There are few things in life better than cooking out on your deck or patio, and now that barbecue season has come to New England, it’s time to break out the grill on an almost nightly basis.
Whether you’re a BBQ newbie or a seasoned pit master, it’s always a good idea to brush up on your grilling game, so we’ve put together these tips to help you get the most out of your cookouts this summer.
In order for your grates to do their best for you, you need to give them the care they deserve. Look at your grill brush - no, really, LOOK AT IT! Are the bristles fused together? Does it look worn out? If so, go get a new one. Once you have an acceptable brush, you're going to want to go ham on those grates both before grilling and after, each time you fire up.
Once you've got the pre-cooking brush cleaning done, oil down your grates with either a paper towel soaked in cooking oil (use tongs if you already turned it on, and watch for flareups) or you can use a cooking spray made especially for grilling at high temperatures.
This one comes with a little time, but as you use your grill, map out in your mind where the hot spots are. This is beneficial when you've got an uncle who likes his meat cooked to a black crisp (they say you can't choose your family.) You'll be able to use those hot spots to your advantage as you grill.
This should go without saying, but we're going to say it anyways: keep the plastic stuff in the kitchen. Even those metal tongs with the rubberized tips, yeah, use those for the salad and keep them away from the grill. Metal is the way to go. Invest in some solid grill tools, including a good set of tongs (clicking them at least three times each time you use them is standard operating procedure.)
This applies only if you're using those wooden ones you pick up at the local supermarket. Those metal ones with the wooden handles, just oil them down and get to skewering. But if you've got the wooden ones, a 5 minute bath in water will keep them from catching on fire during cooking. Also, make sure you're giving the food on your skewers enough space, and if you're having issues with turning them on only one skewer, doubling up isn't frowned upon, just thread a second skewer parallel to the first one prior to cooking.
Suddenly have Dante's Inferno with 3 foot flames? Move your food from the hot zone to a medium zone until the flames subside. Closing the grill cover should help kill the flames as well. Don't forget to close the vents if it's a charcoal grill.
As a general rule of thumb, when you've got chicken, go low. Beef & pork, go high. Chicken should be cooked low and slow, turning often. Steak, burgers, and pork chops should be cooked on high heat with minimal turning (2-4 times at the max.)
The veggie foil packet is among my favorite side dishes to grill. Potatoes, onions, a little summer squash and zucchini all chopped up, a little olive oil and spices. 10 minutes on one side, 10 minutes on the other, and you're good to go. Experiment and let us know what your favorite foil combos are.
