I don’t know about you guys, but Memorial Day is one of my favorite holidays! My love for Memorial Day breaks down to 3 main reasons: you get a long weekend off from work or school; it’s a great time to give thanks and remember those who served and died fighting for our country; and finally, the delicious cookout food! Honestly who doesn’t love a good cookout? It’s a great way to kick off summer, enjoy some good food and be surrounded by great friends and family. But we also know that it can be intimidating when it comes down to hosting your own cookout or being the one to man— or woman—the grill. So we’ve compiled some of our top “Grilling 101” tips right here for you and some links to some great recipes with all your favorite proteins. Happy Memorial Day and enjoy!
Xoxo, Kacie
Grilling 101 Tips to Live By:
(Tips courtesy of MarthaStewart.com, EatingWell.com, and OurBodyBook.com)
- Make sure you have all grilling utensils that you will need. Great ones to have on hand are a heavy-duty spatula, a couple pairs of tongs, a rubber cooking brush (for any sauces), and an apron (trust us, grilling can get MESSY)!
- Rule of thumb: create two cooking zones on the grill before cooking; one for high, direct heat and one for indirect, low heat. The high heat zone will be for searing your food, while the low heat zone will serve to finish cooking thicker cuts of meat after searing.
- Let steaks and pork chops defrost to room temperature before grilling. Keep fish and chicken refrigerated until grilling.
- Generously season all foods on both sides with salt and pepper before putting them on the grill.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (between 350° to 400°) approximately 15 to 20 minutes before grilling. A properly preheated grill will sear meats directly upon contact while keeping the meat juicy inside.
- Reduce sticking by oiling your hot grill rack with a vegetable oil-soaked paper towel: hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.)
- When searing foods, always keep the lid open.
- Don’t flip food often or move it around (unless you’re doing so to avoid flare-ups).
- Using a meat thermometer is a great way to ensure that all meat is cooked thoroughly. A quick basic guide to internal temperatures are: poultry at 165°F; beef at 145°F, but if you like your steaks cooked medium go for 140°F (medium rare, go for 135°F); pork at 145°F; and fish at 145°F.
- Let steaks, pork chops, and chicken rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Great BBQ Recipes to Try
HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!
