Top Summer Grilling Tips For Your Next Barbecue
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<p class="slide-count desktop-hidden">1 of 5</p><img width="1180" height="653" src="/uploadfile/2024/1125/20241125091424892.jpg"><p class="photo-credit">iStock</p>Get Grilling
There’s a whole world out there beyond chicken and steak, and it’s about time you started exploring, with M&F guiding the way, of course. From fruit and vegetables to a whole snapper, the list of foods you can grill is virtually endless, and as men it is our right—nay, our duty—to get as far down that list as possible.After all, it won’t be long before summer’s over and it’s time to retreat to the kitchen, where you’ve prepared your meals for the past eight months, so take advantage while you can. Gentlemen, it’s time to grill everything.
Fruit
Often overlooked but always delicious, grilled fruit is incredibly easy to make. It’s a fun way to promote fruit from a boring snack food to an interesting side dish, and a good opportunity to spice up typical grilled fare. Try pairing mango with chicken, or pineapple with beef or pork chops. Grilling partially dehydrates the fruit and caramelizes the sugar, which concentrates and really brings out the flavor.Fruits like apples, pears, peaches, and figs can be cut in half and grilled facedown, or diced and skewered.Softer fruits like bananas and mangos can be cooked with the skin on to maintain their shape. Cook fruit over medium heat on a well-oiled grill, and serve it as soon as the grill lines become pronounced.
Grill tips:
Using your tongs, dip a rolled-up dishcloth in canola oil to prep your grill.Cheat day? Sprinkle some brown sugar on fruit before grilling, and pair with low-fat yogurt for a killer dessert.Grill tongs are longer than kitchen tongs—usually between 13″ and 22″.
Fish
Slapping a whole fish on the grill is one of those things that would intimidate most guys. It’s also something that after doing for the first time makes you realize how silly it is to be intimidated by a fish, which is about as easy to cook as any steak, sausage, or chicken breast. And, in terms of survival, it’s probably not a bad skill to have, either.But since you’re not in the wild, go ahead and buy a fish that has been scaled and gutted with the gills removed. We like snapper, but you can use almost any kind of fish. On your way out of the grocery store, grab a lemon, a couple of sprigs of thyme, and you’re ready to grill.
Ingredients:
2-lb snapper1½ tbsp olive oilSalt and pepper to taste1 lemon4 sprigs thyme
Directions:
Make three to four vertical incisions on both sides of the fish, about 2″ apart.Coat the fish and the inside of the body cavity with olive oil. Sprinkle salt on both sides of fish.Season the cavity with salt and pepper, and stuff in three or four lemon slices and thyme.Throw the fish on the grill with constant medium heat and cook 10 minutes each side. Flip carefully.Remove the fish from the grill, squeeze remaining lemon on top, and serve.
Grill tips:
To test doneness, insert your fork into the thickest part of the fish. It should come out warm.Number of minutes, as a general rule of thumb, to cook each side per inch of thickness.Oil your grill to minimize sticking. There will be some stick regardless.This technique works well with any of these fish: salmon, trout, grouper, walleye, bluefish, sea bream, sea bass, red drum, snapper.
Brian Klutch
Vegetables
You wouldn’t exclude vegetables from a typical meal, so why leave them off the grill? Grilling brings out the best in most vegetables—some flavors intensify, others sweeten—and a few notables like corn, asparagus, onion, and peppers are rendered so delectable, they might have you empathizing with vegetarians.Vegetables do better on the grill when brushed lightly with oil to prevent sticking, but it’s not crucial if you’re dealing with a well-oiled grill. Pre-grill seasoning, meanwhile, is a great way to add flavor without calories. As for the temperature, a steady medium heat is best, and resisting the urge to move your veggies around every few minutes will get you those coveted grill lines.
Grill tips:
Cooking without foil will really amp up the smoky flavor in your vegetables.
Timing is everything:
Some vegetables need more time on the grill than others.VegetableGrilling TimeAsparagus5 MinutesZucchini6 MinutesPortabello mushroom7 MinutesBell pepper10 MinutesWhite mushroom12 MinutesCorn15 Minutes
Pizza
Pizza
If you’ve ever tried to make your own pizza, you probably did it in your kitchen oven. The grill, however, is a far better choice; the open flames mimic the conditions inside a real pizza oven, and the smoke adds complexity to your pie’s flavor. In truth, it’s a tough meal to mess up if you follow our recipe, which is part of what makes grilled pizza a great call when you’ve got people over.Divvy up the dough and let your friends choose their own toppings, and you’ll be a legend in their eyes. Or grill up a couple of pies for yourself with your favorite proteins and toppings, and freeze them for when fast-food cravings inevitably attack.
Ingredients:
6 oz chicken breastPizza dough (as much as you need)¼ cup wholewheat flour2 tbsp olive oil½ cup tomato sauce½ tomato, sliced1 cup toppings (mixed peppers, onion, olives, etc.)½ cup low-fat cheese, grated
Directions:
1. Grill chicken breast, and then cut into pieces of desired size. Set aside.
2. Stretch out dough, and, on a floured surface, shape to preferred size and thickness (we recommend about half an inch).
3. Put dough, without toppings, on oiled grill, close lid, and cook two minutes, or until lightly browned on the underside.
4. Remove pizza from grill, and place grilled-side up on nearby surface. Coat the top with olive oil. Spread sauce, then arrange all toppings, adding cheese last.
5. Put pizza back on grill and close lid. You’ll know it’s done when the bottom begins to char and cheese starts bubbling. Let rest a few minutes, then serve.
Grill tips:
You can find prepared pizza dough in the frozen foods section at your local supermarket, and even some pizzerias.Your grill should be hot enough that you can hold your hand an inch above it for no longer than two seconds.55 – The percentage increase in the absorption of lycopene, a pigment found in tomatoes when they are heated, according to an Ohio State University study.
Button slide previous Back to intro Button slide nextGet Grilling
There’s a whole world out there beyond chicken and steak, and it’s about time you started exploring, with M&F guiding the way, of course. From fruit and vegetables to a whole snapper, the list of foods you can grill is virtually endless, and as men it is our right—nay, our duty—to get as far down that list as possible.
After all, it won’t be long before summer’s over and it’s time to retreat to the kitchen, where you’ve prepared your meals for the past eight months, so take advantage while you can. Gentlemen, it’s time to grill everything.
Fruit
Often overlooked but always delicious, grilled fruit is incredibly easy to make. It’s a fun way to promote fruit from a boring snack food to an interesting side dish, and a good opportunity to spice up typical grilled fare. Try pairing mango with chicken, or pineapple with beef or pork chops. Grilling partially dehydrates the fruit and caramelizes the sugar, which concentrates and really brings out the flavor.
Fruits like apples, pears, peaches, and figs can be cut in half and grilled facedown, or diced and skewered.
Softer fruits like bananas and mangos can be cooked with the skin on to maintain their shape. Cook fruit over medium heat on a well-oiled grill, and serve it as soon as the grill lines become pronounced.
Grill tips:
- Using your tongs, dip a rolled-up dishcloth in canola oil to prep your grill.
- Cheat day? Sprinkle some brown sugar on fruit before grilling, and pair with low-fat yogurt for a killer dessert.
- Grill tongs are longer than kitchen tongs—usually between 13″ and 22″.
Fish
Slapping a whole fish on the grill is one of those things that would intimidate most guys. It’s also something that after doing for the first time makes you realize how silly it is to be intimidated by a fish, which is about as easy to cook as any steak, sausage, or chicken breast. And, in terms of survival, it’s probably not a bad skill to have, either.
But since you’re not in the wild, go ahead and buy a fish that has been scaled and gutted with the gills removed. We like snapper, but you can use almost any kind of fish. On your way out of the grocery store, grab a lemon, a couple of sprigs of thyme, and you’re ready to grill.
Ingredients:
- 2-lb snapper
- 1½ tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lemon
- 4 sprigs thyme
Directions:
Grill tips:
- To test doneness, insert your fork into the thickest part of the fish. It should come out warm.
- Number of minutes, as a general rule of thumb, to cook each side per inch of thickness.
- Oil your grill to minimize sticking. There will be some stick regardless.
- This technique works well with any of these fish: salmon, trout, grouper, walleye, bluefish, sea bream, sea bass, red drum, snapper.
Vegetables
You wouldn’t exclude vegetables from a typical meal, so why leave them off the grill? Grilling brings out the best in most vegetables—some flavors intensify, others sweeten—and a few notables like corn, asparagus, onion, and peppers are rendered so delectable, they might have you empathizing with vegetarians.
Vegetables do better on the grill when brushed lightly with oil to prevent sticking, but it’s not crucial if you’re dealing with a well-oiled grill. Pre-grill seasoning, meanwhile, is a great way to add flavor without calories. As for the temperature, a steady medium heat is best, and resisting the urge to move your veggies around every few minutes will get you those coveted grill lines.
Grill tips:
- Cooking without foil will really amp up the smoky flavor in your vegetables.
Timing is everything:
Some vegetables need more time on the grill than others.
| Vegetable | Grilling Time |
| Asparagus | 5 Minutes |
| Zucchini | 6 Minutes |
| Portabello mushroom | 7 Minutes |
| Bell pepper | 10 Minutes |
| White mushroom | 12 Minutes |
| Corn | 15 Minutes |
Pizza
Pizza
If you’ve ever tried to make your own pizza, you probably did it in your kitchen oven. The grill, however, is a far better choice; the open flames mimic the conditions inside a real pizza oven, and the smoke adds complexity to your pie’s flavor. In truth, it’s a tough meal to mess up if you follow our recipe, which is part of what makes grilled pizza a great call when you’ve got people over.
Divvy up the dough and let your friends choose their own toppings, and you’ll be a legend in their eyes. Or grill up a couple of pies for yourself with your favorite proteins and toppings, and freeze them for when fast-food cravings inevitably attack.
Ingredients:
- 6 oz chicken breast
- Pizza dough (as much as you need)
- ¼ cup wholewheat flour
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- ½ tomato, sliced
- 1 cup toppings (mixed peppers, onion, olives, etc.)
- ½ cup low-fat cheese, grated
Directions:
1. Grill chicken breast, and then cut into pieces of desired size. Set aside.
2. Stretch out dough, and, on a floured surface, shape to preferred size and thickness (we recommend about half an inch).
3. Put dough, without toppings, on oiled grill, close lid, and cook two minutes, or until lightly browned on the underside.
4. Remove pizza from grill, and place grilled-side up on nearby surface. Coat the top with olive oil. Spread sauce, then arrange all toppings, adding cheese last.
5. Put pizza back on grill and close lid. You’ll know it’s done when the bottom begins to char and cheese starts bubbling. Let rest a few minutes, then serve.
Grill tips:
- You can find prepared pizza dough in the frozen foods section at your local supermarket, and even some pizzerias.
- Your grill should be hot enough that you can hold your hand an inch above it for no longer than two seconds.
- 55 – The percentage increase in the absorption of lycopene, a pigment found in tomatoes when they are heated, according to an Ohio State University study.