13 Awesome Summer Grilling Tips

  |     |   Apartment Living

If you’ve lived in a Weidner apartment home, you’ve probably enjoyed entertaining and cooking delicious meals at the outdoor grilling stations at our many properties. As we enter the summer season, you may start taking your chef skills outside to grill up a quick dinner or invite family and friends over for a summer BBQ.

Whatever your next grilling plans are, check out our 13 tips to become a grill master!

  1. Play with marbles

When choosing which meat to grill, choose marbled cuts with evenly distributed fat. As the meat cooks, the fat melts, and choosing cuts with an even distribution of fat keeps the meat tender and moist while infusing it with flavor. Yum! 

 

  1. Remember your vegetarian/vegan guests

Some people don’t eat meat, but it doesn’t have to stop them from enjoying the BBQ experience. You can grill a variety of non-meat items, ideally on a different grill, or at least in a separate area of the BBQ, like veggie patties, corn on the cob, portabella mushrooms, and veggie kabobs. Feel free to get creative and try various vegetables, including asparagus, bell peppers, edamame, squash, sweet potato spears, carrots, onion slices, and even watermelon!

 

  1. Marinate the meat

Marinating the meat before you cook enhances the flavor. Just don’t keep it in the marinade for more than a couple of hours, or it can result in a mushy texture. For smaller, more delicate cuts, marinate for a shorter period of time. When using rubs, be gentle when applying them to avoid damaging or over-seasoning the meat.  

 

  1. Make perfect patties

To keep burgers from puffing up in the middle as they cook,  cookbook author Jamie Purviance advises to “press a little indentation into the center of each raw patty with your thumb or the back of a spoon before grilling. It will also help keep them from shrinking too.”

 

  1. Preheat the grill

About 20 minutes before you start to BBQ, get the grill fired up, so it’s ready to go when the food hits. The goal is for the grill to sear the food on contact to prevent it from sticking and maintain its moisture and tenderness. 

 

  1. Avoid a sticky grill

To help reduce sticking, oil the hot grill, but never use canned cooking spray. Instead, soak a paper towel with vegetable oil and rub it on the rack using tongs.  

 

  1. Don’t mess with it

It may be tempting to keep flipping the meat while it’s cooking, but avoid this habit and allow one side to develop a seared crust, then flip it and sear the other side. 

 

  1. Choose between direct and indirect cooking

According to grilling pro and author Elizabeth Karmel, “If the food takes less than 20 minutes to cook, use direct heat; if it takes longer, use indirect heat.”   

 

  1. Dealing with nasty flare-ups

As tempting as it may be to spray excessive flames with water, this may damage your BBQ. The most efficient way to control flare-ups is to lower the lid on the grill, which will reduce the amount of oxygen feeding the fire. 

 

  1. Are we there yet?

It can be difficult to tell if meat is fully cooked. To take the guesswork out of it and ensure food safety, check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer. For hot dogs, Oscar Mayer advises using warm to medium heat, grilling for 7 to 9 minutes (turning occasionally), and removing them right when they’re done to avoid overcooking.

 

  1. Use a grill basket or grill pan

Delicate fish fillets and small foods can fall through the grill spaces, so you can opt to use a specialized grill basket or grill pan for these. If these foods haven't been tossed in oil, you can grease the basket to prevent sticking.

 

  1. Give It A Rest

Never serve the cooked meat the second it leaves the grill. Instead, let it rest on a clean platter so that the juices can redistribute themselves throughout the cut. It’s best to wait 5-10 minutes before slicing or serving. 

 

  1. Clean it while it’s hot

After you’ve finished cooking, but while the grill is still hot, it’s a perfect time to remove debris from grilling. Use a wire grill brush or a crumpled ball of heavy-duty aluminum foil to scrape it clean, so it’s ready to go for the next time you BBQ. 

 

When it comes to grilling outdoors, what are your favorite tips or tricks? Share them with us at #LifeatWeidner.

Having a BBQ with friends is great summer fun. If you’re looking for a thoughtfully designed apartment in a great location with outstanding community amenities, including a dedicated outdoor grilling area, we’re happy to help. Contact us at Weidner Apartment Homes today. We’re here to schedule your tour at your convenience and help you find the perfect home to suit your unique lifestyle.

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