Cooperative Living July 2020 - 25

William " Joe Joe " Dickson
Old Dominion
Electric Cooperative
To Richmond by way of upstate New York, Dickson learned to grill at the feet
of his father and grandfather. " Eating what they prepared made the experience
even better and I couldn't wait until they started to teach me, " he says.
Preferred equipment:
Charcoal and wood chips. You can always control
your temperature and cook any kind of meat
evenly. Wood chips bring any profile of flavor
you want to your meats and you have a huge
variety of wood chips to choose from.
From left, the ODEC team of Joe Lemon,
Kirk Johnson, Victor Mischenko and
" Joe Joe " Dickson.
Favorite meat to grill:
Steak, especially porterhouse and bone-in
ribeye, always comes out so well.
Top tips:
1. A tip my father taught me: Check your
desired temperature by taking your index
finger to the top of your thumb. Then, with
your right index finger, press the bottom
of your thumb. It should feel very soft. That
is rare. Middle finger to thumb; medium
rare. Ring finger to thumb is medium
and pinky finger to thumb is well-done.
2. My marinade for any kind of steak:
In a blender, put 1/3 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup
olive oil, 1 whole lemon squeezed, 1/4 cup
Worcester sauce, 1 tablespoon of dried minced
garlic, 2 fresh garlic cloves smashed, 1 tablespoon
of garlic powder, 3 tablespoons of fresh basil,
1 tablespoon of dried basil, 2 tablespoons of
dried parsley flakes, 1 teaspoon of ground white
pepper and 1 tablespoon of honey. Blend on
high for 1 minute. Place steaks in glass bowl.
Pour in the marinade, wrap the bowl and
refrigerate overnight. Make sure you bring out
the steaks one hour before grilling. I guarantee
you will love cooking steaks with this marinade.
B.J. Seamans
Mecklenburg
Electric Cooperative
Favorite meat to grill:
I enjoy smoking a beef brisket. To me, they
have a rich flavor and if cooked properly for an
extended time, they are tender and provide a
flavor filled with juices and enhanced by the
absorption of the smoke.
Preferred equipment:
For certain foods such as chicken, steak and
seafood, I prefer using a gas grill based on
the quickness and ease of operation. For
barbecue and brisket, I prefer using a smoker
to add smoke flavoring to the meat.
Top tips:
1. I typically try to monitor the heat of the grill as
well as the meat temperature, ensuring that it
gets to the correct temperature prior to removal
from the grill. Also, make sure that saucing does
not occur too early. Otherwise, it will generate a
burnt taste that detracts from the meat.
2. Maintain a safe cooking environment. Ensure
the grill or smoker is working properly and that
it is positioned in a safe area, free from anything
that may be flammable and could cause a fire or
explosion. Take the necessary safety precautions
and enjoy being together with family and
friends while you prepare a delicious grilled
meal.
co-opliving.com
July 2020 | Cooperative Living | 23
B.J. Seamans was grilling when Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative's
team took second place in the chicken barbecue category at the 2019
Gaff-n-Grill. He's also MEC's vice president of engineering and operations.
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Cooperative Living July 2020

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