It’s summertime, and there’s nothing better than eating some good grilled food prepared fresh in your backyard. During this season, the days are significantly longer, and the evenings are cozier than usual, which is why it’s the best time to throw parties or barbecue sessions with your friends. You might be considering making a trip to your favourite local BBQ store, especially if you’re a grill aficionado who wants to kick things up a notch. Whatever the occasion, BBQ is the best kind of comfort food that’s perfect for all occasions, whether spicy, saucy, or rich.
If you want to evolve in your grilling game before the season ends and start trying new things like smoking and other flavourings, you might want to brush up on your grilling skills before taking the next step. There are always new levels to reach when it comes to the art of BBQ. But to get there, you’ll have to have a basic understanding of grilling so that you can move up in your game and get the results you want.
The truth is that becoming a grill expert is tough. To be an expert means that you should already be familiar with the most well-known techniques, common cookbook knowledge, and the appropriate tools. Fortunately, life is all about taking the leap and the journey itself – you don’t necessarily have to be a master at grilling to be good at it. While being a good griller is often enough to keep you content; there are always opportunities to improve and learn more about the process!
No matter how good you are, you might find it helpful to discover certain areas for improvement in your grilling skills. After all, being a true master is about always aiming to do better. For this reason, we’ve curated some helpful techniques and tips you can keep in mind if you want to achieve the level of a grill expert.
1. Prepare Your Grill Properly
Most grillers tend to overlook this step, but it’s significant to season your grill first before doing any type of cooking on it. Seasoning doesn’t mean adding flavour per se – it just refers to the preparation of the grates of your grill. It’s best to preheat your grill first and brush the grates to eliminate any leftover debris or dust.
After this, spray your grates with a decent cooking spray such as canola oil while they’re cold. Keep the heat on for approximately 15 minutes at medium until smoke starts to emerge – this indicates the oil in the grill is beginning to burn off.
Do keep in mind that some grills are already equipped with porcelain enamel, which means that any extra seasoning won’t be necessary. Make sure to check the manual first before you end up putting effort into something that you would’ve been better off not doing to begin with. Otherwise, you want to season your grill since it wards off the rust and keeps it clean and functioning properly.
2. Prepare Your Food Before Grilling
While many tend to prepare their food as they grill, it’s still recommendable to set your food up first before cooking. You’ll find it more convenient to have your veggies and meats already prepared before getting to grilling instead of doing it as you go. Marinate the chicken, create burger patties, and cut up vegetables before bringing them outdoors. You can place them within casserole dishes for easy transport as well.
You should also make sure that you have all the grill accessories you need nearby, such as a meat thermometer or cob holder. Paper towels should also be within your reach in case of any spills or messes. This helps make the grilling process more organized and smoother as opposed to doing it spontaneously.
3. Start Grilling the Right Way
Before cooking, you should have already taken a look at the manual for your machine’s specified preheat times and instructions. Consider that there are various kinds of grills, such as gas grills and charcoal grills, and instructions may vary depending on what you’re currently using. Take the time to read up about whatever kind of barbecue you have, as techniques will vary depending on what type it is.
For instance, charcoal grills usually need longer times to preheat as opposed to a gas grill. And with charcoal grills, you’ll need to clean your grill and make sure that there aren’t any leftover ashes from when you used it last time. On the other hand, gas grills don’t take long to heat, so you will only need about 10 minutes to preheat them before cooking.
Practice Makes Perfect
At the end of the day, the best way to become a grill master is to use your BBQ consistently and keep practicing with different types of foods and techniques. Before you know it, all your neighbours will be wandering over to find out what smells so good! For the best tips and tricks, head to your favourite local BBQ store.