A barbecue is an exciting opportunity to meet with friends and family, enjoy a warm summer evening, and show off your grilling skills. However, not everybody knows how to make grilled meat taste great. In fact, grilling meat is one of the toughest cooking skills a person can master.
While many people love the taste of grilled steak, making it juicy, slightly charred, and simply amazing can be challenging. To help you become a pro, we have prepared a list of grilling tips that you should find helpful. Do you want to know what they are? If that is the case, then keep on reading!
Tips to make tasty grilled meat
Make sure that you have a good grill
If your grill is not high-quality, your grilled meat might end up being undercooked or dry no matter what you do. Considering this, the better your grill is, the tastier the meal will be. But finding the perfect grill can be challenging. After all, there are so many different types of grills that you can possibly choose from, ranging from gas and charcoal to pellet grills.
In order to choose a grill that will be tailored to your needs, you need to consider what exactly you will be cooking, and what temperature you need to maintain. Here are some of the basics that you should think about!
- Â If you choose to go for a gas grill, you will have more control over the heat and its distribution. However, you will not be able to cook many portions of meat at once.
- Charcoal grills can provide your grilled meat with that unique smokiness. On top of that, they are very affordable. The thing is that you will not be able to control the temperature all that well.
- Pellet grills can be quite expensive and hard to find, but they add a smoky, wood-fired flavor to your meals and give you full control over the temperature.
If you still do not know what grill will be perfect for you, check a few online blogs for tips. For example, you can read this infrared vs. gas grills review to determine which option will serve you best.
Find the best meat
Finding high-quality meat is essential if you want your grilled meat to taste great. Even though you will be able to make something decent with cheap store-bought meat, it is always better to find an experienced butcher to purchase it from instead.
When buying from such a professional, you will be able to ask him how fresh the meat is and how long ago it was cut. If you cannot find a butcher, a reputable grocery store will do just fine.
For a good steak, pick the ribeye – check here to learn where to find it during the pandemic. It is the best kind of meat if you are into home-grilling. Choose the steaks that are at least an inch thick – up to an inch-and-a-half, or two inches will be perfect. Moreover, always try to get a cut from the center.
If you do not want to spend all your savings on meat, then do not worry – you can still find a good piece of steak at an affordable price. Consider a shoulder or a flank steak, as they are very tender, but not as expensive as a ribeye.
Use the right marinate
If you have high-quality meat, you can skip the fancy marinates. Use only oil, some coarsely ground fresh pepper, and kosher salt. It should be more than enough to make your grilled meat taste great.
However, if you are cooking a more low-quality cut of meat, like a flank steak, a marinade is a must. Use vinegar, oil, citrus juice, or even beer as a base, and add some spices, garlic, and some mustard if you wish. Let your meat soak in the marinade for a few hours, and get to grilling!
Prepare the grill
Always start with a clean grill and make sure to scrub it after every use. When it is still heating, cover the grill grates with oil to prevent the meat from sticking to them. However, make sure that your brush does not stick to your grill! Burns caused by hot plastic is among one of the common reasons for hospital visits during warmer months.
Cook it properly
Due to the fact that high heat sears the steak, make sure that the grill is hot before you start grilling. Additionally, always use a spatula or tongs to flip the meat and try not to use forks, as the punctures that they leave behind will allow all the juices to escape the meat. Other than that, remember not to flip it too often – otherwise, you will not get that perfect taste.
Enjoy the perfect grilled steak!
Making perfect grilled meat can be challenging, especially if you are not an experienced cook. However, it all comes down to putting a few great tips into action. With them, every grilled steak will taste exactly like the one you would get at a restaurant or even better.
Nevertheless, it will require you to put in a little bit of effort. You will need to purchase the right grill and prepare it properly, as well as choose the right kinds of meat and marinate it the right way. On top of that, you will need to use the best grilling techniques out there.
While it might seem like a hassle, doing the things mentioned above should make you become a grilling pro in no time!