Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
AT HOME WITH AL
Parade asked Al Roker every grilling question we could think of—and then some. Here are his answers.
Is it grilling or barbecuing?
“I think we tend to confuse the two and say, ‘Come over, I’m having a barbecue!’” says Roker. “No, you’re probably grilling. But it’s OK, no judgment!” The difference? “Barbecue is low and slow,” he says. “By its very nature, you’ve got to take your time. Grilling is simple—that’s the beauty of it. It’s more high heat, or medium to high heat, and cooks stuff fairly quickly.”
Oil the food or the grates?
Oil the food and keep the grill clean. “Once the grill gets hot, scrub it so you can see the metal and then put the meat on,” Roker says.
First thing he ever grilled?
“It was a very, very long time ago, but it was either hot dogs and/or hamburgers.”
Favorite grill?
“It’s like, which one of your children would you keep?” he says about his six grills. “It depends on the day.” He has two Hasty Bake charcoal grills, three Big Green Egg kamado-style grills (one large and two extra large) and an extra-large Kamado Joe (and an outdoor wood-burning oven!).
Today show viewers got glimpses of his sweet setup when Roker shot grilling segments from his upstate New York home during the pandemic lockdown.
Lone ranger or group griller?
He typically doesn’t want helpers at the grill, not even his oldest daughter, Courtney, 34, who’s a professional chef. “It’s my turf,” he admits. Likewise, “Never touch another person’s grill unless you’re asked to do so,” he says. When the family quarantined last year, he and son Nick, 18, did team up to produce some lighthearted “What We’re Cooking” videos for social media, with Nick typically offering zingy off-camera commentary. In one episode, Roker takes the camera and coaches Nick through grilling his first steaks. (They turned out perfectly.) Go to parade.com/roker for his tips for grilling a perfect steak every time.
Favorite side dish?
Roker’s wife, ABC News correspondent Deborah Roberts (their family also includes daughter Leila, 22), makes a killer potato salad, Roker says. “She’s from Georgia and she makes this potato salad that her mother made. It’s just the best,” he boasts.
How tender is tender?
Lots of people like fall-off-the-bone meat, but Roker thinks that’s overdone. “You want something that pulls away easily from the bone, but when you pick it up
off the grill or off your plate, the meat should stay on the bone.”
Classic burger or mix it up?
Roker’s turkey-and-pork burgers (page 7) are a delicious alternative to old-school beef. He’s also a big fan of lamb burgers because lamb is a fatty, flavorful meat that does well on the grill.
Charcoal or gas?
Definitely charcoal for the flavor it imparts.
His favorite: hardwood lump charcoal that burns cleaner and hotter than briquettes, he says. He likes Fogo Super Premium Lump Charcoal (from $30, fogocharcoal.com) or Cowboy 100% Natural Lump Charcoal (from $10, acehardware.com).
Favorite comfort food?
Grilled cheese
Big discovery?
He helped launch celebrity chef Rachael Ray’s TV career when he gave her a spot on Today in 1999. That led to her hit series 30 Minute Meals on Food Network. When Roker’s producer first called," I thought it was a prank and hung up,” says Ray.