Barbecues are one of the greatest ways to get people together. Whether you're camping, having a party, celebrating Labor Day, or just cooking for the family, it's impressive when you know exactly how to grill everything up. Being able to transform any boring groceries you have and turn them into a BBQ people will be raving about is a talent. But often, many people make simple grilling mistakes without even knowing it, preventing their grilling experience from being the best it could be. If you're ready to up your grilling game, read and take notes on some simple but useful hacks that will turn you into a grill master.
This Cleans a Grill Way Better Than a Regular Brush
The most common tool sold to clean grills is wire brushes, which can be incredibly dangerous. It's common for metal particles from the brushes to stick to the grill and then get stuck in your food. A better solution is using an onion! Just slice it in half, place it face down, and then scrub it all over the grill. It gets all the gunk off and even leaves a good flavor.
You can even salvage the onion after this cleaning process, so it doesn't feel wasteful. Just slice off the first layer that was rubbed all over the grill, and there you go, good as new.
Never Overcook Your Meat Again With This Technique
Ever wonder how some people have perfectly cooked meat every time? There is a strategic game to it. You must take the meat off the grill one to four minutes before you think it is done. After you take it off the fire, the meat is still so hot, and all of the heat is still trapped inside, so it continues to cook. This technique even has its own name, carry-over cooking.
It is truly a foolproof method to master the art of cooking meat and ensure it is never overcooked, burnt, or dry.
The Smoky Flavor Power Move
Are you a fan of that smoky flavor in barbeque? Then we have just the hack for you. Whenever you are getting ready to grill, make sure you add some wood chips into your coal. The wood chips act as fuel, and the smoke produced gives that iconic flavor. It's important to note that you must add the wood chips directly to the coals right when the initial fire of the coal begins to die down.
This hack of adding wood chips to burning charcoal will take the smoky flavor of your meat to the next level with such minimal effort, yet you'll seem like a pro.
Step up Your BBQ With Grilled Desserts
Now, this is a real game-changer. You've seen grilled meats and veggies, but have you ever seen grilled desserts? Try this delicious technique if you want to get creative and be the talk of the town. Slice a banana down the middle, peel still intact, and place it on a piece of foil. Next, pile some chocolate and marshmallows on top of the banana and put the entire thing on the grill. Once it's roasted and grilled, serve it with biscuits for scooping.
If you serve this dessert after everyone's done eating their meal, it is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. This takes grilling to a whole other level.
Sliced to Perfection
Did you know that it is actually advised to not cut through your meat right away? But what does that mean? Well, apparently it's proven that when the meat cooks, the muscles get firmer and the moisture rises to the top. Therefore when you take the meat immediately off of the grill, it needs time to cool down a bit and for the moisture to settle and redistribute through the meat.
If you cut the meat too fast, you lose all the juices, which could dry the meat; also, the juices are exactly where most of the flavor is! Therefore you do not want to risk a dry, flavorless steak.
Marinating Isn't Enough, Add a Glaze
It is crucial to marinate your meat for a few hours, maybe even a night, to get that bursting flavor. But, note that saving some of the marinades for the cooking process is another step up. While the meat is on the grill, you can use the extra marinade to glaze it. Just pour it all over the meat while it's hot and fired up and it's ready to go.
With these tricks, you can be sure that you have the juiciest, tastiest meat anyone has ever chowed down on.
Charcoal Is More Cost-Effective Than Wood for Grilling
Briquettes are a great solution to getting a solid fire going that cooks your food nice and evenly. However, if you prefer a more natural alternative, then try using lump wood charcoal. Briquettes contain additives and chemicals, so once in a while, the chemical or gas taste can transfer to the food, and that's not fun. Lump wood charcoal, however, does not contain chemicals; it lights fast and burns just as hot.
Especially if you happen to be a fan of the traditional smokey flavor in your barbeque, then lump wood charcoal is the perfect match for you.
This Surprising Ingredient Makes the Best Tasting Pork
Apple juice is not just a sweet fruit drink only for children. It is a best-kept secret in the world of grilling. When you decide to cook some pork, try pouring apple juice into a spray bottle. Then while the meat is on the grill, spray it with the juice for the ultimate hack. This keeps the pork from drying and glazes it with a pleasant sweet apple taste.
You can try adding pineapple slices on top of the pork cuts along with the apple juice! This brings a unique flavor out in the pork, a sweet and smoky sensation.
Another Excuse to Crack Open a Cold One
Beer is always a fan favorite at barbeques, but maybe not for reasons you would assume. It has gained a ton of traction recently, being used as a marinade for meat. Beer is surprisingly great at tenderizing and brings a unique caramel-like flavor to the meat without adding on a ton of extra cooking time. If you want to wow your hungry crowd, try adding this ingredient next time you cook.
How does it work? The enzymes in beer can help break down the fibers in the meat and make it very tender, as well as a delicious flavor.
Things Are About to Get Toasty in Here
Everyone wishes for the perfect buns, but when placing them on a grill, it's common to burn them. And trust us, no one likes to eat burnt buns. So here's a way to avoid burning them and instead serve perfect toasty buns. You'll need a few cans and a rack for this genius hack. Place the cans on top of your grill and put the rack on top of the cans. Then, place the buns on the rack and let them slowly warm up.
This way, the buns aren't in direct contact with the grill, which is often too hot for the bread, making it crispy or burnt. Now you'll have toasty plush buns!
Number One Mistake to Avoid When Making a Burger
When it comes to the quality of a beef patty, people can get pretty particular. Some prefer tons of spices mixed into the ground beef while others like it plain. Some love thin patties and others really like thick patties that are hefty. However, it is best to keep the ingredients mixed into the meat to a minimum. For example, adding too much salt can dissolve the protein in the meat which removes the moisture and results in a dry patty. Therefore a little salt and pepper is just enough.
Another great tip is to make sure when you are molding the patties that you push down a bit and make a fingerprint in the middle to prevent it from bulging while it cooks through.
Grilled Lemons, the Next Cookout Star
Lemons are great for all aspects of cooking. Add them to any meat for some tangy flavor, rub them on the grill to clean it up, or even use them practically as a tray. You know how when you cook fish, it often falls apart? Just cut some slices of lemon, lay them on the grill, and place your filet of fish right on top. Let it cook entirely through while on the lemon slices; no need to move them!
This cooking hack ensures no fish will fall through the grill; better yet, the lemon flavor will be absorbed into the fish, making for a tasty meal.
The Marination Station
The number one rule to getting delicious, perfectly flavored meat such as steak, fish, or chicken is letting it sit in a rub or marinade. Ideally, it is best to rub the meat with spices or let it soak in a marinade for an hour at the very minimum before cooking it. This ensures all of the flavors are absorbed and have had time to sink into the meat. Therefore every bite will be tasty.
This is one of the best-kept secrets and will instantly elevate any meal you serve. Even better- let it soak overnight, and people will be complimenting your meat non-stop and coming back for every barbecue.
Throw Some Vegetables Over a Fire
We can't forget how precious our veggies are in all this talk about meat. You can also add any vegetables to a grill and roast them. Putting them on hot coals blackens the skin and produces a nice charred, smoky flavor. Add some salt, pepper, garlic, and lemon and it'll taste delicious. It's a much different flavor than roasting in an oven, but it's not difficult at all and requires some practice, you'll be able to master the perfect side dish for your meat in no time.
In fact, roasting vegetables on a grill means they are far less likely to overcook; they'll taste better and look way prettier too.
Only Pros Use These Cooking Tools
Cooking tools are always essential. In order to be a good chef or grill master, you need the proper tools. Grilling requires a few utensils like tongs, forks, spatulas, aluminum foil, and more. Two of every tool is generally a good rule to live by. This is because most people well versed in the barbecue world use two tongs, one for arranging the coals and one for cooking the meat or other food.
Also, we can not forget that tracking which utensils are used for raw and cooked meat is essential. Therefore, two spatulas are smart also; this way, you are sure there is no cross-contamination.
Charcoal Grilling Taste Better Than Gas, Its Just Science
There is nothing wrong with grilling with gas; it can be easy and much more convenient for people. However, sticking to charcoal adds the extra element that brings your meat to the next tier, resulting in the smoky flavor commonly recognized and associated with barbeque. Though charcoal can be harder to work with, it is worth a try. It instantly creates an authentic experience and adds that signature flavor to anything you're grilling.
Compliments will indeed flow in when people taste food from a charcoal grill. It encapsulates the taste people know and love so well.
Here's How to Achieve Those Perfect Grill Marks
Just because the food looks pretty doesn't mean it tastes good, but it certainly can't hurt. When you see a piece of meat with nice grill marks, you can't help but think it must have been cooked by a professional. When cooking on a grill, lay the meat at a 10 o'clock angle and then rotate the same side of the meat to a 2 o'clock angle. Flip it over and repeat the same process.
This is a fun way to cook and serve your meat that will make you look very experienced despite the beautiful grill marks being merely for show.
A Step That Can't Be Skipped
Patience is key to everything, right? It's easy to jump the gun and think the coal is hot enough and just get straight to grilling, especially with some company on the way or the sounds of stomachs grumbling. But it is so important to wait for the coals to reach the right temperature. When they turn grey and have an amber glow, you know they are perfect and ready for cooking.
If you don't wait for the coal to properly heat up, then the cooking process will take much longer than it could've. If you want to make your life easier, follow this hack!
How to Keep the Flame Alive
When grilling, you need to use something as fuel to start the fire and, ideally, a material that will last long enough for the food to cook perfectly. Well, try using briquettes. They are blocks of coal dust and contain additives that help them burn longer and more evenly. They also help with maintaining a stable temperature. This isn't always possible to obtain with lump wood charcoal, so it's a great alternative.
Briquettes are a fantastic product to invest in if you are interested in upping your grilling game. If you want to make your experience is as easy as possible and be confident your food is cooked evenly, try these.
Too Much Flipping Results in Dry Meat
Naturally, when cooking, people mix the food around and flip it to ensure it is cooking correctly throughout. Surprisingly it is advised only to flip your meat once. When flipping it too many times, it can lose its juice. This results in a slice of dry and less flavorful meat. Therefore, it is best to put your meat on the grill, allow it to cook thoroughly on one side, and flip it once to the other side to cook.
This method is essential to make sure the meat doesn't lose all of its juices responsible for giving it so much flavor.
Don't Be Afraid of Mayo
Ah, the great condiment debate: ketchup, barbeque sauce, mayonnaise, pick your poison. Well, this tip is about how you shouldn't be afraid of a bit of mayo. And we don't just mean as a dip for your fries, but for the meat itself. Yes, you can mix mayo into raw meat with other ingredients of your choice and then mold it into hamburger patties. But you may ask, what's the point?
Well, adding the bit of mayonnaise into the meat before it is cooked helps the patty stay extra moist when you grill it.
Two Is Better Than One
A great trick to keep food from slipping off during cooking and turning it on a grill is to use two parallel skewers rather than a single skewer. Using two skewers gives you a better grip on the food and enables you to flip it around so it can cook evenly. It's such a simple way to keep your food in place and can prevent a food disaster from happening.
When skewering food, it doesn't have to be just meat. You could grill vegetables and seafood too. Just use the two-skewer method, and you're good to go.
A Muffin Pan Will Make Life Easier
This is possibly the most unique and convenient hack ever when setting up a barbecue. Usually people use dozens of containers to serve condiments and are then left washing several dishes. And it's even worse if you use a paper plate and then it becomes soiled with ketchup. So here is a better idea, use a muffin tin and put something in each compartment like ketchup, mayo, chopped onions, or pickles. Then you don't need to make extra trips to get all of your condiments!
No need to stress over opening several containers while you're busy cooking up some barbeque; just pour it out beforehand, and all of your guests can serve themselves.
If You Run Out of Lighter Fluid, Use Chips
If you run out of lighter fluid or the thought of using it freaks you out a bit, then there is an easy solution. If you happen to have chips lying around, then try this. Yes, you can seriously use chips as an alternative to lighter fluid. First, you need to make a layer of charcoal, then lay some chips on top and use a lighter to set the chips on fire.
Before you know it, the fire will be growing. And there you have it, an easy way to get your grill going in no time.
Keep Your Old Egg Cartons
What do egg cartons have to do with grilling? So glad you asked; well, it's the easiest and cleanest way to start a charcoal fire! All you have to do is pour some lighter fluid on the egg carton, then place your charcoal coal in the egg indentations of the carton. Next, you need to light the carton on fire, and as the carton burns, the coal will also begin to light up.
The egg carton acts as fuel for the coal and heats up very quickly. No more struggling to start a fire, just get out there and start grilling!
Ice Cubes Help With Moisture
If you ever feel like your meat is drying out too quickly, this is a life-saving tip. Place an ice cube on top of your meat while it's cooking on the grill and it will instantly help moisten your meat again. An even better idea is to make ice cubes beforehand from items like butter, chicken broth, or just water with spices and use those instead. This is sure to prevent your burger from over-cooking!
Just make sure to press a hole in the center of the patty so that it doesn't slide right off when the ice cube is placed on top. A great handy little food hack for your next barbecue or burger cook-up!
Allow Enough Time to Defrost
One of the worst mistakes people make when cooking meat is forgetting to take it out of the freezer and give it enough adequate time to defrost. Ideally, allowing your meat to become room temperature before you begin cooking it would be best. This ensures a steak will cook perfectly through. If you don't wait, the outside of the meat could be cooked through or start burning while the center is frozen.
Not only does this prevent the consumption of undercooked meat that could carry bacteria, but it also reduces the time you cook because frozen meat will take much longer.
Condiments to the Rescue
It can be complicated to remember so many different people's orders and how they like their meat cooked, so here is a creative way to combat that struggle. Try writing on the buns using any condiments like mustard or ketchup. You can make little notes for yourself like writing an 'R' for rare, 'M' for medium, or 'W' for well. This way, you will never forget how each burger is supposed to be cooked!
Taking orders has never been easier. Now people will praise you for not only making the tastiest burger but for being so attentive and listening to how they like their meat cooked.
Foil Is Always a Good Idea
Aluminum foil is a game changer for cooking. It especially comes in handy when barbequing. You can fold aluminum foil to make a tray, place the meat inside, and then put this on the grill. This way, if you are glazing meat, you can create a pan with the foil so the liquids won't get all over the grill. You can also use it to completely wrap up items like salmon, potatoes, and corn and place them directly on the grill for an excellent roasted dish.
Of course, when all the grilling is done, foil is also handy to wrap up the food, so it stays hot and away from any insects outside.
Spruce up Your Hotdogs
There's no need for hotdogs to be boring; the next time you have a barbecue and grill, impress your friends and family with fancier dogs. A simple technique is cutting them into spirals. All you need to do is place the hotdogs on a skewer, then take a knife and slice as you spin the skewer around. Not only is it aesthetically pleasing, but it helps the hotdogs cook better as well.
By using this method, the hotdogs cook in a way that gives them a bit of a crispier outside and juicer inside. It's a small way to put in extra effort to elevate your barbecue.
Be Strategic About Coal Placement
A pro tip is to separate your grill into two sides. One side with coal, heated up for cooking, and the other without, so it remains cool. This way, when the meat is done cooking and needs to sit a few more minutes, you can just move it onto the cooler side of the grill. A great hack to not overcook your meat but also keep it from completely getting cold if you take it entirely off.
If you follow this, your meat will be grilled perfection. Remember all these tips and tricks, and you'll create a memorable barbecue experience for the books.
The Perfect Garnish
Lemons are by far the greatest garnish to exist. They instantly make any dish taste infinitely better. In this case, you can even toss them on the grill. Take a lemon, slice them in half, and place them face down on the grill. Char them up a bit, creating this fantastic smoky, lemony flavor. You can squeeze the juices on any meat you're grilling or just take a bite out of it.
It's the simplest ingredient and doesn't require additional prep time, yet it dramatically improves your food. So don't forget lemons next time you buy groceries for your next barbecue.
If You Want Juicy Sausages, Poach Before
The absolute best way to grill a sausage is always to poach it beforehand. Do not pierce or cut it; just put them in a pot of boiling water. This method guarantees the meat will be tender and evenly cooked when added to the grill. Then once it begins grilling, it won't dry out or overcook on the outside but still be uncooked on the inside. It's a small step that dramatically improves your sausage game.
With all these grilling tips under your belt, you'll surely have the tastiest food and the most incredible barbecue your friends have ever seen.
Grill Cheese for a Perfect Gooey Texture
An exceptional hack for the gooiest cheese is to buy cheese with a rind, put it rind down on the grill and let it cook. The cheese on the inside will be warm and melted to perfection. This is the perfect starter or side dish that makes a good dip and can be served with bread or other any other food you prefer for dipping. It's also a bit more sophisticated than canned nacho cheese.
Also, when making cheeseburgers, add the cheese to the patty while it's almost done cooking, so the cheese is fully melted and yummy.
Save Time and Have Better Tasting Meat
Standing over a grill can get uncomfortable after a while and doesn't always guarantee your meat will evenly cook. A great solution is to brine your meat beforehand. Brining is the process of putting a piece of meat in a mixture of salt and water, similar to a marinade. You let it sit in the brine for a while, and it tenderizes and flavors the meat. Then you can cook the meat on the grill, and it's ready.
This results in less cooking time on the grill, and the meat will be super tender and full of flavor. This especially works for larger cuts of meat like chicken breasts or pork chops.
Keep an Eye on Your Propane Tank
With all the barbequing and grilling going on, most people can get caught up in the food. But it's important always to pay attention and keep up the maintenance of the actual grill. Did you know that you can check the propane level yourself? Here is the hack: pour a cup of boiling water on the side of your propane tank; as the hot water heats the tank's exterior, the propane reacts, creating a cold spot at the fill level.
This creates a simple way to feel how much is left in the tank simply by the temperature change. Despite this being an easy thing to do, don't hesitate to ask for help if you're not sure how to do it; better safe than sorry.
Electric Grills Can Work Too
All this talk about charcoal grills, don't think we forgot about those of you out there with an electric grill. Although charcoal grills provide that traditional smoky flavor associated with barbecuing, electric grills can still work. Here is an easy way to mimic that smoky flavor, make a pouch made of wood chips wrapped in aluminum foil. Then make some holes throughout the pouch and place it on top of the burner.
This way, it's still possible for you to capture that smoky flavor in your meat, and you don't need to buy yourself a brand new charcoal grill.
When You Don't Have Enough Time to Defrost, Think Again
Sometimes people get carried away with life; they go to work and forget to take the steak out of the freezer so it can defrost for dinner. Or a family member stops by unexpectedly, and you don't have any food prepared to offer them. If you own a microwave, here's a great way to defrost anything as fast as a heartbeat. Just put your meat in the microwave and cook it halfway through.
After the meat is fully defrosted and cooked a bit, take it out of the microwave and finish cooking it on the grill. This will save you a ton of time instead of waiting for it to defrost at room temperature.
Never Have Cold Meat
The worst thing is when you are at a barbecue and get a hamburger, hotdog, or whichever meat you eat, and it's already cold. No one likes cold steaks, so ensure you know how to keep your meats warm after cooking. Here is when aluminum foil comes into play. Before you start grilling, remember to grab a big piece of foil and when the meat is ready to be served, immediately put it under a foil tent.
Now your meat will be protected under an aluminum foil blanket and stay nice and warm, so no one ever has to eat a cold sausage again!
Scrub Your Grill With Aluminum
After all this cooking, keeping your grill clean and in good condition is essential. However, it's preferred to avoid the standard wire brushes used to clean grills because of their likelihood of breaking off onto the grill. So aluminum foil once again comes to the rescue. Cut a huge piece of aluminum foil and scrunch it into a ball thick enough that it doesn't break. Now use this ball of foil to scrub the grill!
It's a much safer and easier way to clean all the gunk off of a grill, and you don't need any extra fancy tool, just some plain old foil.
Through: Image source: Instagram: gregmfilias