Few things say summer as much as spending time in the backyard barbecuing dinner. Whether your choice is shrimp, steaks, burgers, or a colorful rainbow of fresh vegetables, here are this summer’s top tips for delicious (and safe) grilling!
• Marinade
Making time to marinade may take a bit of forethought, but it can result in super tender, moist, and flavorful meats for the barbie. Salt and oil are the basic ingredients of most marinade recipes. From there, you can add a huge variety of herbs and spices to satisfy your palate. Typically you’ll want to marinate for several hours in the refrigerator.
• Clean Your Grill
Salmon skin may have stuck to those grill grates, but it’s time to clean up. Easiest when the grill is hot, you’ll want to clean those grill racks with a sturdy metal brush.
• Warm Up
While you normally want to keep your dinner prospects chilled, (unless you’re looking for tuna to have a rare sear) letting most meats reach room temperature can help with even cooking. Also, a preheated grill offers up a more evenly predictable heat, so let your grill reach a preheat temp before you slap on tonight’s dinner. The heat also helps kill bacteria that may still be lingering on the grates.
• Safety Measures
Besides having grill-safe utensils at the ready, you’ll probably also want to have a protective mitt or grilling glove. A meat thermometer provides another degree of safety. A good thermometer can help you know when you’ve reached a safe temp, which also helps your grilling confidence skyrocket.
• Resist The Urge
It may be tempting, but restrain yourself from the constant need to move all the food around. What if the meat is stuck to the grill? Patience. Just let it cook a bit more—it will unstick itself when it’s ready to be flipped. And for the love of all that is good, do not flatten meats or squish those burgers! Yes, that burst of sizzling flame is quite a display, but every time you press your spatula down on those patties, you’re squeezing out juicy flavor and deliciousness. Just don’t.
• Sauce & Enjoy
If you’re slathering some good old barbecue sauce on those drumsticks, be sure to do so in those last few minutes of grilling. Sauces burn quickly, especially those containing sugar. Once your meal is hot off the grill, take a break. By giving steaks five to 15 minutes to rest allows their juices to redistribute.
So whether you’re grilling for yourself, the family, or the whole neighborhood—you know what to do—get grillin’!
