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  • 10 BBQ Hacks That Will Make Your Grilling Easier

10 BBQ Hacks That Will Make Your Grilling Easier

June 19, 2015

If you’re not fortunate enough to live in a climate that is warm all year round, you likely spend most of your time cooking indoors. When it warms up and you have the opportunity to cook outside, the easier the work and the more time you can spend enjoying the weather and friends, the better. Here are 10 BBQ Hacks that will not only inspire you, your friends will be impressed with your ingenuity.

1. MORE THAN JUST FOR FRENCH FRIES

It’s inevitable, food is going to get stuck on the grill. Cleaning all that off can slow you down. Why not be prepared ahead of time. Rubbing a potato on the grill to create a non-stick surface will eliminate the built up food particles on the grates. Start by pre-heating the grill so it’s hot. Cut a raw potato in half and pierce the non-cut side with a fork to use it as a handle. Rub the cut side of the potato over the grill. In theory, the starch from the potato will form a barrier between the food and the grill. You can, once you’re done grilling, use the other half of the potato and clean the grill again so it’s ready for the next round of grilling.

2. DON’T BRUSH ME OFF

Ok so you think you thought of everything. You’re at a park or a tailgate party and you’re all set up and the one thing you forgot is a baster. Really? You don’t even have a spoon because it’s a tailgate party, you’re travelling light. Not to worry, if you’ve got toppings for your burgers such as lettuce you can McGyver that into a basting brush substitute. Take one or two leaves (go for the sturdiest) and dip the end into your favourite sauce. Use the lettuce leaves to spread the marinade or sauce on your meat or vegetables. An added bonus? No fussy basting brush to clean. Keep in mind, the larger the leaf, the further your hand is away from heat and the better manageability you will have. Other quick basting brushes? Use corn husks or a lemon half.

3. SPICE IT UP

Want a unique flavour when using your charcoal grill? Grab some fresh rosemary and sprinkle it throughout the charcoal. The aroma is wonderful and the thick, woody stems will burn longer than more delicate herbs. Added bonus – rosemary is a natural repellent for mosquitoes so your yard will smell good and be mosquito free!

4. MUFFIN TINS DOUBLE AS CONDIMENT TRAYS

There are a lot of choices in condiments today. And while choice is good, lugging each bottle or plate out individually is a lot unnecessary work. Instead of doing that, use a muffin tin. Pour ketchup, mustard and relishes or place cut up vegetables in individual muffin centers and use one tin to carry everything out at once.

5. EGGACTLY RIGHT – USE AN EGG CARTON TO LIGHT COALS

Need to start your charcoal grill? Use an egg carton. Take a typical cardboard (DO NOT USE STYROFOAM) egg carton and place a charcoal briquette in each slot. This handy hack puts kindling and coals close together. Planning a camping trip or tailgate party? Make up several cartons ahead of time and keep them on hand in a safe place for a quick grab and go solution.

6. TWO SKEWERS ARE BETTER THAN ONE

Kebabs are sometimes a little tricky to grill. A good hack is to use two skewers per kebab. This will keep meat and veggies from rotating and loosening when you grill. don’t forget if you are using wooden skewers to pre-soak them in water for 30 minutes prior to use to prevent them from burning.

7. SPIRALING WITH CONTROL

This is a seriously simple hack to impress the crowds and it’s so simple and adds extra flavour to an everyday hot dog. Spiral your hot dog. The spiral cut basically creates a greater surface area on the frankfurter. That, in turn, lets the meat get caramelized and go crunchy and creates little pockets for sauces and condiments.

The method is simple:

  • insert a wooden skewer through the center of the dog. With a knife held at a slight angle, cut down to the skewer as you roll the hot dog away from you.
  • Remove the wooden skewer and put your newly spiral-cut hot dogs directly onto the grill. once they get browned baste them with BBQ sauce and you’ll be a backyard hero when they taste them!

8. USE A BED OF LEMON SLICES TO GRILL YOUR FISH

Fish sticks to grills. It is inevitable, and a pity because the flavour of grilled fish is incredible. There are a couple of hacks to overcome this and one of the best ones is a very clever technique using food to protect food. Slice up lemons and place them on the heated grill before you place the fish on the grill. Using the lemon slices as a barrier also has the added bonus of adding a lively citrus flavour and helps to add moisture to a meat that quickly loses moisture through the grilling process. Top your fish with fresh herbs and garlic butter and you’ve created a restaurant quality dish.

9. SPRAY APPLE JUICE AS YOU GRILL

Using 100% apple juice during the cooking process will increase colour, flavour, and tenderness of meat. Don’t over do the spray and do it periodically and you’ll get excellent results.

10. USE A TIN FOIL TENT FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS

Add extra flavour and moisture to meat. When it comes off the grill. We know that letting meat rest allows the juices to circulate through the cooked meat making it more tasty. Let meat rest for approximately 10 minutes under a loose foil tent and you’ll notice an even higher level of taste. Using a foil tent will keep the meat warm and moist and allow the cut to soak its juices evenly. Another good hack using tin foil is to use foil to make BBQ packets. They are easy to do and there’s no mess to clean up. Combine your favourite vegetables, some fresh spices, toss in a bit of olive oil, envelope up in tin foil and cook approximately 10-15 minutes depending on vegetable density. And let’s not forget your corn on the cob, in foil, with flavoured butter, on the grill. Heaven.