Summer is the optimal time for grilling. The weather has warmed up (considerably in Florida!), the sun stays out later, and backyards are rife with get-togethers and pool-goers. It is the best time to enjoy and explore outdoor cooking. Be it on a large, fancy professional grill, a small, compact one, or an indoor version, grilling is a fun and delicious way to celebrate the heat. While throwing meat on the fire seems like a simple, even primordial way to prepare food – there’s an art to it and loads of fun new ways to spruce up your grilling routine.
Here are some new ways to take your grilling to the next level for Summer 2022!
Revisit the Slow Roll
Cooking low and slow is an art that makes meat fall-off-the-bone tender and well worth the wait. This method of cooking allows tough tendons and muscle to become soft and malleable, allowing for melt-in-your-mouth results. Brisket, pork roasts, and whole chickens all do amazing when cooked on low heat or long simmers.
Pro-tip: Invest in a meat thermometer. There’s nothing like overcooked meat. It can ruin the experience and defeat the purpose of all your hard work. Having a good meat thermometer will ensure that your temperatures are reaching the appropriate times for optimal eating.
Incorporate International Flavors
Incorporating international flavors and cooking methods has become a fun new way to enjoy grilling. African-Style grilling and Korean BBQ have emerged as new favorites among meat aficionados. There are varying philosophies and techniques behind both cultures’ cooking recipes that make them especially great to feature at your next cookout. Korean bulgogi and galbi are marinated meats that make a delicious new accompaniment to any barbeque, while buldak brings new levels of heat to chicken. Recipes for Senegalese yassa, Nigerian suya, or South African sosati are widely available (everyone has their favorite) and are steeped in flavors that you’ll want to share.
Embrace and Explore Vegetarian Options
Vegetables cooked on the grill emerge with a depth of flavor that makes them worthy of being the centerpiece rather than just a side. Consider squash, zucchini, mushrooms, potatoes, onions, and tomatoes for grilling. You can put them on a skewer like a kabob and then remove them later to cushion meat or act as its own entrée. Or you can use corn on the cob, which comes with its own handle. Don’t forget options like tofu, tempeh, and other plant-based proteins, just so long as they can hold their structural integrity over the heat.
Grilled Vegetable Medley:
- 1 butternut squash
- 1 zucchini
- 1 yellow onion
- 6-8 mushrooms
- 6-8 cherry tomatoes
- 1 package tempeh
Chop all vegetables and tempeh into 1-inch cubes.
Coat tempeh and vegetables in 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and 1 teaspoon paprika.
Place vegetables onto grilling skewers and cook over medium grill heat, flipping after 5-7 minutes, or until preferred crunchiness.