Grilling sounds like the easiest thing in the world, but real grill masters know that a relaxed picnic is no excuse not to go the extra mile and serve top-notch dishes to your guests. For the perfect experience and flavors, follow these rules when grilling.
1. Heat the grill long enough
Before starting baking, preheat the grill plate or grid for at least 20 minutes. The grill prepared in this way will give the meat that real smoky flavor.
Grills on charcoal
Light the charcoal and let it burn until the briquettes turn white and ash. Then cover the grill with a lid and heat it for about 15 minutes. After covering the grill, you must open all air circulation flaps.
Gas grills
Open the grill and light it. Set the heating to the highest temperature. Then close the lid and wait for a while until everything is well secreted. Lower the temperature before baking.
Photo: Taylor Grote/Unsplash2. Do not grease the grates with oil
It is not suitable to lubricate the grates with oil, as it likes to burn. In addition, the oil releases smoke and carbon into the meat, which affects the taste of the meat. Instead of oiling the grates, lightly grease the food you plan to grill. This will prevent the food from sticking to the grill.
Photo: Gita Krishnamurti/Unsplash3. Adjust the vents on the charcoal grill correctly
Most charcoal grills have two openings: one at the bottom and one at the top. The bottom vent controls how much oxygen is supplied to the fire, so you control the heat with it. The more you open it, the hotter the grill. The top vent is usually always open as it circulates the air. If you close it, the grill can go out completely.
4. Do not use the hot spots of your grill
Almost every grill has hot and cold spots, meaning that some areas of the grill are very hot and others are cold. The points are important, because it is necessary to find a temperature that will allow your meat to be roasted evenly. If you cook at a hot point, it may happen that the meat will be cooked too quickly, and the inside will be raw. If you want to find the hot spots of your grill, place a piece of bread on it, as it burns there quickly.
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5. Marinate the meat properly
If you leave the meat in the marinade for too long, it will lose its flavor and texture. To prevent this from happening, stick to the time limits when marinating the meat.
- red meat and pork: from 2 to 24 hours
- poultry: from 2 to 12 hours
- fish: from 15 to 30 minutes
Photo: Narda Yescas / Pexels6. Do not burn wooden skewers
If you prepare the skewers yourself, they are mostly made of bamboo, which burns very quickly. To prevent them from burning quickly, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before baking.
Photo: Pixabay/Pexels7. Be careful of the heat and do not open the lid
Just like opening the oven, opening the grill causes the temperature to drop significantly. This causes the food to cook unevenly.
8. Be careful with sweet sauces
Sweet meat sauces tend to cook quickly due to their high sugar content, so it is better to wait and spread them on the meat just before the end of cooking.
9. Do not add burning liquid to the charcoal
It is not recommended to lubricate the charcoal with burning liquids, as it preserves an undesirable taste. All briquettes that you buy in the store today do not need liquid, as they burn consistently and for a long time. You can also use wood, which gives the meat an even more authentic taste. Above all, it is valued wood of old vines, fig trees, beech. For embers that will last longer, use harder and thicker wood. Prepare the embers by tearing some paper in the fire pit of the grill, placing some cod on it and sticking a match into the paper. Add thicker pieces of wood as the reeds ignite. When these turn into embers, you are ready to bake.
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10. Roast the vegetables in a grill basket
If you've ever tried grilling vegetables like white beans or carrots, you know how hard it is to keep them from falling through the grates. To avoid such problems, put the vegetables in a grill basket, which you then place directly on the grill.
Photo: Mika Baumeister/Unsplash11. The meat must rest after baking
Grilled food tastes better if it rests for a short time after cooking. Let your meat, wrapped in foil, rests after baking. This helps distribute all the juices in the meat. The amount of resting time varies depending on the type of meat and the roasting technique, but usually it should last at least 15 minutes.
12. Clean the grill after use
If grilling is a joy, grill cleaning is a necessity. Grills with leftover food are repulsive, harmful to health, and freshly baked food on them acquires an unpleasant aftertaste. Therefore, clean the grill as soon as you finish using it. Cleaning with a wire brush is usually enough to keep the grill clean. You should also take care of cleaning the vents, lid, burners and other surfaces.
