50 Brilliant GRILLING Hacks that Will Make You Look Like an Expert

Always Start With a Clean Grill

One thing that will convey your expertise to people is how you use your grill. An unclean grill can have a lasting impression on your guests. It not only shows that you don’t know how to handle grills but that you’re unhygienic too. That is why you should always clean your grill before the party. It will ensure that no food sticks on the grates. Additionally, it will ensure that the food doesn’t taste funny. That is because if you cook on an unclean grill, you’ll be exposing your meals to residues of old leftovers. So always prepare and clean your device thoroughly.

Make Steakhouse Toppings on the Grill

Do you ever wonder how restaurants offer delicious toppings with steaks and other dishes? Well, the secret is they grill them. Yes, you heard us right. With a cast-iron skillet, you can sauté all your veggies, mushrooms, asparagus, and much more on the grill. The pan prevents the toppings from falling through the cracks. And sautéing on the grill adds more flavor to all the veggies. Additionally, using herbs and garlic butter can help you achieve the praises of the crowd. Not to mention that you won’t have to move back and forth between the kitchen and outdoor grill.

Use Bread to Test for Hot Spots

Many people complain about grilling being time-consuming. However, that is because they’re not using the proper hacks. One way to cook fast and well on a grill is by learning about all the hot spots. These will tell which part of your tool is efficient and help you prepare the meals quickly. To find the sites, all you have to do is take some pieces of bread and spread them on the grill. Next, turn on the heat for a minute and then flip all the pieces to check which one is charred the most. That will be the best spot for you to cook your steaks and other meals.

Use a Potato to Prevent Sticking

One of the most common issues you may face during your BBQ party is food sticking to the grill. This is especially true for poultry items. But most people don’t know that this problem is entirely preventable. Using a potato, you can turn your grill into a non-stick grill and cook meals effortlessly. First, you should heat your grill a bit. Then cut a potato in half and skewer it on a fork or stick. After that, rub your grill using the skinless side of the vegetable. The starch in the vegetable will ensure that no food sticks to the grill.

Put Your Toppings in a Muffin Tin

Muffin trays are a versatile tool. You can use them for baking and grilling too. While this might seem unconventional, the hack is actually quite helpful. If you don’t like setting up an extra table for condiments, worry no more. You can place all the veggies and dips in the slots of a muffin pan and keep it on the grill. By doing this, you won’t have to move back and forth to get the condiments. You can even refrigerate the sauces and offer them in the pan to guests. The best part is that you’ll be reducing the after-party cleanup with this hack.

Grill Fish atop Lemon Slices

Grilling fish is a delicate process that requires precision. If you make a mistake while flipping, the piece can fall through the cracks in the grates. Not only that, but it can also stick on the grill. To avoid this issue, all you need is some lemons. Create a lemon bed on the grill and place your fish on that. This will infuse a zesty flavor to the meal and make cooking a breeze. You will be easily able to flip the piece without any worry. Meanwhile, the guests will be impressed with your presentation and smartness. To prevent the grilled lemons from going to waste, you can serve them with the dish.

Grill Fish Diagonally

Here is another fish hack that will make your life easy and earn you some bonus points in front of your guests. Falling apart of the fish is one of the most prevalent issues of grilling. But it is entirely preventable with some thoughtfulness. In this case, all you have to do is put the pieces of seafood diagonally on the grill. This ensures that they won’t lose their balance and fall through the grates. At the same time, it will be pretty easy for you to pick up the fish pieces and flip them. However, keep in mind to grease your grill and fish before setting them up diagonally.

Use Herbs as Skewers

Herbs are not just good for toppings, but they also make an excellent skewer. If you don’t have actual skewers, they serve as a fantastic alternative. You can place your veggies on a stick of rosemary and grill them for a minute or two. The rosemary flavor will infuse into your vegetables, and at the same time, you won’t have any skewers to clean later. However, keep in mind not to grill for long as herbs char up promptly. Additionally, you shouldn’t try this technique with poultry items as the herb skewer won’t be able to contain their weight.

Know When to Grill With the Lid Open

Do you ever wonder whether you should be grilling your food with an open lid or a closed one? If so, then this hack will erase your curiosity. Grills follow a simple rule of cooking. If your meal is equal to or less than ¾ inch, then you should cook with an open lid. However, if your food item is more than ¾ inch thick, you should close the lid. Remembering this simple rule during your grilling party will help you cook tasty food. Not to mention when you tell people about it, they will think of you as a master griller.

Use a Container Lid to Shape Your Burger

Many people buy expensive burger presses to give their meat a circular shape. But did you know that you can give your items the same perfect shape without spending a dime? Well, all you need is an old circular-shaped lid. You can use it to press your burger quickly and with ease. To prevent the top from getting dirty, you can place a baking paper between the meat and the lid. And voila, you will have a slice of meat perfect for burgers. If you have baking goods at home, then you can even make use of a cookie-cutter.

Pour Hot Water over a Propane Tank to See How Full It Is

If you don’t often grill, remembering the amount of propane gas you have will be tough. And it’s not like you can open the tank to check the level. But with this technique, you’ll never have to worry about the quantity of the gas. First, you should boil a glass of water. Then pour it carefully on the side of your tank. After that, you should feel the temperature of the tank using bare hands. The area that will be hot indicates that there is no gas in that part. Meanwhile, the cold part indicates the area which has the propane gas. As a result, you can deduce whether the amount will be sufficient for your grilling event or not.

Season Burgers All The Way Through

Most people add seasoning to their burgers while grilling the meat. Of course, this saves time but does not produce memorable meals. That is why you should season all your meals sometime before the event. You can do that while you make the raw patties, or if you don’t have time, you can season an hour before the party. This will allow the herbs and spices to set in the meat and enhance its flavor. You should also try adding a pinch of brown sugar to the seasoning mix. It can work wonders for you and help you achieve high praises from the guests.

Let Your Steak Warm Up

If you grill your steaks directly after taking them out of the freezer, then you’re not doing justice to the meal or your guests. Cold meat does not cook uniformly and takes longer than usual. That is why you should always take out the steaks at least thirty minutes before grilling and let them rest until they come to room temperature. This hack applies to all steaks and thicker meat cuts. By placing regular temperature steaks on the grill, you’ll be able to lock in more flavor. Meanwhile, for thin cuts, it’s good to let them be a little cold. This prevents the meat from overcooking.

Toss Fruit on the Grill

If you have less flavorful fruits lying around your house, then it’s time to use them. Instead of letting them go to waste, you should grill them. All you have to do is place the fruit in a cast iron pan and put it on the grill. Make sure to keep the heat high. Fruits contain natural sugar, which caramelizes when heated at a high temperature. This will return the sweet flavor to the item and also soften it. The best part is that all fruits are compatible with grilling. You can even improvise by adding additional ingredients like butter to enhance the flavor even further.

You Can Also Grill a Pie

What sets excellent pies apart from average pies is how they are cooked. People love to bake pies because that’s what most people do. However, if you want to have the best pie of your life, grilling is what you should do. You can prepare it within thirty minutes, and it crisps the crusts better than ovens. Not to mention you will not have to stand in the hot kitchen to keep an eye on your pie. Besides that, you can add a lot of toppings to your dish while grilling. This is not something you can do with baking.

Soak Your Skewers

Do your skewers burn when you grill items at high temperatures? If so, you need to learn this technique as soon as possible. With this hack, your skewers will remain intact until the end of grilling. What’s so exciting is that the method is simple. All you have to do is half-fill a pitcher with some water. Then place your skewers from one end and allow them to soak for fifteen to thirty minutes. After you’re done with the side, flip the sticks to let the other ends soak too. Once you’ve done this, you can attach your kebabs or other items to them and get on with grilling.

Use Double Skewers

Whether you are planning to grill kebabs, shrimps, or any food on skewers, make sure to use two for each. This offers more stability during cooking and ensures that the items won’t spin or fall when you flip them. This hack is also a must thing to do for shrimps. That is because they shrink during grilling and can easily slip through the spaces. Once you try this technique, you’ll also realize that moving the food to the plates is so much easier with double skewers. Even your guests will be impressed by your grilling skills and knowledge.

Make a Spiral Cut in Your Hot Dogs

Whenever you eat hot dogs from a cart or a shop, you must have noted some cuts on them. Even on the internet, most pictures you’ll find will show the same. Well, that is because making a spiral cut on the sausage enhances its tastes. The cuts make you look like a cooking expert and adds a caramelized flavor to the hot dog. That is the secret to why homemade hot dogs feel less flavorful. So to get the same taste as a highly acclaimed vendor, always make some spiral cuts. You should also keep them close so that grilling is more even.

Keep Your Veggies in Place with a Grill Mat

One of the best ways to show people your expertise is by getting the proper grilling tools. And a grill mat is one of them. You can use it to grill veggies and fruits without any risk of falling. The mats are made from different materials. A mesh tool will help you grill little pieces of food with great ease. The mesh platform prevents anything from slipping through the grates. The best part is that some grilling mats are non-stick too. So you’ll never face dislodging of food because of this great tool. As a result, there is no doubt that you’ll get extra credit from the guests.

Use a Ceramic Stone to Grill Pizza with Thick Crust

Grilling is the way to go, whether you want to make a thin or a thick crust pizza. The charcoal adds more flavor to the dish, and the cheese melts perfectly. But for thick crust pizzas, you might get worried about the dough sticking to the grill. While that may be okay around family members, it will leave a wrong impression in front of guests. To avoid facing embarrassment, all you have to do is get a ceramic stone. And when you grill the pizza, keep it beneath the dough. It will allow you to grill ideally without any worries.

Undercook Your Meat Slightly

Did you know that your meat keeps on cooking even after you take it off the grill? That is because of the high temperature when it is removed. It is one of the reasons why people might complain to you about overcooking. To avoid displeasing the guests, you should always take the meat from the grill a little before the required time or temperature. Once removing it from the grill, wrap the piece in aluminum foil and let it be for a few minutes. After that, you can serve the perfectly cooked and piping hot food to your guests like an expert.

Aluminum Foil Could Clean Your Grill in a Pinch

Using a clean grill is the best way to impress the crowd and cooking delicious meals. While you may be using a brush to clean your grill, we ask you to think again. A grimy-looking and greasy brush will only dirty your device further. But fret not. A piece of aluminum foil can work wonders for you. Just roll up the foil into a ball. Hold it using some tongs and wipe the grates of your grill with ease. This quick hack will come in handy if someday you forget to clean your grill. But keep in mind to not hold the foil with your hands as you might contaminate it.

Or Use a Lemon to Clean Your Grill

While aluminum foil is an excellent way to clean the grill, it can break up sometimes. Not only that, but it can take some time to clean all the dirt. That is why a better option is to use citrus fruits such as lemon. Cut up a piece in half and rub the skinless side on the grates. The lemon will pick up the char and dirt. At the same time, it will deliver a zesty taste to your meals when you grill them. The fruit also adds a pleasant smell to the grill. So it is a good option if the last item you cooked on your grill was seafood.

An Onion Is a Perfect Grill-Brush Substitute

While citrus fruits and aluminum are good cleaning options, there is one perfect method. It involves using onion instead of a brush. First, cut up the vegetable and then attach it to the fork. After that, rub it against your grill. It will remove char, dirt particles, and old leftover residues in just a few minutes. If you don’t want to waste food, then fret not. After cleaning, you can cut off the dirty side of the onion and grill the remaining vegetable to serve it with the meal. The flavor will also infuse with the food and make it tastier.

Grill Burgers with an Ice Cube

With this genius technique, you can avoid serving dry and hard burgers to your guests. While you might be skeptical about trying it, we guarantee you that this hack is highly effective. All you have to do is place one ice cube on each raw patty while grilling it. The water from the cubes will moisturize your meat and make it more succulent. Once you have to flip the patties, you can discard the remaining ice. The best part is that the cube does not have to be made out of water necessarily. So whichever flavor you want to impart to the burgers, make the ice out of them.

Place Your Charcoals with Care

If you use a traditional charcoal grill for cooking, it’s good to know how to use it efficiently. Otherwise, your food will be disappointing for the guests. And the first technique to get right is the placing of the coals. If you want to offer heat indirectly, you should align the coals on one side of the grill and cook on the other. Meanwhile, if your meal requires intense heating, you should place the coals in the middle and keep the grate a little lower. Remembering this hack will help you grill food evenly. And by the end of the event, people will be in love with your cooking.

Oil the Grill

Avoid food sticking problems by adopting this hack for your grilling parties. Whether you’re cooking veggies, meat, fruits, or other items, anything can stick to your grates. And taking them off can be difficult, especially in the case of meat. That is why you need to make sure your grill is non-sticky. And the best way to do that is by oiling the grates. It will reduce friction and offers a smooth surface for grilling. Just dip some foil or paper in oil and rub it against the grill. The hack will prevent sticking and make the food a little juicier.

Make an Indent In The Middle Of Your Burgers

Have you ever made burgers that are too thick to eat mainly because of the plumping of patty? If so, you need this hack in your life. With this technique, your food will never be displeasing. We bet people will be asking you the secret behind your perfect burgers. To make a juicy and thin burger, you should always indent the meat. Use your thumb and press it on the center of the raw patty to make a mark. This will ensure that your burgers are of perfect size and easy to chew. Not to mention indented patties are easier to grill.

Use Foil for Fish

Do you cook fish openly on a grill? If so, then think again. Flipping seafood on grills is a tricky task unless, of course, you have excellent handling skills. Most of the time, the fish breaks when you try to flip it or fall through the grates. That is why you should wrap the pieces in aluminum foil and then grill it. The wrapping will prevent the falling of the fish. And it will be easier for you to flip the food while keeping it intact. Besides that, the closed environment offers steam to the fish and makes it more flavorful.

Accompany Your Fish with a Grilled Lemon

While serving simple dishes saves time, it’s always good to add some sides. They enhance the presentation and offer flexibility to the consumer. And with fish, there is no better side than a grilled lemon. Just the fact that you know that this citrus fruit suits fish will earn you high praises. You can grill the fish on a lemon bed and then serve those same ones with the dish. Or you can grill lemons individually by cutting them in halves. Their juice will caramelize, so the guests can add more flavor to their serving if they want to.

Start Grilling Your Salads

If you plan to blow away the minds of your guests, then a grilled salad is a must-have item on the menu. It will please the taste buds of all the people who love eating greens. Not only that but people who don’t like salads will also come to love them. That is because grilling green items such as lettuce caramelizes them. This adds a sweet and crispy touch to the salad. In simple words, you will turn a simple salad into a flavorful dish. Not to mention the texture of vegetables is terrific when grilled, and they become easy to chew.

Whip Up Some Dessert

If there is one thing that people never say no to, it’s dessert. A good sweet dish has the potential to become the wow factor of any event. And some of the best desserts are made on grills. For example, you can cut up some fruits and caramelize them on the grill. They will soften, sweeten, and become more flavorful. So you can either serve them plain or offer guests some ice cream along with them. You can even serve a variety of fruit desserts to ensure there is something for every guest. Your thoughtfulness will assist you in winning the hearts of many people.

Soak Your Corn in Water

If you host grilling events in the summers, corn should be on your menu. Kids, adults, and seniors love it with the same passion. And the key to grilling corns safely is by soaking them. Before placing them on the grill, you should keep them in water for ten 10 minutes. This will ensure that it does not catch fire and cooks quickly. Otherwise, you can face much trouble and might even have to call the fire department if things escalate. And, of course, that would make you look incompetent. Hence soak the corns and show people that you’re a grilling master.

Turn Your Grill into a Makeshift Stovetop

Did you know you can turn your grill into a stovetop? Many people use them to melt butter, make sauces, and much more. They help to keep your home cooler during hot weather conditions. All you need to do is take the pan and set it on the grill at suitable heat. You may not be able to boil water but a grill is the best option for small food items. Additionally, if you’re hosting an event, you can do everything outside instead of running back and forth. We bet some guests will even pick up on this hack for their parties too.

Use A Thermometer When You Are Cooking or Grilling

Did you know that the most accurate way to grill your meal is by using a food thermometer? Using a digital thermometer will ensure that your meat is cooked thoroughly and properly. If you don’t have a thermometer, we recommend that you purchase one. No matter how well you think you’re cooking your food, without accurate temperature readings it’s impossible to guarantee safety and quality.

You can also use an oven-safe model with a thin probe attached by wire, so after measuring the internal temperature of what you are cooking, just put it in the oven or leave it on the grill with the probe hanging outside where it’s safe from harm but still able to track the temperature.

Let Your Food Rest after Taking It off The Grill

If you’re like me, you’ve probably been guilty of cutting into a sizzling steak right off the grill – and paid the price. It is unwise to cut into freshly grilled meat right away because it would allow all those delicious juices and flavors to escape and leave you with a dry, tasteless piece of meat no matter how skillful your grilling skills were. So now that you know the truth, every time you grill a steak now, do yourself a favor by letting it rest before slicing it open.

Baste the Pork with Apple Juice

It’s summertime. Time to hit the grill. You’ve got some nice pork chops, and you’re ready to cook them up on the grill for dinner tonight. But as any griller knows, timing is everything. If you want your meat cooked just right, it’s important to know when to put it on and take it off of the heat — too early or too late, and things aren’t going to be looking so good by the time dinner rolls around. So what’s a smart guy like you supposed to do? How can you keep from overcooking that lovely pork chop? Well, baste the pork with Apple Juice when it is on the grill. It will enhance the taste of the porn and make it tenderer.

Put the Herbs Directly On the Grill

If you are in the mood to grill up some food then a great way to use your favorite herb in your meal is to grill it. You can put the herb directly on the charcoal for grilling when cooking your kabobs or steak. The only thing you will need is a good handful of fresh herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, parsley or basil. Remember to wash them thoroughly with water then let them dry before placing them onto the hot charcoals. Wait until they start smoking then mix them into your dish right before you serve it! This can add great flavor to your food.

Use Rosemary Sprigs to Baste Meat on the Grill

If you don’t want to fork out money for an extra piece of cookware or spend your time looking around the kitchen for the right tool, you can use rosemary sprigs as a brush when grilling food. Rosemary sprigs are not only convenient tools when it comes to cooking; they also impart their wonderfully fragrant flavor into meat and vegetables when basted with olive oil or melted butter.

Don’t forget that this method is not limited to rosemary; any herb’s leaves (such as thyme, sage, bay laurel) may be used in place of rosemary sprigs with great results! As long as the herb is brushed over the food while it cooks on grill, it will release its unique flavor into the meat.

Two Zone Fire Grill

Charcoal grills are capable of doing so much more than just getting food hot enough to lose all its nutritional value, but it’s often taken for granted that these versatile cooking implements can perform a trick as simple as keeping different zones at different temperatures. One of the most effective means of achieving this is by constructing what’s known as a “two-zone fire.” It’s easily achieved by moving all the lit coals to one side of the grill.

How About trying A Chilled Glass of Grilled Lemonade

It’s been a hot day. What better way to end it than with grilled lemonade? To make grilled lemonade; Grill lemons until they develop dark brown spots and become soft and squishy all the way through, about 15 to 20 minutes over an open flame or until they turn hard as rocks if you don’t want them to grill too long because of time restrictions or whatnot. Let sit for 10 minutes at room temperature, then stick in freezer for 30 minutes to cool down quickly. Remove from freezer and squeeze out all the juice into a glass (you should be able to get 4 glasses worth). Add sugar/honey/sweetener as desired (I’d say about 1 tablespoon per glass is enough) and stir well.

Keep the Meats Tender and Juicy With Salt and Water

Did you know that adding salt to water helps meats stay tender and juicy, as well as reduce shrinkage? Salt is a key ingredient in brine. A brine solution is made up of water, salt, sometimes sugar (and other seasonings) and acts as the base for many marinades. The purpose of adding salt to water or any liquid is to keep meat moist. This is achieved by altering the boiling point of the liquid mixture so it breaks down slower during cooking. With less evaporation occurring because of this change in temperature, there will be less moisture loss resulting in better tasting meats properly cooked throughout. Not only does salt help retain moisture but also helps improve flavor since it acts as a flavor enhancer for foods.

Mix Ground Meet With Mayonnaise to Prevent It from Drying

So, you’ve just spent half an hour cooking up a batch of home-made burgers, only to find that when they’re done on the grill or stove top, they have dried out. Don’t worry, this is one problem that has an easy solution. All you need to do is mix in some mayonnaise with the meat while it’s still in the pan/grill/etc., and you’ll be able to prevent it from drying out.

Get Good Grill

These days it can become quite overwhelming with all of the new grill choices out there between gas vs. charcoal and propane vs. natural gas. For people who like to grill a lot having a high quality grill is compulsory. You have to first figure out what your needs are. Then ask yourself how many people you will regularly cook for? If this is just for you then find something within your budget that gets the job done. If you regularly have family gatherings then maybe invest in something more substantial that can accommodate larger quantities of food or multiple levels of cooking at once so everyone doesn’t have to take turns.

Invest In Quality Tongs

The tongs are an important tool in any kitchen that grills. Tongs are as important to grilling as pen is to writing. They are a perfect accessory to have if you like to grill your food. They help grab food, turn it over and move items so you can get a full range of doneness on your meat. There are several types of tongs to use around the grill or while cooking outside. You have spring-loaded tongs, locking tongs, barbecue tongs, heavy duty stainless steel tongs and more.

Boil Meat to Save Time

The process of boiling a piece of meat is not for flavor enhancement. The goal is to cut down on grilling time, making this method especially useful in the summer when it’s important to avoid heating up your house with the oven or stove. By partially cooking meat before you even turn on the barbecue all sorts of new possibilities open up – from quickly customizable burgers and sausages that can be grilled in minutes to nutritious canned beef stew whenever the mood strikes. It also provides an extra measure of safety by eliminating more of any harmful bacteria that might have been present on raw meat.

Plan for Leftovers

When you’ve ended your BBQ and there’s still leftovers, it can be hard to think ahead to see if the extra food will be enough for another meal. And so, you might not want to buy as much meat and other ingredients just in case there is some leftover and it goes bad. However if you still have some meat and other food items left then you can use them to prepare food for the nextpage day.

Keep a Spray Bottle or an Extinguisher Nearby

There’s nothing worse than a nasty grease fire in your kitchen. But what about when you’re outside? That can be dangerous too. In fact, there are around 15,000 grill fires every year that cause injuries and property damage, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Most of these fires were caused by flare-ups from grease dripping off food. So if you plan on spending any time grilling or barbecuing this summer make sure to keep a fire extinguisher nearby. The larger variety is best because it has a longer hose and nozzle for spraying at a distance. It also needs less pressure to activate the extinguishing agent inside it.

Avoid Putting Cold Food Directly On the Grill

Cold food and barbecue don’t usually go together. When you think of grilling, you probably picture hot dogs or hamburgers. So, the last thing that comes to your mind is cold food on a grill. So try to prepare everything a day before you are planning to have a BBQ. If you have sausages or other meat in the freezer it’s better to take them out and let them rest for some minutes until they unfreeze. Putting the cold and frozen food directly on the grill wouldn’t just damage your grill but it will badly effect the taste of your food.