15 Grilling Tips And Techniques To Set Up Best Meat

Want to take full advantage of long summer days and enjoy meals outside with your nearest and dearest? That means we do a lot of outdoor grilling! Here are some tips and techniques which make you the Master of Grilling! So, let’s start. It’s grilling time!

Let’s start by covering some grilling basics, before getting to the our selection of 15 grilling tips.

Steak, hamburgers, and hot dogs are the most popular foods to grill. Here are some easy grilling ideas for beginners. You can use any type of meat for BBQ or grilling.

Beef

In general, beef has to be cooked over direct heat, and the grill must be on the high setting. You can turn down the heat slightly for hot dogs and thin cut steaks. Steaks and burgers cooked to the medium are typically finished in less than 10 minutes. And have some ice cubes at hand. Why would you put an ice cube on a burger while grilling? If you want to cook your burgers juicy and melting in your mouth, then just put an ice cube on a burger when grilling.

If you have cooked too many burgers and don’t know how to keep them warm and moist after grilling, here’s what you can do to store them. They will be juicy and tender if you deepen them into bouillon, cover the bowl or the pot with foil, and keep them in the oven on low heat until your guests are ready to eat.

Chicken

Grilling chicken takes a bit more time. It can easily dry out on a grill, so you should cook it slowly. Marinade your chicken overnight to make it moist. Indirect heat is the best for bone-in chicken, give it at least 30-40 minutes to cook. So, if you wonder what temp to grill chicken at, here is the answer: the temperature of cooking for barbecue should range between 200-300°F (93-149°C). Usually, it is a slow cooking process, but this makes the chicken tender. You should remember that the temperature determines the readiness of the chicken but cooking time. Use a digital meat thermometer to make sure your chicken is done. Insert it into the thickest part of the breast and when the internal temperature is 165°F, remove it from the grill.

Pork

Cooking pork is similar to beef. Use direct heat but turn down the temperature to the medium heat. Pork chops cook quickly, and if they are rather thin, it only requires 2-4 minutes per side before they’re prepared.

Ribs

Grilling ribs may seem scary because they take more time to cook than lots of other meats. But if you pluck up the courage to prepare ribs correctly, you’ll be definitely satisfied with their amazing taste! And it’s easy enough to cook them even for beginners. Here’s the real secret to making good ribs. Prepare them over indirect flames and give them time. If you cook them too quickly, over high heat, the meat will become chewy and tough. Do you need to shorten the period of cooking ribs? Here is a life hack for you! You should boil ribs until they are slightly soft but not falling apart. For you to know how long to boil ribs before grilling, we suggest reserving about 25 minutes. Then transfer them to the grill.

Any kind of grilled meat will taste perfectly with vegetables. So don’t forget about them as they will enrich the taste of the meat and add vitamins to your meal. Some of them, especially corn, need additional preparation though, for instance, soaking. How long do you have to soak corn before grilling? 30 minutes will be enough.

Now you know how to grill different types of meat!

It’s time to learn.

What Is Grilling and Its Benefits

Do you think the terms “barbecue” and “grill” are interchangeable? There IS a difference! So let’s get to know it! Grilling vs BBQ!

Grilling is cooking foods hot and fast (usually 500-550 degrees Fahrenheit, or higher), the flame must be directly below the meat. You can grill different kinds of meat, seafood, hamburgers, and hot dogs. Many vegetables and some fruits can be also prepared on the grill.

On the barbecue, we usually cook tougher meat, e.g poultries, pork shoulder, ribs, etc. To make it juicy, flavorful and tender, we need the low and slow heat of a barbecue. Barbecuing is done with indirect heat.

A grill doesn’t always contain both grill and barbecue. A device with one burner is a grill. When you buy a barbecue, you need to know what kind of foods you like preparing. If you are going to grill more, you need something with a lot of space and various heat components you can control. When you are planning to barbecue, then look for a large space that you can put big cuts in. You should also have the ability to control different techniques which you use in the slow cooking process.

Grill or BBQ cooking is the step forward! There are a few perks, which influence health and taste as well. Grilling:

• demands less fat;
• prevents overheating of the oils or fats, which results in unwanted carcinogens;
• adds flavor. Natural sugars caramelize meat or vegetables, and it gives way to that delicious ‘barbecue’ taste;
• as excess fat is rendered, it provides a less greasy product, but the juice remains.

With the necessary facilities and time, grilling will change your perception of food.

And we have got some useful grilling tips for you! Keep on reading about grilling for beginners and become an expert with us!

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Royal Gourmet

Price not available

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$149.99

$189.99

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Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Weber

Price not available

Buy on Amazon

Blackstone

$331.99

Buy on Amazon

Char-Broil

$149.99

Buy on Amazon

Royal Gourmet

$189.99

Buy on Amazon

The Main Tips for Healthy and Tasty Grilling

Great grilling requires more than just putting your food over the fire. If you want juicy, tender food, then you want these hot tips for getting the best results from your grill. Let’ start at the very beginning!

1. Find the Right Barbecue

The first thing you have to do is to select the best barbecue up to you! So it is better to take time and remember what and for whom you usually cooking, and how often, too. That’s how you can find one that is the right size and with the right features.

2. The Best Tools at Hand

If you are equipped with the right grilling tools and accessories, it becomes an easy and pleasant way of cooking. So, what grill tools do you need?

1. a spatula which doubles as a knife;
2. a grill brush that sweeps away bits of food in one pass;
3. a meat thermometer of good quality;
4. Grill cleaning supplies that keep your barbecue station looking neat.

3. Gas vs Charcoal Grill

There are endless disputes about the pros and cons of charcoal and gas grills. It’s difficult to say which is healthier and more convenient. Gas burns cleaner, but it doesn’t give that smoky, rich taste of food cooked on a charcoal grill. Maybe you consider charcoal grilling to be time-consuming. Or you don’t know how to grill with charcoal. Then the following charcoal grilling tips are definitely for you!

• Use traditional briquettes: they are inexpensive, light easily, and burn long and steady. If you’d like more intense, smoky flavor, take hardwood charcoal.
• Before you even light your grill, make sure to open vents. The fire will need oxygen to keep going.
• Stuff newspaper loosely in the bottom of the chimney, then fill it with charcoal. Place the chimney inside the grill and kindle a newspaper.
• Charcoal or briquettes must burn until they’re covered with ash. It takes about 5-10 minutes to get to high heat and 25-30 minutes – to medium.
• Remove the top grate and place charcoal into the grill.
• Finally, take a paper towel wet in vegetable oil, and spread the oil over the grate with forceps. If you use this trick, the food won’t stick to the grill.

Now you know a lot about grills and can decide which one you need.

So, it’s up to you which to choose, but if you need some help with it, read our charcoal grill review.

4. Get It Hot

When beginning to cook, you have to warm up your grill. Speaking about how long to preheat the grill, we estimate that about 15 minutes for maximum temperature will be enough. The time can differ a bit depending on the weather.

And if you are interested how to keep your charcoal grill hot, it’s easy-adjust the air dampers. They increase or decrease the temperature. The more air goes into the grill, the hotter it gets. The less air goes into your grill, the cooler it gets.

5. Additive-Free

Like all good things in life, grilling is much better if done naturally. Charcoal products comprise additives you are not supposed to eat. That’s why you can use additive-free lump charcoals; it’s only charred wood. Besides, its burning generates more heat than other charcoal products.

6. Purge It Away

Do you want your charcoal grill to serve for a long time? Then make sure you know how to clean the charcoal grill! First of all, you should give it a deep clean at least once during the grilling season. And, of course, after each food preparing use a long-handled grill brush to clean off remains. When your grilling device is still hot, it’s much easier to clean it from remains.

7. Oil It Up

You should oil the grates to prevent food from sticking. So, how to oil a grill correctly? Here is our tip: oil your hot frame with an oil-sopped tissue. Take it with forceps and rub the rack with it.

There is another way to oil it up. When the grates are cold, cover them with the oil and remove the excess with a paper towel. Light your grill and, when it is hot, oil on the grates smokes or burns off.

8. For Safety’s Sake

To prevent food poisoning and make grilling season enjoyable, follow these steps for a safe meal:

• Use several cutting boards, separated utensils, and platters for the prepared and yet-to-be-ready food;
• Keep your foods in the fridge while marinating;
• Do not moisturize meals with the marinade. Prepare some extra marinade just for moisturizing or boil the one you already have first;
• Use a food thermometer to make sure meat is cooked hot enough to kill harmful germs.

9. Pickle Your Meat

Marinating is a crucial part of cooking BBQ meat. Marinades don’t only flavor meat, but they also tenderize it. Here are some grilling tips on how to treat your meat perfectly:

• marinate overnight;
• use only light olive or vegetable oils, NOT extra virgin olive oil because it tends to burn and smoke when on the grill;
• place the meat into strong plastic bags, close them tightly, so the marinade won’t leak when you turn them. You can also cover food with cling film and use non-reactive containers made of stainless steel or glass;
• rub or flip off excess marinade before placing on the grill to prevent burning or flaring and smoky bitter flavor.

10. A Chimney Starter

Rather a useful tool to make grilling easier. Put crumpled paper in the bed of the chimney, fill it with charcoal, and ignite the paper. The coals can be spread in the bed of the grill within 20 minutes.

11. Is It Ready?

Cooking time and temperature can vary; it depends on the preparation method, size, and shape of meat and degree of readiness. It is better to use a thermometer to test readiness.

12. Benefit from a Grill Basket

You need a grill basket for products that may fall through the lattice of the grill or are too burdensome to flip over one after another.

There are two main types: folding baskets and punched baskets with raised sides and open tops (also called grill woks). Both of these are rather cheap and easy-to-find.

13. The Palm Test

If you don’t have a thermometer to check the grill, hold your hand about 3 inches above it and count how many seconds you can keep it there before pulling away. If you move your palm in 2 seconds, the heat is strong, if in 5 seconds, it’s medium, and if in 10 seconds, it’s low.

14. Tame The Fire

With fat dripping onto the heat grate, there are flare-ups. This way carcinogenic agents form, they stay on the food. Meat licked by fire doesn’t taste well. Flames can bumper the outside of meat before it’s cooked inside. To slash flare-ups, choose lean notches of meat, remove the skin from poultry and minimize the amount of fat. And have some water near the grill to get rid of any unwanted flashes.

15. Let It Rest

After the meat is cooked, don’t carve it immediately! Allow the meat to stand away from the heat before serving! The juices spread throughout the meat and, as a result, it will taste great.

Have a perfect grilling season with MyKitchenAdvisor! Enjoy your meal with our grilling and BBQ tips!