The weather is warming up and we know that you’ll be gearing up for grilling season. The smells, the sounds, it’s all fun and games until you char the burgers and ruin the shindig. Don’t let this be you. Follow the tips below for fun and fool proof grilling season.
1. When prepping for a day of grilling it’s best to start with a clean grill. The best time to clean your grill is just after your finished for the day. Cleaning while the grill is hot helps remove remaining food residue from the grates. Grab some elbow grease and a metal brush to help with the sticky spots.
2. Flip, but don’t squeeze. When cooking on a grill, flipping seems like the thing to do. Sometimes. Flipping food to create grill marks is fine, but don’t over do it. When grilling meats, don’t flatten them or press the juice out. Those juicy steaks have flavor that will become more developed with the flame. Let those juices run out to help spark the flame, you’ll have a tender steak because of it.
3. Tools of the trade are important for grilling. Keep a spray bottle close to help deal with fire flares. You can even use a seasoned water/vinegar solution to help keep the food moist and keep fires at bay. A meat thermometer will be your next best friend when cooking on an open flame. This isn’t the time to eye-ball or guestimate. Grillingcompanion.com suggests using a digital thermometer to get the most accurate reading of your meat.
4. Let it Rest! Grilled foods will see an increase in temperature even after they’ve been removed from the grill. Allow meats to rest and sit for a minimum of 5 minutes to allow the internal juices to redistribute. Wait before cutting too. You’ll want those juicy steaks to retain all their goodness.
5. Produce can be fun to grill too! The sky is the limit to your grilled meals, fan favorites include stone fruits, pineapple, asparagus, and potatoes.
