Tips and Recipes to Grill Like a Real Expert

Want to grill like an expert? We asked Despierta America’s celebrity chef, Jesus Diaz, better known as Chef Yisus, about the best techniques for grilling. Not only did he give us some super practical tips, but he also shared some recipes!

Do you like to grill? If the answer is yes, here are some tips to make your dishes delicious. And what better way than to receive some guidance from one of the most famous Hispanic chefs on television: Chef Yisus!

This Venezuelan-born talent, the host of the cooking show “Despierta América,” has participated in television programs such as “Mira quién baila” and is also the author of the cookbook, “Cocina delicioso con Chef Yisus”, where he shares his ideas to prepare easy recipes with everyday ingredients and step-by-step instructions.

This year, the acclaimed chef teamed up with one of the most recognized oil brands to share easy grilled recipes and educate people about the benefits of cooking with corn oil. Here’s what he recommends!

LC: When grilling, how can we make sure the ingredients don’t overcook?

Chef Yisus: Here’s a neat grilling tip for all of you. Seamless grilling can be done by creating heat zones throughout your grill. Ideally, you want to have one section at high heat to sear the outside of your foods and one at medium to low heat to assure everything cooks thoroughly. Just try not to confuse which area is which!

LC: Besides controlling the heat of the grill, are there any other tips we should know about to make sure our dishes are cooked to perfection?

Chef Yisus: As a chef, I love to grill with oils that hold the heat well. Often, we forget to use the right oils for this style of cooking. I prefer to use Mazola Corn Oil because it has a super high smoke point of 450ºF that really gives me peace of mind when cooking at high temperatures.

LC: For those who prefer to use other types of oil such as olive or avocado oil, can you tell us why is it better to cook with corn oil when we do something on the grill?

One benefit of cooking with corn oil is its neutral flavor. Other oils can leave a certain aftertaste. Not to worry, because corn oil has a very neutral flavor that doesn’t interfere with the natural flavors of your food, allowing your favorite ingredients to shine in your dishes.

RECIPES BY CHEF JESÚS DIAZ

Chicken Adobo with Grilled Shishito and Aji Dulces

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken thighs and drumsticks
20 garlic cloves
½ to ⅓ cup Mazola® Corn Oil
300 mL rice vinegar
150 mL soy sauce
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
3 tablespoons brown sugar
5 bay leaves
120 mL water
1 tablespoon rocoto chili paste
1 handful cilantro

Instructions

-Crush the garlic cloves and add them to a bowl together with the rice vinegar, soy sauce, black peppercorns, sugar, bay leaves, water, Mazola® Corn Oil, and rocoto chili paste.
-Mix together and add marinade to the chicken. Cover and marinate overnight in the fridge.
-Remove from the fridge one to two hours before cooking.
-Place the chicken on the grill for about ten minutes per side and then set aside. When ready to cook, heat your grill to medium-high.
-In a hot pan heated over high heat, pour the mixture and bring to a boil.
-Add the chicken to the pan covering all areas.
-Reduce the temperature of the grill to low and put the chicken back on the grill. Close the lid and cook for 35 minutes.
-Brush all the chicken with the sauce and leave on the grill for another 15 minutes.
-Take the chicken out and brush it with the sauce one last time. Top with the cilantro to finish.

Steak Tacos with Tomatillo Salsa and Pickled Onions

Ingredients

Steak Tacos:
1-½ pounds flank steak
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic minced
½ cup freshly-chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
⅓ cup Mazola® Corn Oil
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 limes juiced
½ orange, juiced
10 white corn tortillas, warmed
Avocado
Pico de gallo

Tomatillo Salsa
1-½ pounds tomatillos
2 tablespoons Mazola® Corn Oil
½ cup chopped white onion
2 cloves (or more) garlic (optional)
½ cup chopped cilantro leaves and stems
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 jalapeño or serrano peppers
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Season steak on both sides with salt and pepper.
In a mixing bowl, stir together all of the marinade ingredients.
Place flank steak in a bowl or large zip-top bag and pour marinade over steak.
Seal bag or cover the container and refrigerate, allowing the steak to marinate for 2–5 hours.
Remove steak from the refrigerator 20 minutes before grilling.
Heat grill to high, and brush Mazola® Corn Oil lightly onto your steak. Lift steak from the bag of marinade, allowing excess marinade to drip off.
Place steak on the grill and cook for about 3–5 minutes per side, or until desired doneness (depending on whether you like your medium rare or well done).
Transfer steak to a cutting board, cover with aluminum foil and allow to rest 5 minutes. Cut the steak, against the grain, into very, very thin strips.
Warm corn tortillas on a hot dry skillet. Top with steak, pico de gallo, sliced avocado and hot sauce, if desired.

For the salsa:

-Preheat the grill at high heat.
-Remove the papery husks from the tomatillos and rinse well.
-Cut the tomatillos in half and place them on the grill for about 5–7 minutes to lightly blacken the skins of the tomatillos.
-Place the cooked tomatillos, lime juice, onions, garlic, cilantro, chili peppers, and Mazola® Corn Oil in a blender or food processor and pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped and mixed.
-Season with salt to taste.
-Refrigerate until cool. Serve as topping for the tacos.