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44 Best Grill Recipes

Grilling isn’t just for summertime. Fire up your grill and cook up something delicious! We’ve got a list of some of the best grill recipes for your next barbecue – or anytime!

Grilling is a popular summer pastime, but it’s really a great way to cook anytime. And you can make almost anything – from breakfast to dessert. Cooking over an open flame is a great way to enhance the flavor of your food, and it even has a few benefits.

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Best Grill Recipes

Benefits of Grilling

  1. When you grill your meat, the fat melts off rather than soaking in it and reabsorbing, reducing the overall fat content.
  2. You also can reduce the calorie content of your food by eliminating the oils and butter that may be required to cook foods in a pan on the stove.
  3. Grilling reduces cook time for many foods.
  4. Grilling helps meat and vegetables retain their nutrients, color, and texture that may otherwise be altered by steaming, boiling, sautéing, etc.
  5. Grilling adds and enhances the flavor of your foods.

Grilling Tips

Here are some great tips and tricks to improve your grilling game:

  • Clean your grill grates in flash by using a crumpled up piece of tin foil.
  • Always clean your grill grates before cooking.
  • Always heat your grill for a few minutes before putting the food on. Let it come to temp for about 1- to 15 minutes with the lid closed.
  • Try to stick to only turning your meats more than once. We know it’s tempting to keep flipping it, but the cook will be more even in the end.
  • Use a grill pan to grill smaller food items like chopped veggies, shrimp, and scallops.
  • If your fire flares up, close the lid to help it die down.
  • Use a paper towel to rub oil on the grates before heating the grill to prevent food from sticking.
  • Keep your instant read thermometer on hand to check temperatures.
  • Let meat rest for about 10 minutes before slicing it.
  • Add your sauce in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
  • To cook evenly, don’t put cold food on the grill – let it come to temp for a few minutes before cooking.

The Best Grill Recipes

Grilling isn't just for summertime. Fire up your grill and cook up something delicious! Here are some of the best grill recipes for your next barbecue - or anytime!

Gas Or Charcoal?

Of course there is the debate about which type of grill is better – gas or charcoal. It really comes down to personal choice, but here are a few things to consider:

  • Charcoal Grills get hotter than gas grills – hot charcoal can get up to 700 degrees. However, it can take longer to heat up than gas grills.
  • The temperature can be controlled more accurately on a gas grill.
  • Charcoal grills are less expensive than gas grills.
  • Charcoal imparts a more unique, smoky flavor to food.
  • The cost of charcoal can add up if you grill a lot. Generally, you’ll have to buy charcoal more frequently than you’ll have to refill your propane tank.
  • Charcoal grills are more intensive to clean (and need to be cleaned more frequently) because of all the soot and ashes that build up.
  • Gas grills are harder to put together and are less portable than charcoal grills.

Direct Heat Vs. Indirect Heat

As a general rule, when you’re grilling smaller food items or things that cook in under 20 minutes, use direct heat, with the fire directly under your food.

When cooking larger food items, especially meats, that take longer than 20 minutes to cook, use indirect heat, with the flame on the sides of the food rather than directly under it.

Your turn! Time to get outdoors, enjoy the fresh air, and try some of the best grill recipes we’ve got from the list below. Happy grilling!

Monique McArthur
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