8 Grilling Hacks to Help You Turn Up the Heat
Ready to really crank up the heat? Figuratively, anyway. Today we’ve got eight awesome tips to level up your grill-skills! Get ready to wow your friends, family and tastebuds with these handy grilling hacks you’ll wish you thought of sooner.
Ice Out Your Burger!
Dried-out patties? A thing of the past! Assemble your burgers right before you throw them on the grill (you don’t want to try this ahead of time!) and tuck a single ice cube inside each one. As the burger cooks, the ice cube will melt into the meat—leaving the inside moist while the outside crisps to perfection!
Eat, Drink & Be Rose-merry
If you’re using a charcoal grill, try throwing some rosemary directly over the hot coals in subtly infuse your food with herbal goodness! As a bonus, rosemary is also a natural mosquito repellant and it just plain smells good. You can also experiment with sage, thyme and mint, bay, basil or fennel.
Get An Egg-stra Quick Start
Using a charcoal grill? Pop a briquette in each compartment of an empty cardboard (NOT styrofoam!) egg carton and light it up! You can prepare a few of these ahead of time to take on a camping trip or for last-minute use.
Double Your Skewers, Double Your Fun!
When it comes to smaller items (think shrimp or sliced fruits and veggies), two skewers are better than one! This technique prevents rotating and gives you more control when flipping from side to side. It also makes basting simpler and allows for more even cooking.
Uneven Cooking? Foiled Again!
Foods with an uneven shape like poultry or large cuts of pork can be challenging to grill. Wrap a brick in aluminum foil to create the perfect weight to press the meat down without smashing it!
Grill a Perfect Porterhouse? Yes, You (Tuna) Can!
Larger foods (like a hefty steak) can present their own challenges. Far too often, we’ve seen delicious steaks tragically burnt on the outside before the center has time to cook to perfection. Once you get a nice char on your steak, prop it up on two cleaned (and empty!) tuna cans! It’ll keep your dinner cooking on the inside without burning on the grates.
Never Fish Out Your Meat Again!
Ever had a piece of fish stick to your grill grate—or worse, fall through?? Those days are over! Slice up a lemon and use it as a barrier between your fish and the grill to amp up the flavor and keep it in one piece!
Skillet on the Grill..et
If you really want to prevent your food from sticking or falling through the grate, pull out your cast-iron skillet! They’re incredibly sturdy and can withstand all the heat of the grill, so you can still get that great smoky flavor but it’s nicely contained. You can even whip up a cobbler over the coals for dessert!
