Grilling is a great way to make delicious food. Like any other cooking technique, grilling takes some practice. It does not matter if you are using a charcoal, gas or propane grill… they all have their learning curves when it comes to making a great meal.
Always put safety first. Set up your grill properly on a surface that is fire proof. Keep it far away from bushes, trees, and buildings. Do not ever use your grill indoors, even inside a garage with the door open. The dangers of asphyxiation and fire are too great. No meal is worth risking your life.
Read the instructions carefully for igniting it. If you are using charcoal, give yourself enough time for the coals to reach cooking temperature. When you see the briquettes covered with a light gray ash, they are ready. The best grills for charcoal let you raise and lower the bed of coals to control your cooking heat.
When cooking on a grill, you will be using either direct heat or indirect heat. Placing the food over the coals results in direct heat. Placing the food in an area near, but not over the coals is indirect heat. Indirect heat is perfect for foods like chicken that need to cook for awhile but you do not want it to burn. If you want to use direct heat, it is important to pay attention to the temperature.
It is a good rule to never leave the grill for longer than a couple minutes once your food is cooking. It is okay to run into the house to get a clean plate or something, but do not get sucked into the latest show on TV. Flare ups can happen quickly and burn your food if you are not watching. Sauces that contain sugar and fat will burn very easily. Try not to add them onto your food until cooking is almost done.
Now on to the best part… what will you cook? Healthy grilled chicken recipes top most people’s lists. Steak, chops, and burgers are also normal grilling fare. Meat and fish turn out well on it. They cook quickly and gain a lot of flavor. Wrap fish in foil and add vegetables for a complete meal in a pouch. Put shrimp on skewers or do a quick stir fry. You can even make an entire turkey on the grill for the holidays.
Vegetables can also be prepared on it. If you want small bite size pieces, use a special pan made for grilling vegetables. It has holes in it that allow the vegetables to sear gently. Larger pieces can be laid directly on the surface. Do not forget about your vegetables or they will easily become overcooked. The smoky flavor imparted by grilling is wonderful with many vegetables.
Did you know you could even do fruit on it? Try some fresh, grilled peaches for a low fat dessert. If you like burgers, a few pineapple rings to add some sweetness. While most people do not think of grilling fruits, they actually turn out very delicious.
Looking for some simple and delicious baked chicken recipes how about our recipe for chicken parmesan.