Picnic foods share a few common elements - they are always do-ahead dishes and must be fun to eat on the go. Check out ChefsLine’s Guide to Picnics which includes our chefs’ and members’ favorite recipes, presentation ideas, outdoor dining tips, and menu planning help for a fun filled (yes that means delicious!) outdoor dining experience.

ChefsLine has received a lot of calls on the hotline at 1-800-977-1224 with member questions about how to best marinate, grill, and even carve beef. Some of our chefs’ most important tips are now available in our Guide to Grilling Beef.

Featured in this Cooking Guide:
How to Grill Tri Tip, Video by Chef Robyn
Grilled Steak Dish Ideas by Chef Erika
The Best Beef for Grilling by Chef Kevin
How to Carve Beef, Video by Chef Robyn

My family has always been big on picnicking—whether on the living room floor in front of a fire in January , beside a stream in the Cascade Mountains or in a hollow between sand dunes within sight of the pyramids. There is something simultaneously exotic and familiar about a picnic, whatever the venue.

Above all, a picnic should not be ordinary, nor should it be an effort—at least not during the picnic itself. A little advance planning and work goes a long way toward keeping the picnic itself more joy than job but even a spur-of-the-moment picnic can be pure pleasure if you’re prepared. And although you can get really fancy in your choice of picnic baskets, a simple tote, stocked with basics and kept in your car trunk, can transform a wide place in the road into a natural banquet hall.

Hamburgers aside, there are two key types of beef suitable for grilling: most of the tender cuts and a few of the tough cuts.

The tender cuts great for grilling are the loin steaks: rib eye, T-bone, Porter House, New York Strip, Sirloin, and Filet Mignon. These cuts are naturally tender and should be well-marbled with fat. In general, all steaks should be grilled over medium heat. For a ribeye, Chef Erika recommends seasoning with salt & pepper or a rub if you like. Cook for 5-6 minutes each side. Your final internal temperature will be 130-135 for medium rare and 140-145 for medium. Be sure to rest for no less than 5 minutes before serving.

ChefsLine’s goal is to help each of our members feel more confident and secure in their kitchens and to become more accomplished, better home cooks. From the cost savings to the health benefits and the lasting value of time spent with family - home cooking has its rewards.

On Monday, June 2, 2008 at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel, ChefsLine Chef Nate Auchter will be preparing dishes for Philadelphi’a Taste of The Nation event. More than 25 of Philadelphia’s finest restaurants will join together for a one-night-only, culinary extravaganza! Enjoy delightful food and cocktail tastings, browse exceptional auction items, and mingle with the area’s hottest chefs, including award winning guest Chef RJ Cooper from Washington DC’s Vidalia. LEARN MORE >

For most Americans, 15% of our income goes to food and drink and making the most of those dollars today is more of a challenge than ever before.