How to Grill
Are you struggling to achieve the perfect sear or smoky flavor on your grill? Our expert pitmasters have your back. We’ll turn you into a backyard legend with foolproof techniques, from choosing the perfect cut to nailing that smoky flavor every time. We’ve got over 100 grilling recipes, grill reviews, tutorials, and how-to’s to help you feel confident every time you fire up the grill.
Helpful Grilling Guides
Grilling 101
Grilling is an art that combines skill and passion to create delicious, smoky flavors. And a whole lot of just standing around outside and enjoying good company. But if you’re just starting out, or have been grilling for decades, understanding the basics ensures a successful grilling experience every time.
Essential Equipment
- Grill Types: Charcoal, gas, and electric grills each offer unique advantages.
- Tools: Invest in quality tongs, a meat thermometer, grill brushes, and skewers.
- Grilling Techniques
- Direct Heat: Perfect for quick-cooking items like burgers and steaks.
- Indirect Heat: Ideal for larger cuts of meat that require slower cooking, such as whole chickens or roasts.
- Prepping Your Grill
- Cleaning: Always start with a clean grill to avoid flare-ups and maintain flavor.
- Oil the Grates: Prevent sticking and enhance grill marks by oiling the grates before cooking.
- Mastering Heat Control
- Zones: Create heat zones by arranging coals or adjusting burners for versatile cooking options.
- Temperature Management: Use vents on charcoal grills to control airflow and heat; adjust burners on gas grills accordingly.
![A woman is preparing food on a barbecue grill.](https://girlcarnivore.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/masterbuilt-560-2.jpg)
Cooking Tips
- Resting Meat: Let meat rest after grilling to retain juices and improve flavor.
- Experiment with Flavors: Use marinades, rubs, and wood chips to enhance the taste.
By mastering these basics, you’ll be on your way to grilling like a pro, creating mouthwatering dishes that impress every time.
The Best Grilling Recipes
We’ve been grilling at events and feeding people from coast to coast for years, and these are the recipes we love to make to knock their socks off – every single time.
Beef Recipes
Grilled Flank Steak
Lamb Recipes
Perfect Grilled Rack of Lamb
Poultry Recipes
Grilled Chicken Leg Quarters
Beef Recipes
Easy Grilled Tri-Tip
Our Favorite Grills
Check out the best grills on the market. And trust us, we’ve played with a lot of grills.
Grilled Beef Recipes
Beef Recipes
Charcoal grilled Roast Beef
Beef Recipes
Grilled Beef Tenderloin
Campfire Recipes
Grilled Steak Kabobs
Beef Recipes
Easy Smoked Chuck Roast
Grilled Steak Recipes
Get that signature char-grilled flavor that can only come from a steak cooked on the grill.
How To
How to Grill a Steak
Beef Recipes
Grilled Top Sirloin Steak
Beef Recipes
Grilled Filet Mignon
Beef Recipes
Grilled Bone in Ribeye Steaks
Beef Recipes
Grilled T-bone Steak
Grilling Safety
- Location: Set up your grill in a well-ventilated area, away from structures and overhanging branches.
- Supervision: Never leave the grill unattended while in use.
- Fire Safety: Keep a fire extinguisher or a bucket of sand nearby. Use long-handled tools to avoid burns.
How to Prep Your Grill
Cleaning Your Grill
- Before Each Use: Scrape the grates with a grill brush to remove residue from previous sessions.
- Deep Cleaning: Regularly remove and clean grates, and scrub the interior of the grill to prevent buildup.
Oiling the Grates
- Prevent Sticking: Use a paper towel dipped in oil, held with tongs, to coat the grill grates before cooking.
- Enhance Flavor and Marks: Oiling helps create distinct grill marks and adds to the overall flavor.
Arranging Charcoal
- Direct Heat Setup: Spread coals evenly across the bottom for high-heat cooking.
- Indirect Heat Setup: Place coals on one side, creating a cooler zone for slow cooking.
Preheating
- Gas Grills: Preheat with the lid closed for about 10-15 minutes.
- Charcoal Grills: Light the coals and let them burn until they are covered with white ash (about 20-30 minutes).
Checking for Hot Spots
- Uniform Cooking: Test the heat distribution by placing slices of bread on the grill grates; note areas that brown faster.
Using Wood Chips
- Adding Flavor: We don’t recommend soaking wood chips. Why? Because soaking wood chips produces steam, not smoke. And we want the best flavor when grilling.
![A seasoned steak cooks on a grill with glowing coals beneath. A bag of Jack Daniel's Whiskey Barrel Smoking Chunks is placed next to the grill.](https://girlcarnivore.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Kamado-Konnected-8858.jpg)
Grilled Chicken Recipes
Poultry Recipes
Grilled Chicken Breast
Poultry Recipes
Grilled Spatchcock Chicken
Poultry Recipes
Charcoal Grilled Chicken Fajitas
Grilled Pork Recipes
Grilling Safety
- Location: Set up your grill in a well-ventilated area, away from structures and overhanging branches.
- Supervision: Never leave the grill unattended while in use.
- Fire Safety: Keep a fire extinguisher or a bucket of sand nearby. Use long-handled tools to avoid burns.
helpful How-tos
Grilled Seafood Recipes
Smoking on a Grill
- Charcoal Grill: Place a water pan next to the coals and wood chips on coals for moist heat and smoky flavor. Use indirect heat by placing meat away from the coals.
- Gas Grill: Use a smoker box with wood chips above a burner. Set up indirect heat by turning on one side of burners and placing meat on the opposite side.
Rotisserie Grilling
- Setup: Secure meat evenly on the rotisserie spit to ensure even cooking.
- Cooking: Use indirect heat to cook large cuts of meat slowly, allowing the meat to self-baste as it rotates.
Using Grill Planks
- Soaking: Soak planks in water for at least an hour to prevent burning.
- Cooking: Place food directly on the soaked plank, then place the plank on the grill. The wood imparts a unique, smoky flavor to the food.
Marinades for Grilling
Sauces, Mops, & Condiments
All-Purpose Grilled Chicken Marinade
Sauces, Mops, & Condiments
Pork Chop Marinade
Sauces, Mops, & Condiments
Best Flank Steak Marinade
Sauces, Mops, & Condiments
Steak Tenderizer Marinade
Sauces, Mops, & Condiments
Cilantro Lime Grilled Shrimp Marinade
Sauces, Mops, & Condiments
London Broil Marinade
Best Grilled Side Dishes
Side Dish Recipes
Grilled Corn on the Cob
Side Dish Recipes
Grilled Asparagus in Foil
Campfire Recipes
Campfire Baked Potatoes
Side Dish Recipes
Easy Grilled Corn Salad
Pork Recipes
Smoked Baked Beans
Side Dish Recipes
Smoked Mac and Cheese
Meat Guides & Resources
BBQ Sauces to Level up Your Grilling Recipes
Barbecue sauce isn’t mandatory for great BBQ, but danged if it doesn’t help.
Sauces, Mops, & Condiments
Homemade Vinegar-Based BBQ Sauce
Sauces, Mops, & Condiments
Carolina Gold Mustard-Based BBQ Sauce
Sauces, Mops, & Condiments
Easy Homemade Keto BBQ Sauce
Sauces, Mops, & Condiments
Alabama White Sauce
Newest Grilling Recipes
Beef Recipes
Garlic Butter Bacon Cheeseburger
Grilling Recipes
Direct Heat vs Indirect Heat: When and How to use Each
Sauces, Mops, & Condiments
Cilantro Lime Grilled Shrimp Marinade
Beef Recipes
Grilled London Broil
Beef Recipes
Grilled Prime Rib
How To
How to Grill a Steak
Beef Recipes
Reverse Sear Prime Rib Recipe
Beef Recipes
Grilled Hanger Steak Recipe
Lamb Recipes
Grilled Lamb Ribs
Poultry Recipes
Grilled Chicken Breast
Beef Recipes
Grilled Beef Tenderloin
Pork Recipes
Grilled Pork Chops
Side Dish Recipes
Easy Grilled Corn Salad
Side Dish Recipes
Grilled Corn in the Husks
Beef Rib
Cowboy Steak
Side Dish Recipes
Grilled Corn on the Cob
Ground Beef
Griddle Burger
Beef Recipes
Grilled Bone in Ribeye Steaks
Beef Recipes
Grilled T-bone Steak
Beef Recipes
Cheeseburger Salad
Beef Recipes
Grilled Porterhouse Steak
Poultry Recipes
Grilled Chicken Leg Quarters
Beef Recipes
Grilled Flank Steak
Beef Recipes
Grilled Flank Steak Tacos
Poultry Recipes
Grilled Spatchcock Chicken
Beef Recipes
Grilled Filet Mignon
Grilling Recipes
Steakhouse Keto Creamed Spinach
Side Dish Recipes
Smoked Cabbage
Venison
Juicy Ground Venison Burgers
Beef Recipes
Smoked Beef Ribs (Dino Ribs)
Beef Recipes
Bavette Steak Tacos
Beef Recipes