First Steps Before Using An Electric Grill: Know Your Grill Type
There are two different types of grills that you can find on the market, but the grill you choose will need to fit your lifestyle. These grills are the open grill, set up to simulate the outdoor grill thatâs typically used for hot dogs and hamburgers. They typically cook quickly and can handle a decent amount of food for parties and family days. There is also the contact grill, which you may be familiar with if youâve ever used George Foreman grill or seen commercials for it. The contact grill can also make some awesome sandwiches because if has two heated plates that press the item youâre cooking together. Theyâre preferred most by singles, especially those of us who donât have time to set up an outdoor grill for a steak for out lunch. Contact grills also are great for cutting the fat, and are a favorite of people who stick to a low-carb diet. Theyâre meant more for meat, or sandwiches, however, than veggie burgers. Keep that in mind if youâre cooking for vegetarians.
Top Tips For Grilling Corn On The Cob
- Always start with the freshest corn possible. As soon as corn is picked off the stalk, it starts to lose its natural sugars and convert them to starch. So, a cob picked the same morning you are going to grill will be sweeter than a cob picked a day or two before. The best way to guarantee fresh corn is to pick up a few ears from your local farmers market or farm stand. Look for husks that are tightly wrapped and green. Get more tips for choosing the best ear of corn.
- To soak or not to soak, that is the question. Some folks believe you can get a little extra steam power by soaking corn in water for 15 minutes before grilling.
- Want that grilled corn flavor but don’t want to gnaw the cob? No problem! After grilling your cob, hold it vertically over a plate or bowl with the pointed end down, and use a small, sharp knife to scrape the kernels from the cob. Serve it as is or toss it into a grilled corn salad.
Related: 5 Mistakes You’re Making With Corn on the Cob
How To Make Bbq Ribs On A Gas Grill
Want great BBQ Ribs but only have a Gas Grill? This is the best method for making the most of the equipment you have.
Not using a Gas Grill? See:
Barbecue is a process of cooking meats at low temperatures for long periods of time in a smoky environment. Gas grills are not known for their ability to produce much smoke flavor, but making delicious ribs that have barbecue flavor is possible. Follow these instructions for the best barbecue methods as these steps will produce tender, flavorful ribs that might not win any competitions, but will certainly satisfy your appetite.
For the purposes of this article, I am using a single rack of pork spare ribs. If you want to use baby back ribs, reduce the cooking time by 5 minutes per step. For spare ribs, the total cooking time should take about one and a half to two hours. Use a grill large enough to indirectly cook the entire rack. Small, two-burner gas grills typically dont have enough space. If the heat source is on one side only, make sure to rotate the ribs every thirty minutes for even cooking.
What you need:
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- Aluminum foil
Buy the A-Maze-N 12 inch Pellet Tube to make smoke on a gas grill.
Time needed: 6 hours.
How to Make BBQ Ribs on a Gas Grill
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What Is The Best Thing To Cook On The Grill
Although there are so many things you can cook on a grill, not all foods are equally suited to this cooking method. In general, sturdier, larger, and more solid ingredientslike whole or halved vegetables or fruits, burgers, whole fish, and uncut pieces of meatare preferred for grilling.
Thats because these kinds of ingredients wont easily slip through the grates the way some foods might, like chopped vegetables, delicate fish, or crumbly or semi-liquid ingredients. With many of these smaller or less cohesive ingredientslike sliced veggies, shrimp, or cubed meatskewering is the way to go. Other times, like with a super tender fish filet or bunch of asparagus, foil packs are your answer. Grilling recipes will indicate when these methods are a good idea.
Matambre With Chimichurri Sauce
This rolled flank steak, stuffed with piquant fillings and topped with garlicky chimichurri, is inspired by Argentinian matambre, which is usually fashioned from a cut of mature veal. It’s no wonder that its name translates to “hunger killer.” How could a great steak be more hearty than this one filled up with goodies?
Get the Recipe: Rolled Stuffed Flank Steak with Garlicky Herb Sauce
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How To Start A Charcoal Grill
Charcoal is going to be the most different. If youre using coals deemed match light , you should be able to simply light them with a match. Otherwise, youll need to add some lighter fluid to your coals before you introduce a flame. Its important to heed any warnings on the charcoal and the lighter fluid when lighting your charcoal grill. Dont use too much lighter fluid, and light your coals immediately after applying the fluid to them. Once the coals have a light gray ash to them, theyre ready to be spread around, and youre ready to cook.
Fourth Position And Testing For Doneness
As you prepare to turn the steak for the last time, it’s time to start checking for doneness. The steak should show no red around the side and the top side should have a rich brown color. As you pick the steak up to rotate it 45 degrees , feel the density of the steak. A medium-rare steak should be firm but still have a good amount of give. Close the lid of the barbecue and continue grilling.
After this last position, turn down the heat on your grill and, if needed, test the temperature of the steak. The internal temperatures for different levels of doneness are:
- Rare: 120 to 130 F
- Medium Rare: 130 to 135 F
- Medium: 140 to 150 F
- Medium Well: 155 to 165 F
- Well: 170 F or higher
If your steak needs more cook time, leave it where it is and continue grilling on medium heat until done.
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Not Cleaning Your Bbq
Sounds obvious, but many people don’t clean their BBQs regularly. And, as it turns out, not only will not cleaning your grill give you food poisoning, but it also will ruin the grill itself. Heather Nixon, Bio-D s sustainability manager, urges BBQ owners to clean their grills after every use to prevent rust build-up.
To clean your barbecue, ‘scrape any residue off the grills rubbing half an onion on the grills can help with stubborn excess, and leave to soak in hot water with washing up liquid. For best results, leave to soak for 20-30 minutes to make sure all of the food residue is broken down.’
How To Grill Perfect Chicken Breasts On The Barbecue
When barbecuing chicken breasts, we tend to use a high temperature and direct heat, which makes them dry and tough. To get the most out of this cut of meat on the grill, we suggest a fail-safe four-step cooking method thats easy to apply to all your chicken breast recipesand no more sticking to the grill! Get ready for a summer of chicken perfection.
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Properly Prep Your Grill: Clean And Season
Once you figure out what kind of grill you have, you can start to prep it. The first step to any great grilling experience is to ensure your grill is clean. For steel or cast iron grates, use a stiff bristled steel brush to get any gunk, grime, or rust off. For porcelain-coated cast iron, use a nylon bristled brush to avoid scratching. Your grill may actually have a special tool that fits the contours of the grates. If it does, use that. Next, make sure the bottom of the grill is clear of any debris. Sometimes, things can get stuck and block the heat source. This is particularly common with charcoal grills as ash and coals from the last grill session could be left inside.
Next, its time to season your grill grates . This step helps create a non-stick cooking surface. Apply a thin, even layer of canola oil to the grates before turning on the heat. In my experience, the best way is to use something like Pam and spray it on, then wipe away any excess with a paper towel. Remember: A thin, even layer is what youre going for. Too much oil will burn and create a buildup you dont want!
What Type Of Grill Is Best
When buying a new outdoor grill, the two biggest players are gas and charcoal â but electric, kamado and pellet grills are also fair game. When selecting what type of grill to buy, consider how often you’ll be grilling, the amount of space you have for storage, what flavor you prefer and the amount of time and attention you’ll want to spend cooking. Here are the basics on each:
- Dual grill zones
- Need to be near an electrical outlet
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Using Harsh Cleaning Agents
On the other hand, if you’re over-enthusiastic with your scrubbing, you could end up damaging the finish on your grill. Paul McFadyen, Managing Director at metals4U , explains that ‘stainless steel is used for barbecue grills as it’s hard-wearing and doesn’t rust like most other metals so when cleaning it you should be really careful not to use anything too abrasive that might damage the metal finish.
‘I would advise using baking soda mixed with water to form a paste to remove any dirt or grime, as it is non-toxic. Be sure to rinse the area well after treating, it and dry it with a microfibre cloth to prevent watermarks. You can also use baking soda to clean aluminum so if your pots and pans are looking grubby, or you have tough-to-remove stains, use the same paste to get them looking shiny and new.’
How To Use An Open Electric Barbeque/grill
If youâre ready to use your open electric grill for the first time, youâll want to set it up properly. Your user manual will have information on the temperature gauges and approximate times for different kinds of meat, and our website has information on this, as well . Setting up is the first thing youâll need to do before you begin to cook.
Unless youâve got a grill with a stand, which is a relatively new model that is currently only offered by a few manufacturers, then youâll be working with a countertop grill that can be used on both picnic tables and in your kitchen.
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Grilled Corn On The Cob In Foil
Try this recipe: Sweet Grilled Corn
A little more work at the beginning will make it less of a mess at the end. Simply remove the husk and silk from the corn and wrap the corn completely in heavy aluminum foil. If you like, smear the cob with a little flavored butter, herbs, or salt before wrapping. The best part of this method is that the aluminum foil helps keep the corn warmer, longer, which is especially helpful if you’re cooking for a crowd.
Salmon With Citrus Salsa
Fire up the grill for this mouthwatering salmon topped with an orange and grapefruit salsa. Salmon is a nutrition powerhouse! Be sure to check out this foolproof guide to grilling for your next BBQ.
Nothing could be easier than this chicken topped with a tangy dill sauce.
Fresh herbs make this juicy steak one of the most irresistible grill ideas.
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Grilling A Simple Meal
Identify Your Grill Type
Hopefully I didnt scare you off! I just want to make sure everyone is safe. If youre still with me, the first thing to figure out is what type of grill you have access to. Typically, youre dealing with gas, propane, electric, or charcoal. Curious about which one you have? The simplest one to identify is the electric grill. Why? Because they have cords that need to be plugged into outlets. If you have a grill that has a cord, you have an electric grill. Confident you dont have an electric grill? Try looking beneath your grilling unit. If you see a tank, you likely have a propane grill. Dont see a cord or a tank? Check the grill face. Do you see knobs and buttons? Then you probably have a gas grill. Different from the propane grill, these tap into your houses natural gas supply, so you dont have to worry about running out of cooking fuel like you do with propane. Lastly, if your grill is super basicno knobs, no buttonsand looks like a hollowed-out drum, you likely have a charcoal grill.
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How To Cook Meat And Vegetables On The Grill
A hot grill will yield a high temperature, cooking food hot and fast. For thin cuts of meat and smaller items like kebabs, steaks, chops, burgers, and hot dogs, turn up the heat and cook them quickly. The fast pace means you need to keep a close eye on the grill and more importantly, the food.
Hot and fast, however, isn’t the way to grill everything. Fish, chicken, vegetables, and fruit are better grilled at lower temperatures aim for medium heat with these foods. For a gas grill this means reducing the temperature and for charcoal, it means building a smaller fire. You still need to watch these foods closely, but they generally take longer to cook at a lower temperature.
Grilled Corn On The Cob In The Husk
Grilling corn while it’s still wrapped in the husk will help keep in moisture, resulting in a juicier ear of corn. Whether you remove the silk before or after grilling is a matter of personal preference. To remove the silk before grilling, pull back – but don’t remove – the husk, pull off the silk, and smooth the husk back up. Or, simply peel the whole darn thing after grilling. Don’t be alarmed: The husk will char completely but the tender kernels inside will steam perfectly and the silk will come off cleanly.
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Selecting The Best Shrimp
At the store, you will find a variety of shrimp ranging in size from extra small to extra colossal. Large and jumbo shrimp are the most common and economical and a great size for the grill.
When determining how much shrimp you’ll need, keep the count per pound in mind. You will get around 30 large shrimp per pound and about 20 jumbo shrimp per pound. If shrimp is your main dish, plan on 1/3- to 1/2-pound per person. If you choose to leave the shells on, make it 3/4-pound per person.
Raw shrimp is the best choice for the grill, though precooked shrimp will work. Due to safety and flavor concerns, do not refreeze shrimp that have been thawed out. Most likely, the shrimp on display in the grocer’s case was previously frozen. Unless you have live shrimp available, you’re better off with individually quick frozen shrimp.
Cooking Times And First Position
Have everything at hand before you put the steaks on so that the grill has your full attention. Keep the grill closed as much as possible to hold in the heat. Before putting on the steaks, take a good look at them. Decide which side you are going to call the “top.” You will cook the steaks in four positions, timing each change in position.
Medium Rare:
- 1-inch thick steak: 1 minute per position
- Between 1 and 2-inch steak: 1 1/2 minutes per position
- Less than 3/4-inch steak: 45 seconds per position
Medium Well or Well Done :
- 1-inch thick steak: 2 minutes per position
- Between 1 and 2-inch steak: 3 minutes per position
- Less than 3/4-inch steak: 1 minute per position
For the best results, it’s important to know your grill. Some grills comfortably hit temperatures over 700 F, while others have trouble mustering 500 F. If your grill runs at a lower temperature, you might need to increase these times by as much as double.
To start, open the grill and position the steaks on the grate farthest from youmeaning the top of the steak is to the back of the grill or at the 12 o’clock position.
With the steaks on the grill, close the lid and start counting the time as indicated above.
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