Grilling Life Hacks
15 Grilling Hacks to Bust Out in Your Backyard
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Grilling can be so intimidating — but the truth is, proper seasoning, temperature, and time are 90 percent of the battle. If you want to be the true pit master of your family or friend group, take note of these 15 tips for cooking everything from hot dogs to steak to get you all the way there.
Marinate the steak AFTER it's been grilled.
We often think to marinate meat before grilling it, but reverse the order and you won't be sorry. Pour the marinade over the steak after it has been grilled. As the meat rests, it soaks up the marinade (and seasonings) without wasting a drop of those precious flavors.
Season burger patties with mustard on one side.
Here's a little-known secret you can try at home: In-n-Out spreads mustard on the top of the patties before flipping them. The flavor and sear the mustard renders will become your new favorite burger hack.
Brush brie wheels with olive oil before grilling.
To prevent brie wheels from sticking to your grill grates, brush them in olive oil. Talk about easy to flip and remove from the grill.
Thread sausage/chorizo between shrimp for quick flavor.
No need to hassle with tons of ingredients. The fastest way to keep shrimp moist and flavorful is by threading chorizo between the shrimp.
Grill grilled cheese.
Lightly butter the bread (or spread a thin layer of mayo) before legitimately grilling up a grilled cheese.
Try a beer brine on chicken.
Brining chicken in a beer-salt solution simultaneously tenderizes and seasons the meat. Let it be known this will make your grilled chicken the star of the cookout.
Use a pizza stone for crisp grilled pizza.
Yes, you can grill pizza! A pizza stone atop your grill will make the crust extra crisp. Otherwise, a metal pizza tin will also keep the dough from sticking to the grates.
Wrap asparagus in pancetta.
You know what always makes grilled veggies taste better? Pork! Try it out in asparagus-wrapped pancetta.
Brie-Stuffed Burgers
Instead of cheeseburgers, try cheese-stuffed burgers. An easy-melting cheese like brie works best.
Indirect heat is your friend for hot dogs and sausages.
Indeed, there is a correct way to cook hot dogs. Either simmer the franks in hot water or warm them off the flame before grilling them on medium-high heat for a few minutes until the exterior caramelizes.
Grill the avocados before making the guacamole.
For a smoky complexity, try grilling avocado halves. Just remember to allow them to cool before mashing them into guacamole.
Melt cheese inside the cavity of portobello mushrooms.
Mushroom caps are like umbrellas, and trying to melt the cheese on top of them will just result in it sliding off. Instead, grill the stem-side of the portobellos first, then flip the mushroom and melt the cheese inside that stem-side cavity.
Season Shrimp Off the Grill
Tired of scraping seasonings and marinades off your grill racks? Opt to season the meat after it's off the grill, as with this buffalo shrimp recipe. Lightly brush the shrimp skewers with oil, sprinkle with salt, then grill. After the skewers have been removed from the flame, brush them with a combo of melted butter and Frank's hot sauce. No mess!
Yogurt Also Tenderizes Chicken
Looking for a nonalcoholic way to tenderize white meat? Try marinating the chicken in yogurt.
Keep the grill cheese-free with queso.
Queso dip on a burger is a win-win. You get melty, gooey cheese on your burger without having to clean up the grill.
