Now that the sun is shining, it’s finally time to enjoy the great outdoors with friends, family and neighbors. From summer cookouts to pool parties, summertime brings plenty of opportunities to have fun outside, and there is no better time to kick off summer than Memorial Day weekend. If you’re hosting your first cookout this Memorial Day weekend or want to sharpen your grilling skills, follow these six steps to become the ultimate master griller. You’ll impress your guests so much they’ll beg to come back again next year!
1. Use the Right Utensils
Using proper grilling utensils will make your life a lot easier when turning steaks and kabobs. No matter what you’re grilling, make sure you have: tongs, a grill brush, a thermometer and a spatula. Also, decide which type of charcoal you want to use in advance. We recommend using briquettes if you want your food to cook more quickly. Lump charcoal doesn’t burn as long and takes longer to light than briquettes. However, some people prefer the smoky taste of lump charcoal. Check out Business Insider’s top picks for lump charcoal and briquettes.
2. Give Your Grill a Scrub
Make sure your grill is nice and clean before attempting to cook any food on it. No one wants to eat from a dirty grill, so make sure your grilling area is sanitary to keep your friends and family happy and healthy. With a bucket of soapy water, your grill brush and a bit of elbow grease, you’ll have a clean grill ready for use in no time.
3. Set Up Your Grilling Zones
Various foods require different heat levels to cook as deliciously as possible. To ensure that your meats and veggies are cooked properly, you should create low-heat and high-heat zones to avoid any unwanted burning or charring. You’ll want to grill steaks or burgers in a high-heat zone, but if you’re doing any barbecuing, low and slow is the way to go. Vegetables also taste great when cooked on high heat to achieve a tasty crunch!
4. Season Away
Bring your meats and veggies to life with some salt and pepper or your favorite seasonings. To see some of our favorite seasonings, check out Simply Organic’s top 10 list of spices for grilling. Before you place anything on the grill, though, rub some olive oil on the rack to keep anything from sticking.
5. Chill and Grill
You’ve made it to the fun part: chilling and grilling. Now is the time to hang with your crew as you prepare a spread that will deem you the neighborhood master griller. As you grill, remember to start in a high-heat zone and move your food to a low-heat zone to finish cooking for the perfect grilled flavor. While your food cooks, have some lawn games ready for everyone to play, like corn hole, badminton and ladder golf, and soak up the sun at your Memorial Day cookout!
6. Rest Your Food
As the saying goes, good things take time. Grilled chicken and beef need about 10 minutes of resting once they’re off the grill. However, grilled vegetables can be enjoyed right away (just make sure they aren’t too hot)! Resting your meats will result in a juicy flavor that will be well worth the wait.
