Prepping Your Grill for Greatness

Sunday, May 25, 2014

The sun is shining, you have the day off and your friends and family are around. Time to grill! Before you jump right into cooking, take a little time to prep your grill to get the best flavors out of your food!

#1 Heat it up

To make sure your grill is nice and toasty, preheat it 15 to 25 minutes before you start cooking. This will help to be sure it will sear your foods the moment they are put on the grill, keeping the moisture inside and preventing the food from sticking. This sear comes from caramelization, which improves the flavor of your food.

#2 Brush it off

You know that brush hanging from the side of your grill? Use it! After your grill is preheated, grab that long-handled wire grill brush and get the charred debris off the grill before putting your food on the grill.

#3 Oil it down

To further prevent sticking, you can oil your hot grill. Simply grab a wad of paper towels with your tons, dip it in some oil and rub the paper towel all over the grill’s surface. This will let you slick down the surface without any dripping oil.

#4 Test it out

This simple trick from eatingwell.com will allow you to test the temperature of your grill without a thermometer. Simply place your open hand about 5 inches above the grill rack (trust me, do not place it ON the grill rack). If you have to move your hand within 2 seconds it’s at high heat. If you have to move your hand at 5 seconds you’ve got medium heat. If you can hang out for 10 seconds, you’re at low heat.