Are you tired of your barbecue being the same old same old? Add a dash of “wow” into your cookouts this season. We have a list of great ways to amp up your grilling game that would ensure that your family and guests leave with an overwhelming sense of satisfaction.

1. Take a Different Approach

We need to take a different look at how we grill this season. Here’s an idea, how about pulling out that aluminum foil and doing something creative with it? Grilling with aluminum foil has so many benefits! First, it ensures that your barbecue is still packed with all of its delicious flavors and nutrients. Second, it allows for all of your meat to be cooked evenly on all sides. And lastly, which is our personal favorite, it is perfect for slow cooking those ribs that everyone craves at your cookout!

2. Use Different Ingredients

Stray away from the usual ingredients that you find yourself using. Brace yourself, these are weird, but this will absolutely amp up the way you grill. Using apple cider vinegar and apple juice is a great way to tenderize your meat before grilling! Next, use unusual condiments to inject some rich flavors in your meat, we suggest mayo or yellow mustard. Weird, right? And probably the most unusual one we will suggest, coffee grounds! These grounds will make sure that that your rubs have an insane flavor to them and will definitely be a crowd pleaser.

3. Patience is Key

Sounds strange, but let your meat set for an addition 10 minutes after it’s off the grill! We know you are hungry and ready to tear into the masterpiece you just created, but we suggest waiting a couple minutes to let those juices reabsorb into your meat! This will allow you to have more juice in every bite rather than the cutting board.

4. Make Your Own Signature Sauce

We know you probably have that one go-to BBQ sauce that has become your best friend when it’s time fire up the grill, but what if you created your own? First things first, you need to figure out what type of sauce speaks to you the most. Do you like tangy or sweet and thick? Depending on your preference, there are a bunch of ingredients you should grab so you can forever change your grilling game!

Grab Some Honey! | This quick little add to any store bought bbq sauce would make sure that it’s richer and sweeter! Also, brown sugar is always a perfect option.

Fruit | Get creative and add any type of fruit that would compliment your dish the best! We suggest blueberries, blackberries to make it jam-like, lemons to add some zest, and even a guava paste for a sweet taste.

Alcohol | Our personal favorite! Depending on your taste preferences, you can go in any direction with this one. Grab a nice red wine, bourbon, and even root beer in order to get the most out of your sauce!

5. Amp Up Your Grilling

Sure, you love your grill, who wouldn’t? But this year, invest in a wood grill and add maximum flavor to your barbecue. Also, grilling with a wood grill allows you to experiment with which wood gives you the best flavor. We suggest a hickory if you want some great bacon flavored meat! Also, a mesquite wood will give your bbq a spicy taste to it and will definitely resemble grilling from the south! And if you are looking for a sweet, tangy flavor, definitely try a mulberry wood. And if you want to learn more about how to amp up your grill check out this article!

6. Think Outside the Bun

We know everyone loves the meat you’re cooking, but consider other options as well! What about taking some unexpected dishes to the grill? We suggest branching out and grilling some quesadillas, fajitas and even pizzas! This would definitely add some pizazz to your grilling this season, check out this article for some cool recipes!

7. Use Tongs!

As we said before, you want to leave your meat sit for a couple minutes after it’s done so that you preserve all of those yummy juices! Make sure you use tongs when flipping your bbq to ensure that you don’t stab the meat and lose all of that delicious flavor!

8. Grill Your Desserts

Is there a better way to impress your guests? The answer is no, everyone loves desserts. Take your dessert recipes and put a spin on them! We think that grilled peaches and a grilled banana split would be the perfect touch to any cookout! Also, try grilling a piece of poundcake and drizzling a yummy spread of fruit on top of it!

9. Grilled Cocktails

I know you’re probably thinking we’re crazy. BUT, trust us! We found a couple delicious recipes we think you’d love! The first, Grilled Citrus and Grape Sangria would absolutely add some zest to your get together! Also, some Grilled Pina Coladas and Grilled Peach Bellini’s would be the answer to all problems! Cheers!

All of these tips and tricks will be sure to amp up your grilling this season! Take charge and show how much of a Grillaholic you really are!