Foiled Again - Using Public GrillsAs mentioned, public grills can be pretty disgusting. Covering the grill with aluminum foil will help keep your food clean. Poke a few holes in it to let grease pass through to the coals below. This will help make the fire hotter and will make your foods less greasy.
Keeping Flames Down on a GrillA good thing to have when you are grilling is to go buy a empty squirt bottle and when you get home fill it with water. So when you are grilling you can squirt water on the flames to keep them down. It also comes in handy if you want to steam some food.
Use Pie Tins For GrillingI grill multiple foods on pie tins on my grill! I do this so veggies don't stick or fall through the slats into the fire. I can make a few different foods at one time, for parties or just multiple meals for the week.
Grilled Corn on the CobI have a large family and oftentimes find it easier (and more convenient) to cook everything outside on the grill. My tip is the easiest and most convenient I have ever done:
Seasoning Grilled Meats With HerbsThe guest on RR showed what he called "seasoning the board." When he was grilling, he put chopped herbs, onions, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper and red pepper on a chopping board. He rubbed it onto the board, finishing it with a crisp squeeze of lemon.
Frugal Veggie GrillingDon't have one of those special baskets for cooking vegetable on your outdoor grill? Not to worry. You can still have yummy, healthy veggies cooked right along with your BBQ meats.
Easy Stuffed Baked Potatoes on the GrillI was bored with plain baked potatoes and had some leftover dip to use up, so I came up with this recipe.
Bamboo or Metal Kabob Skewers?I was watching a neighbor grill assorted types of meat kabobs on our shared apartment community gas grill, and noticed that he was using metal skewers for some and bamboo skewers for others.
Large Juice Can as Charcoal ChimneyYesterday, I wanted to barbecue for the first time this year. I realized that I had no lighter fluid and really needed to start the coals up quickly. I thought of those charcoal starter chimneys and remembered I had a can of juice in my pantry.
Medical Gloves for Eating BBQ RibsWe grilled out a couple of slabs of 'messy', but delicious BBQ ribs on the grill and when we were ready to get our grub on, I had a box of new disposable medical gloves that I gave each person a pair of.
Keeping Grilled Meats MoistDo you like moisture in your meat after grilling? When grilling meat, salt it after cooking. If you salt meat or poultry before grilling, the salt will draw out the moisture and make it dry.
Keep Grill Lid From StickingWhen it's cold during the winter months, my outdoor Holland grill lid sticks due to a little grease buildup around the edge. It's really hard to open and we use the grill several times a week, so this became a real problem.
Barbecue Apricot ChickenTake a bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce and add a jar of apricot jam and blend. Cover your chicken on the grill with it and cook slowly continuing to cover the chicken with the sauce on both sides. This is yummy.
Add Sawdust Before Charcoal GrillingSave that sawdust "manufactured" in your home workshop, soak a handful in water and spread it across the charcoal in your outdoor grill just before you throw on those slices of steak.
Easy Cleaning of a BBQ GrillI just got off the phone with my eldest who is still living in Tennessee. He said, "I've got something for ThriftyFun". When he and his wife grill, they clean the hot grill with a half lemon or lime. It's completely green and the acidity takes care of the bacteria.
Ideas for Barbecue LeftoversIt's the day after your backyard bash and you're staring at a fridge-full of leftovers.
Make Your Own KabobsPut a fun and affordable spin on backyard barbecues with a make-your-own-kabob station. Set out a variety of chopped veggies like peppers, zucchini, and mushrooms and marinated and cubed steak or chicken.
Grill Foods Before Company ArrivesThe best way to have a family BBQ, is to throw everything on the grill about 2 hours before your guests are supposed to arrive. As things finish cooking, put them on covered baking sheets in your oven at about 200 degrees F to keep them warm.
Use Broiler Pan on BarbecueUse a broiler pan to grill small items on your barbecue grill. We picked up a spare at the thrift store for this purpose.
Broil or Grill PeachesHere is an absolutely delicious way to use summer peaches - especially those ones that never seem to get absolutely soft ripe. Halve and de-stone peaches and broil them for a few minutes either side (or put them on the barbecue) until they're soft and sticky.
Add Onion to BBQ CoalsSave onion peels to toss onto hot coals when grilling. They will add extra flavor to your grilled foods.
Use Rosemary For SkewersRather than buying skewers I use branches off of my rosemary bush. I use a knife to put a point on the branch and "thread" on onions, pineapple, chunks of chicken and bell peppers. The taste imparted when put on the barbecue is heavenly.
Catch Juices Under Your Rotisserie for GravyWhen you are using a rotisserie outside, put an aluminum pan under the meat to catch the fat and juices for making gravy and sauces to serve with the meat. This prevents fats from dripping fats on the fire.
Uniform Hamburger PattiesWhen forming hamburger patties, leave the middle thinner or even put a hole in the middle (like a donut). When they cook, the middle will fill in and the thickness will be the same all around.
Make Your Own Charcoal StarterOkay, charcoal grill friends, this one is for you! Cabellas sells this thing called a Rapidfire Chimney Starter, and they want twenty bucks for it, plus shipping! Pshaw! You can totally make one out of an old coffee can.
Perfect Grilled Corn on the CobFor each cob you need to cook, tear off a piece of aluminum foil large enough to wrap the cob in. Lay out all the foil on the counter. Clean your cobs to get rid of all the stringy pieces and soak them in cold water for about 20 minutes.
Making Better Hamburger PattiesAdding a tablespoon of mayonnaise to your ground beef before patting out hamburgers keeps them juicy on the grill. This prevents them from drying out.
Sterilize the Barbecue GrillThis is a grilling tip. I've heard that people will grill in the spring, and everyone gets ill. This tip should stop that.
Propane Grill Igniter TipThe grilling season is upon us! Here's something you must know about your grill's propane igniter button: Don't buy a new one until you try this first!
Cooking While Your Kitchen is Being BuiltWe are building a home and we haven't completed our kitchen. This has been a challenge with the cold weather as I have no oven. My indoor cooking consists of a microwave. You have to be pretty organized to complete a hot meal.
Make Sure Your Propane Tank Is Empty Before RefillingDid you know the cost to fill you propane bottle is the same regardless how much propane it takes to fill it? Sometimes it is hard to tell if a bottle is full, half full, or empty.
Condition Your Grill With Oil To Prevent StickingTired of food sticking to your BBQ grill? Try this. Heat your grill on high and let it get hot. Use a 2 inch brush and small dipping bowl with about 1/4 inch veg oil.
Heat Up Chili on the Grill for Chili DogsWhen cooking hotdogs on the grill, I open a can of chili then put it straight on the grill. It heats up and makes great chili dogs. Just remember to open before putting on the grill.
Grilling Ahead for the WeekTo save energy and time, I cook on the grill almost every weekend. I cook 2-3 different meats, such as burgers, chicken, hot dogs, or pork chops. I also cook several side dishes, such as, baked potatoes, grilled squash, or open a can of corn and put on the grill. I have enough for 2-3 more meals.
Using a Grill Wok to Cook French FriesI have a grill wok that is made to grill veggies, but sometimes my family would prefer the less healthy side dishes. I put frozen french fries in the grill wok and cook them while I am grilling hamburgers. They taste great with a smokey flavor. An added benefit is that I did not heat up my kitchen.
Gas Grill with a Low FlameWhen cooking on a gas grill, if the flame isn't as high as you think it should be, use the wooden end of a wire brush and tap the regulator, in case you have dirt or grease in the line. This may solve the problem of the low flame and keep you from having to purchase a new regulator.
Cooking Roast on the GrillWhen it is extremely hot, I cook a pork or beef roast on my charcoal grill. You do this by using some heavy duty foil. Sprinkle meat tenderizer (inexpensive is best!) on the meat and wrap in foil making a packet.
Checking Fuel Level in a Propane TankThere's nothing worse than running out of fuel halfway through grilling. If your grill doesn't have a gas gauge, use this technique to estimate how much gas is left in the tank. Start by bringing a cup or so of water to a boil in a small saucepan or glass measuring cup (if using a microwave).
Grilling Food for the FreezerOutside Grilling for Cold Weather. I am grilling outside today! Yes, in 50 degree weather, Brrr! I'm grilling wings, burgers and hot dogs. Then I freeze in bags to be used later. I can pull out what I want, still frozen.
Keeping Cool by Grilling Lots of MeatKeeping Cool by Grilling Lots of Meat. I fire up my grill once a week and grill enough meat for the entire week -- hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken breasts, steaks and pork chops. . .
Barbecuing Walla Walla OnionsWalla Walla sweet onions are a delicious seasonal treat. We like to add them to our BBQ's. These go great with steak, chicken, salad or on its own. Vidalia onions are also good prepared this way, but nothing beats Walla Walla.
Keeping Grills CleanKeep the barbeque grill cleaner by rubbing it with cooking oil before using it. You will have less stuck on food!
Grilling Pork ChopsWhen grilling pork chops, it's very important to have the heat hot enough to be able to hear the meat sizzling over the coals. While steaks need to be cooked on a very hot fire. Let the flames come up around the steak to seal in the natural juices.
Spray Bottle For Outside GrillingWhen grilling outside, keep a spray bottle of water to control the flames of the grill. Don't pour water onto the charcoal as it cools the temperature which will have to reheat before cooking continues.
Flavoring Meats Sassafras or Wild Cherry WoodWhen cooking your meats with wood for flavoring, (ex. hams or smoking turkey), sassafras or wild cherry wood brings the flavoring out best of all.
Extra Flavor for the GrillTo add extra flavor while grilling, save the loose skin on onions and garlic to toss into the fire just before grilling meats or vegetables. Throw dry fennel tops on the fire when grilling fish.
Using A Worn George Forman GrillFor those that wrote about the worn Teflon on their GF Grills, when the grill is cold, try pressing aluminum foil sheet on the grill plate(s) then cook as usual on on that.
Should make clean up easy. Might be good even if you don't have a problem!
By Syd
Quick Barbeque Sauce With Ketchup and ColaFor a quick BBQ sauce mix one cup of ketchup with one cup of a cola soda drink. Mix over medium heat till thickened. Can double and triple this recipe.
Preventing Barbecue Flare-upsTo prevent flare-ups when barbecuing, place lettuce leaves on the hot coals before barbecuing fatty meat. The lettuce will blacken but not ignite.
Brushing on the BBQ SauceDo you use barbecue sauce on meat, poultry or even fish? I purchased a package of 3 brushes at the dollar store in our area and use one at a time to spread the sauce on the protein that I am grilling.
Grilling SwordfishBefore grilling swordfish try coating one side with mayonnaise. Cook on one side and then coat the other side after turning it. Makes a nice slightly crusty outside and good tasting topping. Happy eating.
By joesgirl
Cut Burgers in Half for CookoutsWhen serving food at cookouts, go ahead and put some of the hamburgers on buns, then cut them in half before placing on the serving platter. This helps cut down on the number of kids who take a whole burger, and then waste half of it.
By Becki in Indiana
Parboil Chicken for Buffalo WingsI parboil chicken wings before I bake them for buffalo wings. I place an onion, carrot, garlic clove and two bouillon cubes in with the wings and water to cover. Simmer one hour.
Spray Your BBQ With Cooking OilSpray your grill with nonstick cooking spray to keep items from sticking, and make cleanup easier. I bought a "Kitchen Spritzer" from The Pampered Chef that uses cooking oil in a non-aerosol pump. It is very economical and much greener than commercial products that use propellants.
- Nancy
