How to Grill Various Types of Food for Any Season
Grilling is not just for the summer. Grilling all year round is a GREAT way of cooking that can give your food an awesome outdoor flavor while sealing in moisture at the same time. In this article, you will learn why you should grill throughout the year.
Why Grill All Year Round?
The great thing about grilling is that it’s almost like a method of indoor roasting where you’re placing food on a rack in a covered, closed-in structure. Grilling over high heat will trap the moisture inside your food, sealing it with the flavors of the seasonings you’re using.
There are so many different options when it comes to grilling throughout the year. Vegetables, fish, shellfish, meat, poultry, and even fruits can be grilled to perfection. Grilling is a great way to cook food because it can be done on a large scale and it also seals in flavor and moisture. When you grill food, you’re infusing it with a smoky flavor that can’t be achieved indoors.
Don’t Forget to Grill Your Veggies and Seafood
Vegetables, seafood, and fruit all make for great grilling options. While vegetables take a bit longer to cook, seafood and fruit are usually ready to go in minutes. Grilled vegetables make a great side dish or even a main dish for a vegetarian or vegan diet. Grilled fruit is a delicious dessert option that you don’t see too often. Like mussels or prawns, seafood can make for an excellent appetizer or light meal, especially during a cold winter night.
For vegetables and seafood, you’ll want to squeeze some lemon juice or add a light seasoning before grilling. Fruit is best when you grill it with a sprinkle of sugar or with a light glaze. This will caramelize on the grill and give your fruit a great sweet flavor.
Grilling Techniques
When grilling, you’re doing two things at once: cooking the food and creating the charred flavor. So, you want to make sure to have all your tools and equipment ready before you start grilling. Here are a few grilling techniques you can try:
– Direct Heat Grilling – This is when you cook food directly over the heat source in your grill. This is how you grill meats like steak, pork, or chicken. You want to make sure you don’t leave the food on the grill for too long. If the food is thick, you may want to turn it over halfway through the grilling time to even out the cooking.
– Indirect Heat Grilling – This is when you place the food away from the heat source in your grill. This is a great way to cook vegetables or other foods that need to be cooked at a lower temperature.
– Rotisserie Grilling – This is when you attach your food to a rotisserie and then place it on the grill to cook. This is a great way to cook a large amount of food or to cook something like a whole chicken or pork roast.
Wrapping Your Food With Foil While Grilling
One great trick for grilling in any weather is to wrap your food in foil. This will help keep the moisture in the food and give it a nice grilled flavor. You can wrap almost anything in foil while grilling, including vegetables, fruit, or even nuts. You can also use a mixture of water, oil, and seasonings to create a foil packet.
Simply place your food inside the packet, add the liquids and spices, then wrap it up and place it on the grill. This is a great way to add flavor to your grilled food without having to add a lot of extra ingredients.
Why I Have Been Making the Move from Propane to Charcoal Grilling
As much as I love the convenience of propane, I’ve noticed that my grilled foods sometimes taste less smoky and grilled. I’ve made the move from propane to charcoal grills because, charcoal grills release the flavors of the coals (wood types) into your food, and therefore, your grilled food will taste much more flavorful.
Grilling is a Great Way to Cook All Year Round
It keeps your food moist and seals in flavor, making your grilled food taste like it’s been slowly roasted over a wood fire. Grilling is a great way to save time and money. It only takes a few minutes to grill a meal, while roasting can take hours.
Now, you don’t need to wait for summer to grill. You can turn on your grill any time of the year and enjoy delicious grilled foods. Let’s Grill All Year Round!