Photos By: Unsplash

Getting started by selecting the best grill for what you want to do is only the beginning. Whether it’s coal, pellet, a smoker, or even an electric one, grills have plenty to offer for those of us who enjoy a fast-cooked, succulent meal. Optimizing your grilling experience should be a top priority. Start by cooking simple foods (burgers and hot dogs are ideal) to learn how to use your grill. Then expand from there as you become more familiar with the nuances of your grill and how it works. Unique recipes, grilling styles, and special features make grilling the ultimate source of fun and great food every year. But getting the most out of your grill does require some extra effort while you’re cooking. Here are five tips to help you get your food cooked to the highest standard with your grill this summer.

Thaw Out Your Meat Properly

Cooking isn’t an exact science, but some things require attention to detail. Thawing your cuts of meat is one of them. Food safety is incredibly important, whether you run a restaurant or merely cook for your family. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 48 million people get sick every year from food poisoning due to undercooked or mishandled food. Even without that terrifying statistic, no one likes getting sick from a mishandled meal. To make sure it doesn’t happen at your barbecue, it’s imperative to thaw your cuts of meat properly. Proper thawing begins with correct storage. Meats should be thawed to room temperature before putting them on the grill. Cooking frozen meat is a surefire way to mishandle food. Why? Because the outside of the meat cooks much faster than the inside (which won’t have time to thaw). The result is a burnt mess with tough outer layers and raw meat on the inside. It’s best to thaw meat overnight in your refrigerator, on the bottom shelf (and preferably in a pan just in case it drips).

Always Check Temps

To avoid foodborne illness—and ensure your meat is cooked to the proper temperatures—you’ll want to check the meat’s internal temperature before serving it. A digital thermometer is a must-have tool for this and much better than a dial thermometer. Digital thermometers offer a precise temperature measurement that you can rely on to prevent your food from falling into the temperature danger zone. To use it effectively, don’t poke the meat directly with the probe. Instead, find the thickest part of the meat and temp it while it’s still on the grill. If it hits the proper temperature for the correct duration, then your meal is ready to enjoy.

Choose The Right Cuts of Meat 

Certain cuts of meat are better suited to grilling than others. Everything from beef tips to flank steak can work well for a barbecue. It ultimately depends on what you hope to accomplish. If you want to do a spice rub, for instance, you’ll want to go with flank steak for the best results. For leaner cuts, chicken and poultry work great. For something truly delectable, pork makes a great base for a dish. Beef sirloin, chicken wings, burgers, and hot dogs all work for different applications, so decide what you want to barbecue and go from there. If all else fails, you can’t go wrong with some brisket.

Spice Things Up

The spices are amazing. No cook or chef is going to tell you to “bland things down a bit” when it comes time to start barbecuing! The type and amount of spices you use will influence the flavor of your meal. Although tastes will vary, you should always plan to spice things up with your favorite seasonings. Use seasoning to bring out the flavor of any meat and grilled vegetables you plan to enjoy this season. Sometimes a bit of pepper is all you need to bring out the flavors of a choice cut of meat. Other times, a delectable barbecue rub or special blend (paprika, anyone?) will do the trick. Remember to season the meat right before you place it on the grill. Otherwise, you might end up with a flavorless hunk of seared junk. Whether you’re seasoning pork, beef, or your favorite vegetables, don’t skimp on the extra seasonings—you and your guests’ taste buds will be glad you didn’t.

Use A High-quality Grill

The best thing you can do for your outdoor cookout is to invest in a high-quality grill. There are a lot of different options out there, whether you want to use propane, pellet, or charcoal grill. Some of the best well-constructed grills (that are known for their high quality) are outdoor Blackstone grills. These grills feature solid construction, state-of-the-art features, and exceptional value all rolled into a single package. They can get your backyard barbecue rolling fast and provide some of the most delicious food around. Blackstone also makes a line of electric griddles, if propane-fueled outdoor grilling doesn’t work for you. Ultimately, going the extra mile and choosing a high-quality grill will take your barbecuing experience from mediocre to amazing all summer long.

This Mexican grilled corn salad is loaded up with peppers, zucchini, and beans, and tossed in a cheesy zesty dressing. Serve it at your next BBQ with grilled chicken, ribs, or steak. Finish off your meal with a light fruit salad, and you’ve got the perfect BBQ to finish your summer off with a bang!

Mexican Jalapeno Corn Salad

Ingredients

• 6 ears of corn (leave the husks on)
• 2 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• ½ zucchini, cut into thick slices for grilling
• 1 large or 2 small fresh jalapeno’s left whole
• ½ cup canned black beans, washed and drained
• 4-6 scallions, tops and bottoms sliced
• ½ cup chopped sweet red bell pepper
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• juice from one lime
• ½ tsp chili powder
• ¼ tsp cumin
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp sriracha
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 8 ounces Queso Blanco cheese, crumbled by hand (you can use Cotija cheese instead if you like)
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Peel the corn husks back (but don’t remove) and take off all the silk from the ears. Fold the husks around the ears. Fill a large pot with corn, salt, and water to cover the corn. Soak for 15 minutes.
2. Heat your grill to medium heat.
3. Remove the corn from the water and drain the excess water. Place the corn (with husks) on the grill and cook for 15 minutes. Turn the corn every 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
4. Turn your grill to high heat.
5. Brush vegetable oil on zucchini slices and grill both sides for 1 minute, or until there is a nice char. Don’t over cook! Set aside to cool.
6. Place the jalapenos on the hot grill and grill until the sides are black and blistered. Remove from the grill and place them in a paper bag for a few minutes to loosen the skin. Remove skin and discard. Cut the pepper down the center and discard the stem and seeds. Cut into small pieces and set aside.
7. Remove husks from the corn and discard. Using a bundt pan, place the corn pointy end down in the center of the pan and with a knife, cut kernels off and let them fall into the pan. Place the cut corn in a large mixing bowl.
8. Cut zucchini into small pieces and add to the corn. Add in jalapeno pieces.
9. Add in the rest of the ingredients, along with salt and pepper to taste.
10. Let the salad sit in the refrigerator for 1 hour. After an hour has passed, serve.

Photos and recipe: A Family Feast.

This delicious sandwich has teriyaki marinated grilled chicken, sweet honey, and melted pepper jack cheese. Serve it up at a BBQ or picnic. Your guests will be begging for more, we promise! Pair it with a simple balsamic green leaf lettuce salad, and you’ve got the perfect summer meal! Without any further ado, here’s the mouth-watering recipe!

Honey Teriyaki Pineapple Chicken Sandwiches with Honey Cotija Avocado Spread

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts
• 4 buns of your choice

Honey Teriyaki Sauce

• ½ cup honey
• ½ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup cider vinegar
• 3 coves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp grated ginger
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

Cotija Honey Lime Avocado Spread

• ½ cup Greek Yogurt
• 1 large Avocado
• ⅓ cup finely grated Cotija cheese
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp chili powder
• ¼ tsp cayenne
• ¼ tsp pepper
• salt to taste

Toppings

• 4 slices pepper jack cheese
• lettuce
• tomatoes
• red onion

Instructions

1. Pound chicken to 1/2 inch thick. Whisk all the marinade ingredients together except for the cornstarch. Add 1/4 cup of marinade to a large freezer bag and add in chicken. To a seperate freezer bag, add the remaining marinade along with the pineapple. Marinate at least 4 hours or overnight.
2. When you’re ready to make the sandwiches, preheat your BBQ or indoor grill to medium heat. Add chicken and grill for 4-6 minutes each side or until cooked through. Add the cheese in the last few minutes of cooking. Add pineapple slices onto the grill and cook them for 1-2 minutes each side. Toast the buns by placing them face down on the top rack of the grill. Close the lid. The buns should be done in 1 minute.
3. To make the Honey Teriyaki Sauce, whisk 1 tbsp cornstarch to the reserved marinade that you removed the pineapple from. Add it to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 seconds until thickened.
4. To make the sandwich, layer the chicken covered in cheese, add Cotija Honey Lime Avocado Spread (simply mix all ingredients listed together), layer tomatoes, drizzle with Honey Teriyaki Sauce, add red onions and lettuce to finish.

Photos and recipe: Carl’s Bad Cravings.

No one likes cleaning the grill. It takes up too much time, and the gunk never seems to want to come off. If you’re having trouble getting it looking like new, get your hands on some coffee and say good-bye to hours of scrubbing!

Since coffee is acidic, it will work for cleaning up all that gunked up grease on your grill. Get a pot of coffee and pour it in a basin. Soak your grill grates (you can also throw in BBQ utensils and oven burners) for 1 hour. Give it a quick scrub to loosen the grease and rinse it with warm water. Good as new!

Photos: Durashield Covers, A Mum ‘n the Oven.  

Dining al fresco is when you eat your meal outside. Enjoying the fresh air and sunshine (or under the stars!) always makes food taste way better than when you eat it inside! This simple grilled cheese sandwich is the perfect light food for any outdoor party, or get-together. Melted provolone cheese, bell peppers, onion, and spinach come together in this mouth-watering grilled cheese sandwich. Serve it with a nice, light salad with balsamic vinegar dressing to complete the meal.

Veggie Stuffed Grilled Cheese Sandwich

This delicious, vegetarian-friendly sandwich is perfect for your next al fresco get-together! Make it in a pan, or make it on the grill for a smokey flavor!

Ingredients

• 1 red bell pepper
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 4 slices bread, thickly sliced
• butter, softened
• 8 slices provolone cheese
• 1 cup baby spinach

Instructions

1. Slice pepper and onion into thin slices. Heat oil over medium heat in a saute pan. Saute until soft, about 5 minutes and set aside.
2. Spread butter on one side of every slice of bread.
3. Place 4 slices of bread (butter side down) on a large skillet (or over the grill) over medium heat. Place a slice of cheese on each slice of bread and top it with the sautéed bell pepper and onion. Top with spinach and another slice of cheese and another slice of buttered bread (butter side up).
4. Flip the sandwiches over and grill for 2 minutes more or until bread is golden. Remove and serve.

Photos: First Slice, Spoonful.