Suns out, hotdog buns out! It's grilling season, time to take the cover off of the grill and grab the tongs. Before you do so, you may want to read through some of these tips and tricks that not only make grilling much easier, but they are things you may have been doing incorrectly all along.
Tips & Tricks
Be sure to preheat. When you place meat onto a grill that is not preheated correctly for the type of meat, you risk charing the outside of the meat without fully cooking the inside. This, of course, is not only danger to your health, but you also ruin your dinner and the piece of meat.
Wait to sauce. If you are planning to apply sauce onto your piece of meat be sure to wait until the meat is about 70% cooked through. Generally, this is after your second turn, depending on the meat. When you sauce the meat too early you again risk charing/burning the sauce instead of getting the desired flavor.
Wrap your veggies in tin foil. This is a tip I personally use often, and not just for the grill. I find when I wrap my vegetables in foil they contain their needed moisture without just steaming. It creates a packet of flavor-packed vegetables that never dry out.
Remove meat from the grill slightly early. When checking the temperature of your meats, remove them from the grill just before they hit their desired temp, about 5 degrees prior to desired. They will continue to cook in while you let them rest, which should always be done with meats.
If you can, go for Grass Fed. If you are able, and I know times are getting tough, splurge for the grass-fed meats. It lacks the preservatives we should be shying away from and is a better choice for your family as a whole.
Clean your grill. Most grill owners should know this but here is a reminder: always scrape your grill after (and even before) every use. It prevents nasty buildup that can cause fires and a bad taste on your food products.
Easy Grilled Chicken Breast
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup Italian salad dressing of choice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Directions:
Combine all ingredients into a freezer-safe gallon bag or large, cover bowl
Marinate for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight
Preheat your grill to medium heat, about 350 degrees
Cook on each side once for 7-8 minutes, until 165 internal temp
Rest for 10 minutes and enjoy!