Great grilling isn’t about expensive equipment. It’s about a few habits that the best backyard cooks use every single time. Whether you’re cooking on a balcony in Vancouver or a cottage deck in Muskoka, these ten grilling tips will make your food better starting this weekend.
1. Always Preheat Your Grill
Give a gas grill 10 to 15 minutes with the lid closed, and let charcoal burn until it’s covered in a light grey ash. A properly hot grate sears food on contact, creates grill marks and helps food release instead of sticking. In cold Canadian weather, add a few extra minutes.
2. Clean and Oil the Grates
Brush the hot grates clean right after preheating. Then fold a paper towel, dip it in a high-smoke-point oil like canola, and wipe the grates using long tongs. Clean, oiled grates are the number one fix for food sticking.
3. Set Up Two Heat Zones
Run one side hot and the other side low or off. Sear on the hot side, then move food to the cooler side to finish without burning. This one change prevents more ruined dinners than any other tip. Learn more in our guide to direct vs. indirect heat.
4. Use a Meat Thermometer
Guessing doneness by poking, cutting or timing is unreliable. An instant-read thermometer tells you exactly when chicken is safe and when a steak hits medium-rare. It’s one of the best-value grilling tools you can buy.
5. Take the Chill Off
Take steaks and chops out of the fridge 20 to 30 minutes before grilling (no longer, for food safety). Food that isn’t ice-cold in the centre cooks more evenly.
6. Pat Food Dry and Season Generously
Moisture on the surface steams instead of searing. Pat meat dry with paper towels, then season well with salt. Thicker cuts can handle more seasoning than you’d think.
7. Don’t Keep Flipping or Pressing
Let food sit until it releases naturally from the grate. And never press burgers with a spatula: you’re squeezing out the juices and causing flare-ups.
8. Keep the Lid Closed
“If you’re lookin’, you ain’t cookin’.” Every time you open the lid, heat escapes. Closing the lid turns your grill into an oven, which helps thicker food cook through evenly.
9. Add Sugary Sauces at the End
BBQ sauce, maple glazes and honey marinades burn quickly. Brush them on during the last few minutes of cooking, over lower heat, so they caramelize instead of turning black.
10. Let Meat Rest
Rest steaks, chops and chicken for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting. Resting lets the juices settle back into the meat instead of running onto the cutting board.
Put These Tips to Work
Try them out on our perfect grilled steak or juicy grilled chicken recipes. And if you’re just getting started, read The Ultimate Guide to BBQ in Canada and our list of essential BBQ tools.
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