5 Tips To Becoming A Better Griller

Becoming a better griller is part art, part practice. Fall is a great time to become a master griller, as there are many recipes that fit the season. Use cookouts and tailgate parties to practice on corn, chicken and tri-tip steak. Backyard BBQs and family gatherings are perfect for the last summer peaches, pineapple you can add to rice dishes, and zucchini, peppers and onions from produce stands. Here are 5 easy grilling tips to provide you with hot, juicy and delicious grilled meat, veggies and fruits.

Don’t Flip a Steak or Chop Too Much

Handle steaks and chops gently, keeping them over the same spot to cook evenly and sear (Check out these 12 Grilling Tips!). This saves you time, energy and flavor. When you flip a cut, you risk shaking off the seasoning. Move meat to a cooler area of the grill once it has charred. Try cooking meat bare before wrapping it in foil. This will let you see what areas of the cut need attention. You’ll get your best results with tender cuts of meat.

Add Acid to a Marinade for Meat to Cook Faster

One time-saving technique is to use the acid in vinegar or citrus juice to break down muscle. When you add an acid to a marinade, the meat absorbs liquids better. Grilling is about cooking hot and fast, not low and slow. The correct ratio is 1/4 cup acid to 3/4 cup oil. You can experiment with different marinade combinations (Check out this article to find some Easy Marinades with 5 Ingredients or Less). Ideas include rice wine vinegar and a mix of sesame seed and canola oil, lemon juice and olive oil, and apple cider vinegar and corn oil. Add herbs like cilantro or rosemary, and spices like pink peppercorns and sea salt, and your marinade will be complete.

Grilling Vegetables Means Paying Attention to Your Produce

To become a better griller of all things veg, carefully wash your produce and assess how long to cook it. Planning will save you time as you grill. Potatoes need to cook for about an hour (Check out this Recipe for Grilled Vegetable Skewers). Asparagus, onions and peppers usually take only a few minutes on medium-hot to high heat. Think of seasoning vegetables after they’re cooked with a drizzle of olive oil or a splash of balsamic vinegar.

Cook Fruit With a Separate, Sweet Marinade

Save time when cooking fruit by mixing a separate marinade beforehand. Peaches, nectarines, watermelon, pears, pineapple and mango go well with a sweet marinade like a dip of honey and lime juice or a syrup with rum and spices such as cinnamon. The sugar in the fruit and marinade will caramelize, forming a crispy, delicious crust. Fruit often takes only a few minutes on each side to grill. Keep your fruit from sticking to the grill by using a Grillaholics grill mat!

Grilled Dessert? Yes, Please!

You can grill everything starchy — pound cake, bread, doughnuts and bananas — in a few minutes (Check out these yummy grilled desserts!) . Top them with creme fraiche, thick yogurt, whipped cream and ice cream. Provide extra sweets, like spiced nuts, cold fruit and bite-size candies like chocolate-covered sunflower seeds as additional toppings. Your family and friends will enjoy the contrast of hot and cold and the wide variety of flavor combinations.

Mastering these new steps for grilling is a good reason to invite friends and family over. As you work the grill, ask for tips. Your audience is invested in the results! Together, you become better grillers, with stories about how you grilled together and created food that has earned “bragging rights. ” Check out Grillaholics grilling accessories to step up your grilling game!

Look out for our Pinterest page and our Instagram for some more delicious food inspiration!

The post 5 Tips to Better Grilling in 10 Minutes | Grillaholics appeared first on .