When using either charcoal or gas, make sure the grill has reached a decent temperature before actually cooking. This need not be done through thermometers, though they are effective for more precise grilling. Open up the top after leaving it on for five minutes and feel the warm air pass by. If you are planning on cooking thin or pre-cooked meat, let the temperature get hotter. If you are trying to cook a thicker cut or most veggies, keep it low to allow the inside to be brought to temperature.

 

Grilling is the easiest way to dry out your meat or veggies. Because there is no pan to hold the juices or fat in, and since it is not contained like an oven, which allows the moisture to keep the meal hot, a grill will dry out anything. Prepare for this by marinating everything (not together, as you don’t want anything on the chicken to stay with those veggies) or by using a sauce or glaze mid-grill. By adding the extra water content before you start cooking, your meal will end up tastier, even if you don’t add anything extra like a splash of soy or a dash of mustard.

For checking the ‘doneness’ of meat, use the bit of skin that connects between your thumb and fingers. By touching your thumb to the corresponding finger, you’ll feel a nice approximation of the springiness of the meat. For example, your index finger represents rare, middle medium rare, ring finger is your medium to medium well and pinky is well done. For pork, make sure you cook it to at least your ring finger and to your pinky for chicken or other fowl.

 

 

By hovering around the grill, time will feel like it’s passing slower than ever. Take this time to fix yourself a tasty beverage, talk to a friend, or read something. Because of the relatively imprecise nature of grilling (unless you’re using multiple thermometers and timers) what you are cooking will fare better by having a consistent heat applied, even if it is a little overcooked, rather than the rapidly shifting temperature when you keep opening up the grill to ‘check on it’.

 

 

This one’s just for the meat lovers out there, as grilled veggies should be served immediately if not eaten directly off the grill. Let that meat sit after you’ve taken it off the grill. Take a piece of aluminum foil and cover the meat in question, letting it sit for a minute or two. This will allow it to cool down to a temperature easy to eat or slice and will allow the juices to reconstitute inside rather than just splashing out upon slicing.