The July 4 holiday might be over, but that doesn’t mean it is time to step away from the grill. Tempe-based Thirsty Lion Executive Chef Kody Harris shares her top five summertime grilling tips.
1. Always start off with a clean grill, and I recommend oiling the grates with any vegetable, canola or soybean oil, not too much just to make them shiny. This is so the food will not stick.
2. Always make sure your grill is hot before placing any food (proteins/vegetables). If it is not hot you will not achieve a good char or mark on your food, 400 is usually a good temp to start at, once you have received a good char you can simply turn the grill down and continue cooking.
3. When grilling any meat (burgers, steaks, chicken) do not press down on the meat while cooking. This will release flavors and juices in the meat. Simply putting down the lid or placing a cover will allow the meat to cook through to desired temperature without losing all that flavor and goodness.
4. When grilling vegetables (peppers, onions, asparagus, corn, zucchini) a little olive oil, salt and pepper before grilling will help to give them a good char as well as adding flavor but not too much to cover the natural flavor of the vegetable. Same with meats medium- high heat to gain a char then lower heat to finish cooking. If you are grilling lettuces, they cook much faster and will only need under a minute to char and give flavor.
5. When cooking both meats and vegetables always start cooking meats first and start vegetable when meats are close to desired doneness.
For tips for grilling delish fish, click here.
Summertime Grilling Tips
