Summer means bringing out your barbecue gear and having a lazy afternoon of fun and food, grilling with your best friends. This way, you also get a chance to brush up on your outdoor cooking skills. Getting all things together and organizing the barbecue is half the fun. Although not difficult, many people get overwhelmed if they don’t know the right steps to follow. So follow the steps mentioned below to organize a perfect barbecue. These top tips to grill like a pro this summer will make grilling fun and easy.
Table of Contents
Tools Required For Grilling
Getting the right tools is essential to grill like a pro for your grilling experience to be perfect. So you must first decide on the kind of meat you will be cooking and the type of grill you will use to cook. Here are a few tools you will need for your grilling.
Metal Tongs
You need to move the meat around while it’s on the hot grill. So to avoid getting burnt, you need to use metal tongs that are extra long so that you can keep a comfortable distance from the fire. Get the tongs made of stainless steel and have a scalloped edge, which will help you grasp a variety of foods while you are grilling. Plastic rubber handles will make it easier for you to grip.
Metal Spatula
The spatula is a useful grilling accessory. The best ones have a stainless steel blade attached to wood handles that make it easy to grip. Make sure to get the spatula that is especially meant for grilling. This grilling spatula has round holes in the steel base, making it perfect for outdoor flat top cooking and frying.
Meat Thermometer
You need a meat thermometer to check whether the meat’s temperature is at the desired level. You don’t want meat that is burnt on the outside but not cooked on the inside. A meat thermometer will also help you cook the food thoroughly, which is required to avoid illnesses from raw meat.
Grill Brush
After you have finished cooking and before another round of grilling, you need to properly clean the barbecue. So for that, you will need a sturdy grill brush that will clean the grills of all the dirt, food residue, grease, and grime on the grids.
Get Your grill Seasoned
You need to prepare the grates of your grill before you start cooking by seasoning it. Use a high-heat cooking spray to spray the grates if they are cold. Then you need to turn the fire on and let it run for about 15 minutes on medium heat so that the oil starts to smoke or gets burned off.
Some grates don’t require seasoning as they have an enamel, which is porcelain coated. You should season your grill at the start of every grilling session to keep your grill rust free.
Get the Food Prepped
The next step after getting your grill up and running is to prepare your food. It is more convenient to prepare all your veggies, meats, sauces, and rubs before you start cooking. Now there are companies available who will deliver these ingredients and more to you at your doorstep, saving you the time to shop around. You can find the best subscriptions online and order your custom barbecue subscription box to be delivered to you.
Once you have arranged all the essentials you need to marinate the chicken or slice the vegetables inside the house, you can use casseroles to bring them outside. Make sure all the necessary tools are nearby, like the meat thermometer, a trivet for holding the hot saucepans, and holders for the corn cobs.
Start Your Grill The Right Way
There are mainly two types of grills more commonly used. They are the charcoal grill and the gas grill. You should consider your preferences and needs before buying any type of grill. Each of them requires different methods to prepare for cooking.
Charcoal Grills
A charcoal grill needs to be preheated for at least 20 minutes before you can start. If you have used the grill before, then remember to clean any residues from the previous session. The flame will need adequate fanning, so you must open all the vents at the grill’s bottom to allow enough airflow.
Getting the right charcoal for the grill is essential. You can use some old newspaper and a small quantity of lighter fluid to start the grill. A chimney starter will go well with the equation as well.
Gas Grills
You do not need to preheat a gas grill for more than 10 minutes as they heat up pretty quickly. When you light this grill, always make sure to keep the grill’s lid raised. The valve of the propane tank needs to be turned to open. You will then need to press the ignition button on your grill and turn on one burner. After lighting the first burner, you can turn on more burners according to your requirements. A propane burner can help you fry, roast, boil, etc. almost anything in less time than you would be using a gas stove.
Remember to Maintain Your Grill
To grill like a pro you need to keep your grill free of debris, and the best way to do that is to brush it thoroughly regularly. The grease trap needs to be checked to see if grease is piling up. You must also keep an eye out for leaks in your propane tank, as this must be taken care of urgently. You can buy a good cover for your grill to protect it when you are not using it.
Take Adequate Safety Precautions for Fire
Grills are a major source of house fires, and you need to be very careful that your cookout does not turn out into one. Thus it is very important that you keep a fire extinguisher handy whether you are cooking indoors or outdoors. You can keep the extinguisher at an easily accessible place near your home entrance.
You must also pay attention to the area around your grilling site to make sure there are no flammable objects nearby. The grease in your grill can also cause fires, so you must avoid a grease collection in the tray by emptying it regularly.
Conclusion
Following the tips to grill like a pro above will surely get you started and going for the grilling season. Now that you know the small tips, it’s time to get started and get grilling. Check out our barbecue recipes eBook. Grilling Naan tips.
Featured Image by RitaE from Pixabay
