Food has been cooked over fire since the dawn of time. So grilling could be considered the earliest way of cooking food. Although we've become a little more technical in how we prepare meals over fire, the concept remains the same. Meats and vegetables grilled at high heat develop a lovely sear on the outside while remaining juicy and delectable on the inside.
This basic grilling guide applies to both gas and charcoal grills. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned griller, these tips, techniques, and grill hacks can rapidly transform you into a grill master.
Preheat The Grill
Just like you usually preheat the oven before using it or ask in every recipe, preheating your grill with its lid closed for 10–15 minutes is a great way to start and at the temperature of at least 260 degrees Celsius. This preps your grill, and the food hanging onto the grate also loosens up due to the heat. Not just that, it also helps prevent your next batch of food from sticking to the grate. You should always ensure to perform this step, as it is very important for fine grilling.
Keep Your Grill Clean
Always clean your grill before using it. Not only does it help maintain hygiene and provide safety, but you will often find food stuck in your cooking grate on the grill. Use a stainless steel brush to clean the grill if it's hot. This will help you clean the grill without preventing any accidents.
Bring The Meat To Room Temperature
This could turn out to be a game-changer for you. And don't worry about food safety; resting your meat for 5 minutes before it hits the grill won't contaminate it. This tip helps prevent the sudden fluctuation of temperature that the meat could face if you simply throw it on the grill straight from the refrigerator. It results in a delicious piece of meat that is evenly cooked and has a more pleasing texture to the tongue.
Don't Move The Food Around Too Much
When it comes to grilling, many meals don't need to be flipped around much. In fact, most meals require only one flip throughout the grilling process. This is advised due to the fact that moving the food to the grill while it cooks might create uneven cooking and increase the total cooking time.
As you will not need to flip around food much, it is recommended to keep the lid of your grill closed as it will keep the grill and maintain its temperature, which shortens cooking time while also not allowing the food to get dry.
Use A Meat Thermometer
It is an important gadget that will come in handy in many situations. A meat thermometer is basically a device that gives a proper reading about how much temperature your meat is currently on. This helps in accurate cooking and gets you the best results every single time.
Different types of meat, such as chicken, pork, and mutton, all have different ideal temperatures to be considered perfectly cooked.
- Chicken- 74 degrees Celsius
- Pork- 63 degrees Celsius
- Mutton- 63 degrees Celsius
Don't Sauce Too Early
This is an important one. Always avoid saucing your meats too early, as this would most likely lead to the sugars present in the sauce burning. Due to this, your meat won't have the delicious flavour that it was supposed to have from the sauce. Therefore, always wait until the ending stages of grilling and then add the sauce, which will allow the sauce to spread gradually to all the parts and caramelise on the meat.
Let The Meat Rest After Cooking
Just like how you would rest the meat before throwing it on the grill, you should also let the meat rest once it is completely done cooking. The reason behind this is that resting the meat allows the juices to cover all the parts of the cut, which leads to tender and juicier meat.