Tips for Great Summer Grilling

You don’t need to be an expert to practice great grilling. Here are some of our favorite tips to help you grill like a pro all summer long.

Preheat & Keep it Clean
To prevent foods from sticking to the grates, preheat the grill with the lid closed for 10 to 15 minutes to ensure the grates are hot enough to sear food properly. Either after preheating or immediately after use, be sure to clean the grates thoroughly with a sturdy, long-handled stainless steel or metal brush – it’s best to clean when the grill is hot.

Temps & Times
Foods like thin cuts of meat, kabobs, steaks and burgers cook best at a fast pace over high temperatures and require a watchful eye. However, hot and fast isn’t the way to grill everything! Grill foods like chicken, fish, vegetables and fruit at lower temperatures or medium heat for extended periods. Though these items don’t cook as fast, they still require monitoring.

Check the Temp
Knowing when food is done can be challenging. Instead of relying on a food’s appearance, invest in an instant-read thermometer to ensure foods are cooked to a safe internal temperature; 145° for fish, beef and pork, 160° for ground meats including beef, pork, veal and lamb, and 165° for poultry. With carryover cooking, you can expect temperatures to increase about five to 10 degrees after leaving the grill. Rest finished meats on a clean platter, tented with foil, for about 10 minutes before serving so juices can redistribute evenly.

Keep it Simple
Crowding the grill with burgers, kabobs and veggies can quickly become stressful, as the items all have different cooking times. If you’re a grilling rookie or cooking for a big group, simplify by prepping one to two meats and offering variety in other areas like side dishes, sauces or condiments.