Summer or winter, it’s not grilling season for BBQ lovers. But even after a lot of experience behind the smoker, getting the grilling right can still be overwhelming. What are grilling secrets that can help you with this? We have this article talking about what the Pros do when it comes to grilling fantastic!
Some might ask: What’s the right temperature? How long should you wait before taking the meat out of the grill? What is the best kind of charcoal that you should use?
There are just so many questions.
But don’t you worry! We’ve compiled a list of the best grill secrets straight from the masters. Read on as we discuss the intricacies involved in creating the best BBQ recipes every time.
Always Preheat Your Grill
Remember how before baking your favorite cake, you always have to preheat the oven? Just apply the same logic when grilling.
Whether it’s to extract the full flavor of slow-cooked food or get those coveted grill marks on meat chunks, grills should always be preheated if you want to get the most out of your cooking. If you put your ingredients on the grill too soon, you’ll get that noticeable and highly undesirable grassy smell in your foods.
We would also recommend keeping the heat to at least 500°F. In case you’re using charcoal, make sure you let the coal burn until it’s covered with a thin coating of grey ash. It’s better to heat to high heat for a gas grill, which should take about 10 to 15 minutes.
Read more: Why Preheat Gas Grill Before Putting Food On The BBQ?
Choose Your Meat Cuts Wisely
If you choose your needs incorrectly, you‘re setting yourself up for a grilling disaster.
You see, if you want a quick grilling session, you should look for meat that doesn’t spring back and instead yields to the touch. In this case, you should look for protein-packed chunks that have a little marbling effect. Remember, lean meats have a tendency to overcook and dry out rather quickly, so you have to adjust your grilling time accordingly.
Get the marinade timing right.
We have two factors here that we’d like to bring to your notice.
Firstly, you should add your dry seasoning at least an hour before cooking. Marinating the meat will make the flavor seep inside your meat, irrespective of the cut. Next up, make sure you keep your meat tender and not mushy. There is a very slight difference between these two consistencies, but it certainly matters.
Depending on your meat’s quality, you should know whether or not it can withstand long marinade times. It’s common for expensive cuts to lose their structure when left in the marinade for long instead of lesser expensive cuts.
Knowing caramelization isn’t charring.
Don’t all of us love that exquisite seared and smoky taste in our grilled goodies? Well, getting that taste is slightly trickier than expected.
You have to make sure you’re using the right heat level, making sure that you don’t end up burning the meat. The best tip here would be to avoid turning your meat more than necessary – once or twice is good enough. This, in turn, will allow your meat chunks to brown properly – all the while retaining the rich, seared flavor.
Keeping your grill clean
If grilling is an art, keeping the grill clean is an obligation to make sure your art turns out beautiful. Otherwise, it’ll only become messy.
Bits and pieces of food will always be stuck on the grates whenever you get behind the grill. It would help if you cleaned the grates to remove any leftover grease or food particles before your next session. You can heat the grill and use a wire brush to remove any stuck food. In case you have a cast-iron grate, steel brushes work best.
Make the grill non-sticky
You might have used oil previously to make your grills non-sticky, but we have an even better technique than that.
Cut a potato in half, rub both the halves on the hot grates. The potato will prevent you from using too much oil while creating a naturally non-stick layer on the grill.
Buy a meat thermometer.
Many grillers consider a meat thermometer an unnecessary expense, but not experts.
You‘ll find many thermometers mounted on the grill’s lid as heat tends to rise. However, this also means that the thermometer can show a temperature of 50° hotter than when placed on the grill.
It’s to avoid these inaccuracies that you should buy an instant-read meat thermometer if you want to get your grilling right. You can use it to check your meat’s internal temperature and make sure that it’s always cooked properly every time.
And while you‘re at it, make sure you get yourself a nice pair of tongs as well!
Go slow and take it low.
Grilling at super-hot temperatures is a recipe for disaster. While you may think you‘re saving time by keeping the temperatures high, you’ll only be wasting your time and effort since the ingredients won’t be cooked well and would taste just that bad.
Instead, it’s better to grill slowly and at low temperatures. Make sure you learn how to control your grill temperatures so you can understand slow cooking techniques better. Low and slow will also help you experiment with different flavor profiles.
Create different grilling zones
You might have come across the term direct heat and indirect heat when reading through barbecue recipes – something that’s only possible when you create different grilling zones on your grill.
If you have a grill with a large surface, it’s natural you want to cook multiple items at once. In such situations, you need to create different “zones“ to keep the temperature right according to the ingredients.
For instance, you can keep one section at a lower temperature, while the other can have a higher temperature. You can shift your ingredients as needed to grill them thoroughly.
Make the most of your smoker – The Top of Grilling Secrets
Having a charcoal grill with a smoker gives you a lot of room to experiment, especially if you plan on preparing multiple dishes for longer periods.
These grills are designed with various sections, making them perfect for cooking roasted foods, such as chicken and brisket, that are simmered. The only thing you need to ensure is adequate water and humidity in your smoker before leaving the dishes in.
