I’m not a chef, but I do love to grill. Grilling is an art form in which you can express your creativity and the only limitations are your imagination. It’s also the perfect way to cook meat or seafood when you want to enjoy it with friends and family on a sunny day outside.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Elevate your BBQ game by serving mouth-watering grilled side dishes and appetizers. |
| Understand the science behind grilling to help achieve the perfect results every time. |
| Avoid common grilling mistakes to ensure that your food is not undercooked or burnt. |
| Use the right grilling tools and equipment to make the job easier and your food tastier. |
| Follow expert advice and learn from the pros to take your grilling skills to the next level. |
1. Pick The Right Grill For You
- Choose a grill that’s easy to use and store.
- Size of your family.
- Budget.
- Easy to clean.
2. Go Actually Charcoal Or A Gas Grill
While all of these grills are fantastic, there’s a difference between charcoal and gas. Charcoal grills are more versatile, but require a little more effort to operate—you have to light the coals and keep them going for the duration of your meal.
Gas grills are easier to control and clean, although they tend to cost more than charcoal models. If you don’t have much experience with cooking on a grill, gas may be the way to go; however, if you’re looking for something that will give you greater control over your food (and an opportunity for bragging rights), we recommend using charcoal as it gives off better flavor than gas does.
Looking for mouth-watering grilled side dishes that will take your BBQ game to the next level? Check out our guide on The Best Grilled Side Dishes to Elevate Your BBQ Game and serve up some delicious sides that will impress your guests.
3. Season The Grill With Oil Before Cooking
If you want to prevent your food from sticking, it’s best to season the grill with oil before cooking. You can use vegetable or olive oil for this step.
Oil can also be applied after grilling: After you turn off the heat and as soon as you can safely remove the food from the grill, spread a layer of oil over it with tongs. This will prevent sticking while keeping the grill clean and shiny.
| Steps | Description |
|---|---|
| 1. Clean the grill grates thoroughly before seasoning. | Use a grill brush to remove any debris or leftovers. |
| 2. Apply a high-temperature oil such as vegetable, canola or grapeseed oil to the grates. | Dip a folded paper towel into the oil and rub the oil evenly all over the grates. |
| 3. Heat the grill with the oiled grates for about 15 minutes. | Close the lid and let the grill heat up to a high temperature. |
| 4. Allow the grill to cool and wipe away excess oil. | Use a clean rag to wipe away any excess oil from the grates. |
| 5. Your grill is now properly seasoned and ready for cooking! | The oil creates a stick-resistant surface that helps prevent food from sticking to the grill. |
4. Make Sure Your Meat Is Room Temperature Before Grilling
The reason you should let your meat sit out for a while before grilling is because it allows the fat to come to room temperature and the muscle fibers to relax, which lets them hold on to more moisture as they cook. This keeps your meat juicy and tender, even if it’s on the dry side of medium rare or above.
Be sure not to leave your meat out too long if it’s been sitting out at room temperature for longer than an hour, throw it back in the refrigerator before putting it over an open flame.
You can test for doneness with a remote digital thermometer or simply poke at the thickest part of whatever cut you’re cooking until juices run clear (or red-pink).
Need some inspiration for appetizers to kick off your BBQ? Our guide on Grilled Appetizers – The Ultimate Guide to Mouthwatering Starters has got you covered. From shrimp skewers to bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers, these appetizers will have your guests begging for more.
5. Have The Right Tools On Hand
To create the best BBQ experience, you need to have the right tools on hand. A grill brush is a must—you don’t want any food residue falling into your fire and causing flare-ups. For extra safety, invest in a pair of grill mitts (they’ll protect your hands from burns).
And if you’re feeling fancy, get yourself some tongs! They’re perfect for flipping those burgers and slices of meat with ease.
If you ever find yourself grilling at night, be sure to bring along a flashlight so that you can see what’s going on while keeping an eye out for flames creeping up close by.
| Tool/Equipment | Description/Usage |
|---|---|
| Grill brush | Use to clean the grates before and after cooking. |
| Tongs | Use to flip and move food around the grill. |
| Spatula | Use to flip delicate foods like fish or burgers. |
| Meat thermometer | Use to check the internal temperature of meats for doneness. |
| Heat-resistant gloves | Use to protect your hands and forearms from high heat. |
| Basting brush | Use to apply marinade or sauce to meats. |
| Skewers | Use to grill kebabs or skewered vegetables. |
| Chimney starter | Use to start charcoal briquettes or natural hardwood lump. |
| Propane tank | Required for gas grills – have a backup on hand if needed. |
| Grill cover | Use to protect your grill from the elements when not in use. |
6. Invest In A Quality Thermometer
The last thing you want to do is serve your friends or family raw meat. To avoid this, invest in a quality thermometer that can take the guesswork out of grilling meat.
- A digital thermometer is essential for getting an accurate reading of the internal temperature of your food—and it’s also more precise than analog ones.
- A probe thermometer allows you to check the internal temperature of meats without having to open up the grill lid and potentially lose heat and moisture from cooking them (and keeping them safe).
- If you’re grilling steaks or burgers, consider buying yourself a high-quality infrared grill thermometer so that you can easily monitor how hot your grill plate is at any given moment during cooking time.
7. Know When To Use Low And High Heat
You can use low heat to cook tender cuts of beef or lamb that have been marinated. Use high heat to cook leaner cuts of chicken and pork, as well as other types of meat such as fish and shellfish.
You can also adjust the temperature depending on how thick your steak is: if it’s thick enough, you’ll want to grill it with medium-high (375°F) heat for about 6 minutes per side for rare; 10 minutes per side for medium-rare; 15 minutes per side for medium; 20 minutes per side for well done.
If your meat is thinner, use a higher temperature so that it doesn’t burn before reaching its desired doneness level — just remember not to go overboard here!
8. Try Indirect Grilling
Indirect grilling is a technique that allows you to cook meat evenly and keep it from drying out.
The concept is simple: the grill’s heat source is not underneath the food or directly next to it, but rather on one side of the grill. The food sits away from that heat source and cooks as if it were being roasted in an oven.
This means that your meat will be more evenly cooked and won’t burn on its exterior while remaining raw in its interior. It also helps prevent flare-ups if you’re using a gas grill, which can be caused when fat drips into an active flame (more on those later).
Grilling may seem like a simple cooking technique, but there’s actually a lot of science behind it. Check out our guide on The Science Behind Grilling – How to Get Perfect Results Every Time and learn the chemistry and physics behind the perfect grilled steak or hamburger.
9. Never Flip More Than Once
Don’t flip more than once. The grill is like a pan, and the patties are like eggs—one flip is enough to ensure that they’re cooked through.
Don’t press down on anything while it’s cooking. In fact, don’t touch your food at all until you’re ready to add it to the plate or platter.
If a patty falls out of shape as you try to turn it over for the first time, don’t worry about fixing it; just press lightly with your spatula and move onto the next one!
10. Let Your Meat Rest Before Serving
You know the importance of resting meat before serving it. After grilling, let your meat rest for at least 10 to 15 minutes (the longer the better) before slicing and serving it.
This will be more time than you think because as soon as you remove your steak from the grill, everyone wants to cut into it and see how juicy it is! Let them wait so they can enjoy even juicier meat in the end.
The resting process allows juices that were driven out by heat during cooking to return to their rightful place inside the meat during this period of relaxation while still retaining their flavor in its center instead of evaporating away into thin air when exposed to oxygen directly after cooking.
It also makes cutting easier since all those juices won’t cause excess juice loss when carved with a knife or fork into bite-size pieces on your plate.
When serving at lower temperatures, like 200°F instead of 450°F for example (remember reducing heat will allow for thorough cooking without drying out), there may not be much difference between slicing immediately after cooking versus slicing once rested but there will most certainly be an improvement in both tenderness and flavor if sliced after resting.
| Meat Type | Resting Time | Reasons to Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Steak (1 inch thick) | 5-10 minutes | Allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a tender, juicy piece of steak. |
| Pork (chops, tenderloin, etc.) | 3-5 minutes | Creates a more even internal temperature and allows juices to settle. |
| Chicken (breasts, thighs, whole chicken, etc.) | 10-15 minutes | Allows the chicken to reabsorb the juices and keeps it moist. |
| Fish (salmon, etc.) | 2-3 minutes | Prevents the fish from becoming dry and helps improve texture. |
| Turkey (roast, whole turkey, etc.) | 15-20 minutes | Allows the turkey to retain its moisture and produce a flavorful result. |
| Roast beef (rib roast, etc.) | 15-20 minutes | Allows the meat to relax and the juices to redistribute, resulting in a tender and juicy final product. |
11. Be Generous With Seasoning Your Meat Before Grilling, But Not Too Much Salt
When you’re seasoning your meat, be generous with the salt but not too much. Kosher salt is a better choice than table salt, which contains additives that can leave your meat bitter.
You also want to avoid smoked salts like Prague Powder #1 or Alder Smoked Salt because they’ll make your meat taste like it was cooked in a smoker.
If you have time before your cookout and want to try something different, experiment with other seasonings like garlic powder or chili powder (but not together).
For those who don’t have time for experimentation, here are some tried-and-true combinations:
- 1/4 teaspoon table salt per pound of meat
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt per pound of meat
Avoiding common grilling mistakes can make a big difference in the flavor and presentation of your food. Check out our guide on Grilling Mistakes You’re Probably Making and How to Avoid Them and learn how to avoid overcooked or under-seasoned food, burnt sauces – and more.
12. Cut Steaks Against The Grain For Better Texture And Easier Eating
To make it easier to chew and digest your steak, cut it against the grain. The grain refers to the direction of muscle fibers running through the meat. When you slice a steak, you are cutting along those fibers.
If you cut across them, then each bite has a bunch of tough gristle running through it (which isn’t very pleasant).
When you cut with these lines instead, each bite is much softer and more tender than if you were eating that same piece of meat cut from another angle. It also makes for a prettier plate!
13. Never Press Down On Patties While Cooking
It’s important to avoid pressing down on your patties while they’re cooking, because this will squeeze out the juices that the meat will need to keep it juicy and flavorful. A burger pressed down also risks becoming dry and tough.
These are delicious qualities you don’t want in a burger!
Instead, use tongs or a spatula to gently move your burgers around as they cook so that they brown evenly on all sides. If you find that your grill isn’t quite hot enough for proper searing, try flipping them after about three minutes (or when juices start forming at the bottom of each patty).
There’s no need to flip again until both sides have been seared nicely—you can tell because there’ll be browned bits at the bottom of each patty when you look closely.
Ready to step up your grilling game and become a pro? Check out our comprehensive guide on The Ultimate Grilling Guide – How to Grill Like a Pro and learn grilling techniques from the experts, as well tips on choosing the right equipment and ingredients.
Conclusion
That’s all there is to it. Just make sure you know what kind of grill you want, how much meat or fish you plan on cooking, get the right tools and seasonings ready, turn the flame down low or off completely if possible, use a thermometer and never press down on patties while they cook!
If all else fails just remember that grilling isn’t rocket science—just follow these steps and enjoy spending time outdoors with friends and family over a delicious meal this summer.
Further Reading
Here are some more articles to help you become a BBQ pro:
How to barbecue like a pro: Richard Turner’s essential tips, meat and sauce recipes – Learn from one of the UK’s top butchers and grill masters with this guide that covers everything from choosing the right meat to making the perfect sauce.
30 Best Grilling Tips for Men Over 40 – Check out this helpful article from Eat This, Not That! that provides easy-to-follow tips for grilling like a pro.
13 Barbecue Tips for Beginners – If you’re new to grilling, be sure to read this article from Barbecue Bible for some helpful tips and tricks.
FAQs
What are some common grilling mistakes?
Some common grilling mistakes include overcooking or undercooking meat, not properly preparing the grill, using the wrong tools or equipment, and not letting meat rest before cutting into it.
How can I improve the flavor of my grilled food?
There are many ways to improve the flavor of grilled food, such as marinating meat, using the right seasonings and spices, and properly preparing vegetables.
What are some helpful grilling tools and equipment to have?
Some helpful grilling tools and equipment to have include a quality grill, tongs, a meat thermometer, and a grill brush.
How can I prepare my grill for grilling?
To prepare your grill for grilling, start by cleaning the grates and removing any debris. Then, preheat the grill and oil the grates to prevent sticking.
What’s the best way to grill different types of meat?
The best way to grill different types of meat depends on the cut and type of meat. In general, be sure to properly marinate meat before grilling, use the right seasonings and spices, and pay attention to cooking times to prevent overcooking or undercooking.
Hi there! I’m Hellen James, and I’m a grilling enthusiast. I’ve been grilling for years, and I absolutely love it. I love how it brings people together and how you can feed your family with just a few minutes of work.