Grilling for Beginners
For those of you that didn’t grow up like Inspector Gadget with a spatula as one hand and tongs as another, grilling may be a bit intimidating.
The good news is that we have experience here. Here’s a few tips that will help you bring the smell of a summertime BBQ to your backyard:
Wait… how do I start the grill?
The way you start your grill depends on what type it is: propane (gas), charcoal, or electric.
Gas Grill
1) Open your grill lid (important!)
2) Turn the valve on the propane tank counter-clockwise so that the propane runs through the system. Wait a minute.
3) On the front of the grill, turn the knob to the heat setting desired. Some burners may ignite right away, but others require you to push a button that says “ignite” after adjusting the heat setting.
4) Close the lid and give it time to heat up.
Charcoal Grill
1) Clean the grill of leftover ash or grease. Make sure the grill vents are open before beginning. Vents will be located on the bottom of the grill and/or the the top of the lid.
2) Take the grilling grid off and set aside (the grid is the metal rack that you’ll lay your meat on).
3) In the grill itself, there is often another grid or tray that your coals go on top of. One of the easiest methods to lighting the fire is buying Kingsford BBQ in a Bag. Lay it inside the body of the grill, light it on fire, and pour charcoal over it once the fire catches. One layer of charcoal is plenty –too much will make the grill too hot and may burn your food.
4) After about 15-30 minutes, the charcoal should be ashed over. It will look like grey, ashy rocks with fire burning between them. This means it’s safe to start grilling because the lighter fluid has been burned off the charcoal.
5) Replace the grilling grid over top and begin cooking. Close the lid to trap the heat while cooking.
Electric Grill
1) Plug in to an electrical outlet, away from water or other hazardous materials.
2) Turn on (some turn on automatically, indicated by a green or red light)
3) Adjust heat settings to the highest possible. If your grill has “sear” as an option, select that.
4) Close lid and wait for it to heat up. Many grills will indicate they have finished preheating with a blinking light.
How do I know if my meat is done?
For a burger…
Gently peel your burger open at the center with a fork to check the doneness. What color is it? Red, cook a bit longer. Bright pink, it’s medium-rare. Light pink, it’s medium. Brown, it’s well done. Remember that you can always cook a burger more, but you can’t cook it less!
Read more: How to Beef Up Your Burger
For a steak…
Once the outside of your steak is seared, it’s safe to eat. For beginners, we suggest cooking the steak for about 4 minutes on each side or until it has browned. Use our handy cooking chart to get the exact time and temperature for each cut of steak, but keep in mind, if your grill is piping hot, there might need to be some small adjustments on your part, so just keep an eye on it. Place on a cutting board, and cut into strips. Then, lay those strips back on the grill so you can see the color of the inside as it cooks to the desired doneness.
Read more: How to Cook Steak on Grill
What about the veggies?
Place your vegetables on tin foil, drizzle with olive oil, and add seasoning. You can lay the tin foil on the grill as-is, or wrap it up to trap the heat. If you wrap it up, puncture the tin foil with a fork a few times to let the heat in.
Read more: How to Grill Vegetables
Show off your skills
With that, you’re definitely ready to be this year’s grill master. So fire it up! Sip your drink, chat with friends, and relax while dinner is prepared. Show off your mastery by tagging us at @eatpre_ on Instagram or Pre Brands on Facebook.
