, Barbecuing, Brinkmann Water Pan, Gas Grill, Paul Prudomme Pork And Veal Magic, Watermelon Roast