Memorial Day marks the start of the serious grilling season, and there's no better weekend to try your hand at outdoor cooking, or bolster your established grill-master game. Luckily, honing your outdoor culinary skills is a lot more simple than it seems, given the right tools, a little preparation, and a few tips on technique.
This primer covers everything from hot dogs to cherry tomatoes. As for seasoning, most foods will taste great if you add just a little salt, pepper, and olive oil beforehand. If you want even more flavor, try a rub or a marinade.
GETTING READY
Clean that grill: If there's black crust on the grill bars, you need to get it off to ensure no-stick cooking and easy food flipping. If you're feeling strong, wad up some aluminum foil and go to town on that stuff. For seriously stuck grime, you could also try popping the grill in the oven to bake off the stubborn bits.
Make your own sauce: Most of the pre-bottled sauces you see on grocery shelves are over-sweetened, and none match the taste of homemade. Making your own isn't that difficult, either. Use one of BBQ Recipe Secret's three sauce bases as a starting point, and build your own flavor ideas into them. It'll give you something to talk about while you're waiting for the ribs to finish. Don't be scared - try it for fun!
HONE YOUR TECHNIQUEUse a cheat sheet: Experience is the best indicator for knowing the precise moment to yank your food off the rack, but we've provided a super-helpful cheat sheet below. Here's a sample that covers the basics of red meat and sausages:
For more grilling gear, our gadget-crazed brother site Gizmodo runs down 10 awesome grills you can buy for the ultimate Memorial Day barbecue.
HOW TO GRILL BEEF
PERFECT BURGERS
Use meat that's as close to room temperature as possible for even cooking. Don't press them on the grill, unless you like your meat dry. And the best "secret" to great burgers is buying good meat, preferably ground by a butcher while you watch. (This author is a BIG FAN of this Kansas City favorite.) Heat: Direct (uncovered), high.
Time: 3 to 5 minutes per side.
Internal Temperature: 140° F for medium.
Tip: Don’t press down on the patties during cooking or you’ll squeeze out the delicious juices.
HOT DOGS
Heat: Direct (uncovered), medium-high.
Time: 5 to 7 minutes, turning occasionally.
STEAKS
Seriously salt your steak: Got filet mignon dreams for the weekend, but only a Quarter-Pounder budget? Buy a cheap cut of "choice" meat, then salt, salt, salt the heck out of that thing—for only one hour before grilling, and then pat it dry. By doing so, your salt is breaking in your meat and loosening some of its protein strands, making it hold flavor better and cut like the steakhouse commercials of your dreams.
Let it rest: You'll be eager to slice open your tender steak or succulent chicken, but you'll lose a lot of juicy flavor if you do so. As the food techies at Cook's Illustrated point out, cutting into your food right off the grill releases a significant amount of juice, which would be re-absorbed for better succulence if you let it sit a few minutes.KC/New York Strip Steaks, ¾ to 1 Inch Thick
Heat: Direct (uncovered), medium-high.
Time: 3 to 5 minutes per side.
Internal Temperature: 130° F for medium-rare.
Tip: For the best sear, turn steaks just once halfway through.
Rib-Eye/Porterhouse Steaks, 1 to 1½ Inches Thick
Heat: Direct (uncovered), medium-high, then indirect (covered), medium-high.
Time: Direct for 3 to 5 minutes per side, then indirect for 4 to 6 minutes.
Internal Temperature: 130° F for medium-rare.
Note: For steaks 2 inches thick or more, increase indirect cooking time to 8 to 10 minutes.
HOW TO GRILL FRUIT
CITRUS FRUIT
(such as oranges and lemons, cut in half or into wedges)
Heat: Direct (uncovered), medium.
Time: 4 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally.
PINEAPPLE
(cut into rings or wedges)
Heat: Direct (uncovered), medium.
Time: 2 to 4 minutes per side.
STONE FRUITS
(such as peaches, plums, and nectarines, cut in half and pitted)
Heat: Direct (uncovered), medium.
Time: 2 to 3 minutes per side.
HOW TO GRILL KABOBS
Soak wooden skewers for at least 15 minutes before threading to prevent burning on the grill. For tastiest results (meaning nothing is burned or overcooked), make your kebabs with items that cook at the same rate—say, shrimp and cherry tomatoes (fast) or chicken, onions, and oranges (slow).
BEEF, PORK AND POULTRY
Heat: Direct (uncovered), medium-high.
Time: 4 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally.
Tip: For best results, cut meat into 1- to 1½-inch cubes.
SHRIMP AND SCALLOPS
Heat: Direct (uncovered), high.
Time: 1 to 2 minutes per side.
VEGETABLES
Heat: Direct (uncovered), medium-high.
Time: 4 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally.
Tip: For best results, cut vegetables into 1- to 1½-inch cubes.
HOW TO GRILL LAMB
Chops, ½ to 1 Inch Thick
Heat: Direct (uncovered), high.
Time: 3 to 5 minutes per side.
Internal Temperature: 130° F for medium-rare.
Chops, 1 to 1½ Inches Thick
Heat: Direct (uncovered), high.
Time: 4 to 6 minutes per side.
Internal Temperature: 130° F for medium-rare.
Leg, Butterflied Boneless, 1 to 1½ Inches Thick, 3 to 3½ Pounds
Heat: Direct (uncovered), medium-high, then indirect (covered), medium-high.
Time: Direct for 4 to 5 minutes per side, then indirect for 15 to 20 minutes.
Internal Temperature: 130° F for medium-rare.
Tip: If you’re grilling a leg of lamb tied into a roll, increase indirect grilling time to 20 to 30 minutes.
Rack of Lamb, 1 to 1½ Pounds
Heat: Direct (uncovered), medium-high, then indirect (covered), medium-high.
Time: Direct for 3 to 5 minutes per side, then indirect for 10 to 15 minutes.
Internal Temperature: 130° F for medium-rare.
HOW TO GRILL PORK
BABY BACK RIBS
Heat: Indirect (covered), medium-high, then direct (uncovered), medium-high.
Time: Indirect for 25 to 30 minutes, then direct for 4 to 5 minutes per side.
Tip: For a delicious caramelized finish and to prevent burning, apply barbecue sauce only during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
CHOPS, ½ to 1 INCH THICK
Heat: Direct (uncovered), medium-high.
Time: 3 to 5 minutes per side for bone-in; 2 to 5 minutes per side for boneless.
Internal Temperature: 145° F.
CHOPS, 1 to 1½ INCHES THICK
Heat: Direct (uncovered), medium-high.
Time: 6 to 8 minutes per side for bone-in; 5 to 7 minutes per side for boneless.
Internal Temperature: 145° F.
LOIN ROAST, BONE-IN 4 TO 5 LBS.
Heat: Direct (uncovered), medium-high, then indirect (covered), medium-high.
Time: Direct for 10 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally, then indirect for 1 to 1½ hours.
Internal Temperature: 145° F.
LOIN ROAST, BONELESS, 3 TO 4 POUNDS
Heat: Direct (uncovered), medium-high, then indirect (covered), medium-high.
Time: Direct for 10 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally, then indirect for 30 to 40 minutes.
Internal Temperature: 145° F.
SAUSAGE LINKS
Heat: Direct (uncovered), medium-high.
Time: 10 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally.
Internal Temperature: 145° F for pork; 165° F for chicken.
Tip: To grill a sausage coil, run 2 long skewers through it in a crisscross pattern, then cook as directed above, turning once.
TENDERLOIN
Heat: Direct (uncovered), medium-high, then indirect (covered), medium-high.
Time: Direct for 6 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally, then indirect for 10 to 12 minutes.
Internal Temperature: 145° F.
HOW TO GRILL POULTRY
As my fellow neighbor and serious griller, Jerod S. can attest, eHow's technique for grilling whole or partial chicken results in some juicy bird. The basics: Oil the grill, cook the chicken uncovered slightly off the heat center, and, for the love of Sunday, don't put your sauce on until the last few minutes.CHICKEN BREASTS - BONELESS AND SKINLESS
Heat: Direct (uncovered), medium.
Time: 5 to 6 minutes per side.
Internal Temperature: 160° F.
CHICKEN CUTLETS
Heat: Direct (uncovered), medium.
Time: 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Internal Temperature: 160° F.
CHICKEN PIECES, BONE-IN
Heat: Indirect (covered), medium.
Time: 40 to 50 minutes.
Internal Temperature: 165° F.
Tip: For crispy skin, grill the pieces skin-side down over direct heat (uncovered) until golden, 6 to 8 minutes, then transfer to indirect heat and cook skin-side up until cooked through.
CHICKEN THIGHS - BONELESS, SKINLESS
Heat: Direct (uncovered), medium.
Time: 4 to 5 minutes, turning once.
Internal Temperature: 165° F.
CHICKEN WINGS
Heat: Indirect (covered), medium.
Time: 25 to 30 minutes, turning occasionally.
Internal Temperature: 165° F.
WHOLE CHICKEN - 3 TO 4 LBS.
Heat: Indirect (covered), medium.
Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour, 15 minutes.
Internal Temperature: 165° F, measured in the thigh.
TURKEY BURGERS
Heat: Direct (uncovered), medium-high.
Time: 5 to 7 minutes per side.
Internal Temperature: 165° F.
Tip: Don’t press down on the patties during cooking or you’ll squeeze out the delicious juices.
TURKEY CUTLETS
Heat: Direct (uncovered), medium.
Time: 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Internal Temperature: 160° F.
HOW TO GRILL SEAFOOD
The trick with seafood is to make sure it doesn’t stick. So coat it lightly with oil and check that the grate is clean and very hot. For fillets and whole fish, you can also try this foolproof (albeit more time-consuming) method: Place the fish on a soaked cedar plank or a lightly oiled piece of heavy-duty foil, then grill (covered), over medium indirect heat.
SCALLOPS
Heat: Direct (uncovered), high.
Time: 1 to 2 minutes per side.
Tip: Thread on skewers for easy turning.
SHRIMP
Heat: Direct (uncovered), high.
Time: 1 to 2 minutes per side.
Tip: Thread on skewers for easy turning.
FISH FILLETS OR STEAKS - 3/4 TO 1 INCH THICK
(such as salmon, striped bass, and mahimahi)
Heat: Direct (uncovered), high.
Time: 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Note: If grilling with a cedar plank or foil, cook over medium indirect heat (covered), 20 to 30 minutes.
WHOLE FISH
Heat: Direct (uncovered), high.
Time: 4 to 5 minutes per side.
Note: If grilling with a cedar plank or foil, cook over medium indirect heat (covered), 20 to 30 minutes.
WHOLE FISH, LARGE FILLETS OR SIDE OF SALMON - 1 TO 3 LBS.
Heat: Indirect (covered), medium-high.
Time: 30 to 40 minutes.
Tip: Because a large fish can tear when turned, cooking on a plank, on foil, or in a fish basket is necessary.
HOW TO GRILL VEGETABLES
ASPARAGUS
Heat: Direct (uncovered), medium-high.
Time: 2 to 4 minutes, turning occasionally.
BELL PEPPER
(cut into 2-inch strips)
Heat: Direct (uncovered), medium.
Time: 4 to 5 minutes per side.
EGGPLANTS, SUMMER SQUASH AND ZUCCHINI
(cut into ½-inch-thick slices)
Heat: Direct (uncovered), medium.
Time: 4 to 5 minutes per side.
Tip: Slice the vegetables on the bias to expose the maximum surface area.
MUSHROOMS
Heat: Direct (uncovered), medium.
Time: 4 to 5 minutes per side.
Tip: Mushrooms can also be cooked in a foil pouch; see Tomatoes, Cherry, for the method and times.
ONIONS
(cut into ½-inch-thick rounds or wedges)
Heat: Direct (uncovered), medium.
Time: 5 to 6 minutes per side.
POTATOES
(slice, then cook in a pouch made of heavy-duty foil)
Heat: Indirect (covered), medium-high.
Time: 25 to 30 minutes.
Tip: New potatoes can be cooked whole, or halved if large.
SCALLIONS
Heat: Direct (uncovered), medium-high.
Time: 2 to 4 minutes, turning occasionally.
TOMATOES, BEEFSTEAK OR PLUM
(cut in half)
Heat: Direct (uncovered), medium.
Time: 2 to 3 minutes per side.
CHERRY TOMATOES
(cook in a pouch made of heavy-duty foil)
Heat: Indirect (covered), medium-high.
Time: 5 to 10 minutes.
OF COURSE, LET US NOT FORGET WHAT THE HOLIDAY IS REALLY ABOUT. HONORING THOSE MEN AND WOMEN WHO DIED WHILE SERVING OUR COUNTRY.
WE HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY!
Original Article in Real Simple Magazine
