Grilling Tips

Bobby Flay- A Grilling God

A list of tips to make sure you are a grilling God or Goddess:

1. If grilling lean meats (skinless chicken breasts, fish), you should pre-oil your grill so that the meat won't stick. Meat with a higher fat content (steak, burgers) do not need the oil, as their natural fats will help them come off the grill. And don't oil with olive oil, as it has a lower burning temperature than vegetable or canola.
2. Never press down on your meat, especially steaks and burgers. It pushes out all the natural juices, which keep them moist and yummy. Juices from hamburgers and steak will run clear when fully cooked.

3. If you are grilling meat that needs to be cooked thoroughly, such as chicken, once each side has been properly browned, move your meat up to the top rack to continue cooking away from the flame. Doing this simulates cooking in an oven, as your meat will cook from the inside out, not the other way around. This will ensure an evenly cooked piece of meat. This technique works well for people who like their steak done medium to well.
4. Wait until your meat has about 3-5 minutes of grilling time left to put on any sauces. Putting your sauce on too early will cause it to burn, charring the outside of your meat.
5. Pre-cook hard veggies in the microwave first. Potatoes and other starchy veggies can take a long time to cook on the grill, so cut your grilling time way down by partially cooking them in your microwave. Finishing cooking them on the grill and will take on the yummy flavor of BBQ, but won't waste half a tank of propane.
6. Grill corn! It is yummier and easier than boiling them in water, especially on a hot day. Just gently pull back the outer husk, remove the silky strands, push the husk back up around the corn, and soak the entire cob in water for a minute. Doing this will provide the cob with the moisture it needs to cook the kernels inside, as the water will heat up and actually steam your corn right on the grill! It takes about 20 minutes, turning 3-4 times. The outside of the cob will char, but that is the part you will remove and toss anyway. By steaming the kernels, not boiling, the flavor stays in the corn.
7. Get out of your same old grilling routine. Try new foods. I LOVE grilled pineapple. It is warm, super juicy, and less tart when grilled. Peaches, plums, nectarines, all delicious when grilled. You can slice zucchini, carrots, and other veggies as well. Why not skewer a variety of veggies, grill, and serve as your side with meats?