Try these easy grilling tips that will make everyone think you’re a grill master!
Grilling is a wonderful American pastime. Who doesn’t love to prepare and enjoy a casual summer meal with friends and family in your own backyard?The heart of grilling lies in grilling techniques. What separates the master grillers from the masses is that the experts understand how to manage their grill.
Sure, recipes are important, but techniques matter most. Follow these tips and you will become a true BBQ master.
1. Let Your Grill Get HOT!
- Preheat your grill with the lid closed for 10 to 15 minutes.
- With all the coals glowing red, or all the gas burners on high, the temperature under the lid should reach 500F.
- The heat loosens any bits and pieces of food hanging onto the grate, making it easy to brush them off.
- Preheating your grill also helps prevent food from sticking to the grate, and gets the grate hot enough to sear properly.
2. Clean Your Grill
- When bits of food have stuck to your cooking grate, and the grate is hot, clean it with a stainless steel brush. This step is not only for cleanliness. It also prevents your food from sticking.
- Note: Replace brush if any loose bristles are found on cooking grates or brush.
3. Oil the Food or the Grate
- Oil prevents food from sticking. It adds flavor and moisture, too.
- Lightly brushing or spraying the food with oil works better than brushing the grate.
- If you prefer oiling the grate, rub it with half an onion dipped in oil.
4. Keep the Lid Closed
Here are 4 important reasons why the lid should be closed as much as possible.
1. It keeps the grates hot enough to sear the food.
2. It speeds up the cooking time and prevents the food from drying out.
3. It traps the smokiness that develops when fat and juices vaporize in the grill.
4. It prevents flare-ups by limiting oxygen.
5. Time and Temperature
- By monitoring your time and temperature you avoid overcooking your food. Use a timer!
- If you are grilling in a colder climate or in a higher altitude, the cooking times will be longer. If the wind is blowing hard, it will lower a gas grill’s temperature and raise a charcoal grill’s temperature.
6. Know the difference between Direct & Indirect Heat
- Direct heat (when the fire is directly below the food) is best for relatively small, tender pieces of food that cook in 20 minutes or less.
- Indirect heat (when the fire is on either side of the food) is best for larger, tougher cuts of meat that require more than 20 minutes of cooking.
7. Tame the Flame
- Too many flare-ups can burn your food. Keep the lid on as much as possible. This limits the amount of oxygen inside the grill, which will help extinguish any flare-ups.
- If the flames are getting out of control, move the food over indirect heat temporarily, until they die down. Then move the food back.
8. Caramelization is Key
- One of biggest reasons for the popularity of grilled food is its seared taste.
- To develop this taste for maximum effect, use the right level of heat and resist the temptation to turn food often. Your patience will allow for caramelization, or browning. That creates literally hundreds of flavors and aromas.
- As a general rule, turn food only once, even though flipping burgers is fun!
9. The Sauce: Marinate for several hours
- A good BBQ sauce can elevate your grilling master skills to another level.
- The longer you leave the meat in the marinade, the more of the salty seasonings will emanate from your cooked meat.
- Take a fork and prick some holes into the meat before marinating it so that the meat will absorb the sauce more easily.
10. Always Have Meat in the Freezer to Grill
- Five Star Home Foods wants you to become a master griller this summer. We can help by providing you with the Top Certified Angus Beef products and all natural poultry, pork, ribs and more!
- Request a free sampler today!
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