5 ways to fire up your grill game
Summer’s in the air, and that means the smell of barbeque should be too. Break out your tongs and hone your skills with these BBQ tips from Fresh Prep experts.
Get ready for grilling season
Flip out over these easy tips for grade A grilling
Summer is here and it’s time to bust out the barbecue for grilling season. The grill is a quintessential tool to celebrate summer and enjoy fun and casual meals with friends and family alike. Fresh Prep has you covered with tips to make the most of the sunshine.
- Use double skewers to keep your ingredients from spinning on the skewer
- Let meat come to room temperature before grilling for more evenly cooked, juicier meat. We recommend at least 20 minutes on the counter before cooking.
- Keep your meats and vegetables on separate skewers, as they cook at different times
- Let your meat rest before cutting into it
- If you don’t have a barbecue, you can get similar results using your oven’s broiler. Place meat directly on an oiled rack with a sheet pan beneath to catch drippings.
Get Saucy
Grilling season is a great time to get creative with your seasonings. From the basics like salt and pepper, to dry rubs, sauces and more, pack in the flavour with these saucy tips.
- Dry rubs are generally better for things that will be cooked quickly, like a piece of fish or chicken breast. Marinades tend to be best for things that will be cooked slowly, like ribs or pork shoulder.
- Yogurt is an amazing marinade. Highly acidic ingredients like lemon juice and vinegar will toughen proteins whereas yogurt will slowly tenderize them. Think Tandoori chicken.
- “Mop sauces” are like marinades but lower in sugar (ie. are less likely to burn) and are used to add moisture during the cooking process. A mop sauce could be something as simple as a spray bottle of beer to spritz the meat with as it cooks.
- Know when to apply your seasonings and sauces:
- Apply dry rubs before cooking;
- mop sauces are applied during cooking;
- and marinades should be brushed on towards the end because they usually contain sugar and will burn.
- Feeling adventurous? Use all three!
- Brushing sauce on near the end of grilling to prevent burning on the outside
Grillmaster gear must-haves
Getting your barbecue all set for its busiest time of year by adding quality tools to your arsenal is the easiest way to get yourself ready for an exceptional season of grilling. While they aren’t always necessary, investing in high-quality BBQ tools and accessories is a simple way to take your grill game up a notch.
Ensure these five must-have items make it into your grilling tool belt:
- Meat thermometer
Take the guesswork out of roasting and say goodbye to underdone or overcooked meat with a meat thermometer. Simply insert the probe into your meat and leave it in while roasting.
2. Basting Brush
A basting brush is key to the easy application of sauces and marinades while grilling. A good basting utensil can make all the difference when it comes to flavour, allowing the sauce or marinade to get into all the nooks and crevices of the food.
3. Grilling mitt
With temperatures over 600 degrees Fahrenheit, grilling can be a dangerous undertaking without the proper equipment. Grill gloves are a great way to grill with confidence and protect yourself, even if you use tongs with long handles.
4. A good set of tongs
The best tongs will keep your hands safe from the heat, provide dexterity when flipping your creations and save you the embarrassment of dropping food in front of your guests.
5. Grill cleaning brush
The grilling experience isn’t complete until the grill is clean. The safest grill brush is one that you can use on a hot grilling surface safely. While there is a variety of grill brushes on the market, quality is more important than the price when it comes to buying the best one, especially if you plan to fire up your grill this summer.
