Grilling Tips & Tricks

Summer is the season where everyone seems to be barbecuing and grilling food. Here are a few tips and tricks to make your next BBQ a hit!

1. A secret to tender, moist, and tasty meat and fish is the cut you choose. The best cut for grilling steaks is a full one inch thick. Fish fillets should be cut from 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick - anything thinner will dry out too quickly. Pork chops should also be at least 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick.

2. When using charcoal, douse the coals with the least amount of starter fluid as possible to light the fire. If starter fluid is unavailable, salad oil is a great substitution!

3. Whenever barbecuing, use tongs to turn the meat. Using a fork punches holes in the meat and allows the natural juices to escape, causing the meat to lose flavor and become chewy.

Hot Dog Grilling Tips

Want really juicy hot dogs? Start off by placing them in a pot of water with some garlic cloves. Cook them for a few minutes in the pot and then for the last few remaining minutes take them out of the water and place them directly on the grill long enough to get grill marks. That's it!

Grilling Tips!

I don't know about you, but I love to grill all year round. And actually one of my favorite times to grill is in the cooler months. So I thought I would share some grilling tips with you!

1. When cooking skewered meat or vegetables, cut your food into equal-sized pieces to ensure even cooking. Also, be sure to cut the pieces large enough so that they can't fall through the cracks in the grill.

2. If you are going to marinate your meat, do so for at least three hours prior to cooking. Marinating tenderizes the meat and reduces cooking time.

3. Brush sauces onto the food only during the last 20 minutes of grilling. Applying sauces earlier can lead to over browning or burning.

Good luck and let me know how these work for you!