People Are Sharing Their Best Grilling Tips And Tricks, And I'm Using These At My Next BBQ
It's summer, which means grilling season is officially upon us. So Redditor u/WoollyMammothBeaver asked the very important question: "What are some tips for a first-time grill owner who has no experience grilling?"
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The responses were so good, you'll probably want to try them for yourself.
1."Start with cheaper cuts and experiment until you get the hang of things. High-fat foods like skin on chicken and pork country ribs can handle overcooking better."
2."Use some sort of grease like oil or fat and make sure to either grease the grill or your protein."
3."Learn to control the heat. Not every item needs full blast heat."
"Cook shrimp and veggies at maximum heat, but steaks pork chops, and poultry all need a medium heat or you will scorch the outside before the inside is cooked. Ribs, brisket, pulled pork all need very low heat and smoke." —u/Thinkonaut9
4."Always let your meat get to room temperature before grilling."
5."Work your way up to the most challenging pieces of meat."
Don't immediately tackle a brisket that costs a fortune and takes half a day to smoke properly. Rather, start with some cuts that will be less challenging and less expensive to mess up like pork ribs." —u/avlas
6."Propane is quickest but charcoal tastes better."
7."Try to make sure all your meat is generally the same thickness so it all cooks consistently."
8."Don't keep flipping anything. Get the grill hot, put the meat on, and leave it alone."
"Once it no longer sticks to the grates, flip once." —u/brocollirabe
9."The secret is in the prep. Marinade, marinade, marinade. Grilling is the last 10% of the job."
10."Get a second propane tank so you don’t have to do the dash to the store while you're cooking."
11."For the love of everything holy, don't press your burgers so the juice run out."
12."Make an indent in the center of burger patties with your thumb. It prevents the meat from curling or puffing up."
13."Learn your grill. Every grill has its own hot spots and cold spots. Don't fight them. Rather, use them to cook better food."
14."Start with easy cuts of meat. Pork shoulder a lot harder to screw up than brisket."
15."Undercook your meat and let it rest until it cooks through."
"The resting step is essential. If you cut it too soon all the juices flow out, leaving the meat dry. Resting allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, keeping it much more moist." —u/ChChChillian
16."A chimney starter is the best way to get your charcoal going, but it has a lot of other good uses. These things get seriously hot. Throw a grate over the top and sear some steak or tuna."
17."Getting familiar with your grill's flame is the hardest part of grilling. If it flares up too early your meat will burn, but too late and it won't cook right."
"It’s a lot of trial and error until you get the feel of it." —u/serene_brutality
18."Be careful opening the lid of your grill, especially when you're cooking at a temperature over 500°F. The rush of fresh air into the grill can get so hot that the air will ignite."
19."Make sure to preheat the grill. You don't want to just cook with the flames. The grill can act like an oven too."
20."If you use a smoker, buy a bluetooth thermometer. Being able to check the temperature of your meat without opening the door is huge."
"And don't trust the thermometer on the door. It can be way off." —u/Sharcbait
21."Use yogurt as a marinade. It's the best grilling trick I’ve ever learned."
22."Don’t lift the lid often or the heat will escape and nothing will cook right."
23."Get yourself a flat cast iron pan and grill with it."
