Get backyard BBQ ready with these expert grilling tips

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With the arrival of summer, it is time to fire up the grill again. If you want to be the grill master of your backyard BBQ this year, these expert grilling tips can help you perfect your technique for the tastiest grill-made meals.

Elevate your BBQ with better grilling techniques

Grilling is a great way to prepare delicious food while enjoying summer weather. Whenever you get the grill out this summer, the right techniques and accessories will enhance the flavors of meat, fish, vegetables, vegetarian options and more.

The Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association found that over 70% of U.S. households own a grill, many for the incredible flavor and aroma of grilled food. Knowing how to grillwith direct heat versus indirect heat and when to cook with the lid open or closed can make your food even better. The right accessories will make grilling easier and give your BBQ recipes more variety.

Understanding the heat on your grill

When grilling, food is cooked by direct heat when placed over the fire, while food placed next to the flame is cooked by indirect heat. The right method will depend on the food you are grilling and your desired doneness.

Direct heat grilling for the perfect sear

Grilling with direct heat is ideal for thinner cuts of meat and smaller foods. These foods will cook faster, and the direct heat will create a light char on the outside. Steaks and vegetables are the top foods for direct heat grilling. Hamburger patties, such as those for a bacon avocado burger, should also be grilled over direct heat.

Intense heat can reduce flare-ups — a burst of flame when dripping grease catches fire — because the meat cooks before the fat can melt. This grilling method can also create those iconic sear marks and give meat and veggies flavorful caramelization. Searing occurs between 300 F and 500 F, according to Weber Grills. In order to get well— defined grill marks, preheat your grill for at least 10 minutes to get the temperature in that range before putting your food on.

With the intense heat of the open flame, you’ll need to be careful to avoid burning. Depending on the thickness, steaks and other meats will take about four to six minutes and should be flipped halfway through cooking. If food is not yet cooked through, finish it off on a cooler part of your grill to prevent burning.

Indirect heat grilling for tender meat

Grilling with indirect heat relies on ambient heat to cook food, much like an oven. Lower heat and a longer cooking time break down meat for a tender and juicy result. Whole chickens, roasts and thick fish steaks do well with indirect heat grilling.

Indirect heat is also a great way to finish cooking meat after searing. To set up your gas grill for indirect cooking, light half of the burners and cook over the unlit burners. For a charcoal grill, let the coals heat until they grow red, then rake them to the side. Cook on the side without the coals, but be sure to rotate your roast or chicken every so often for even cooking.

Managing the grill lid

Grilling with the lid open lets heat disperse, preventing quick—cooking items from overcooking when left on the grill for a few minutes too long. An open grill works well for quick-cooking vegetables, thin cuts of meat and seafood like the shrimp in this grilled shrimp grain bowl.

A closed grill lid builds up a uniform temperature. This oven-like environment cooks pizzas, baked potatoes, smoked meats and larger cuts of meat. If using indirect heat grilling, keeping the lid closed is a must to keep heat in.

Since opening the grill lid will cause all the built-up heat to escape, you’ll want to be strategic about when you check on food. Many grills come with a thermometer on the outside of the lid, which monitors the temperature of the heat in the grill. To monitor the heat of the food, use a leave-in probe-style thermometer that can continuously track how quickly the food is cooking. Alternatively, you can use an instant-read thermometer to take the temperature of your items halfway through the planned cooking time and a few minutes before they should be done.

Utilizing the right grilling accessories

Grilling accessories can help you cook foods that might not fit directly on the grates, letting you try new grilling recipes while making cooking — and cleanup — easier. Skewers, grilling mats and planks and a cast iron pan are must—haves grilling tools this summer.

Grill up smaller items with skewers

Skewers are ideal for cooking smaller items like shrimp, chicken pieces and vegetables directly on the grate. Michelle Goth of Blackberry Babe explains, “When making kabobs, be sure to choose the right type of skewer! Since metal conducts heat, I use metal skewers for ingredients that need to be completely cooked through, like chicken. Flat metal skewers perform best. For steak kabobs, I prefer to use wooden skewers, which will not conduct heat, to achieve a medium rare internal temperature. Make sure to soak your wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent them from burning over the hot fire!”

Grill mats and grill planks for flavor and effortless grilling

Grilling mats lay over the grate of your grill for a surface much like a griddle. Many are nonstick, and because there are no gaps, your food won’t fall through. Grill mats let you grill smaller or more delicate foods that might fall apart otherwise, such as asparagus spears, fish filets and sliced fruits. You also get to skip cleaning the grate afterward.

You can also grill your food on a wood plank. Plank grilling infuses your food with a smokey flavor and helps preserve moisture. Cedar planks pair well with salmon, while hickory or oak grilling planks work well for beef or chicken.

Grill in a cast iron

Using cast iron pans on the grill lets you use it like a stovetop, preventing you from running between the kitchen and the grill to get it all done. Heavy—duty cast iron can handle the intense temperature of a grill while providing a solid surface for foods that could otherwise slip through the grates.

With the help of a cast iron pan, you can cook your entire dinner on the grill. Use a small saucepan to make or heat sauces, or cook saucy vegetables like these skillet green beans. Cast iron is also great for cooking bacon or other greasy foods, as the pan prevents grease from dripping and causing flare— ups on the grill.