Memorial Day Grilling Tips! |Frugal Front Porch

Memorial Day is quickly approaching. I’m sure you have your grill cleaned and primed with the propane tank filled or a new bag of charcoal lying in wait. The steaks, chicken, hot dogs and burgers are chillin’ in the fridge waiting for their big debut.

Side items? Who needs ‘em. It’s all about the meat! (start grunting like Tim Allen on Home Improvement!)

I’m a meat eater! Especially when it comes off the grill. There’s just something INSANELY good about meat cooked on the grill when it’s done right. I’m sure there’s some scientific reason behind it but all I know is my taste buds go NUTS when I’m kicked back gnawing on a side of beef hot off the grill!

When perusing my latest copy of Food Network Magazine, I discovered it’s all about summer time recipes…including a few fantastic grilling tips. Below are a few tips I gleaned from FNM plus a few of my own, to help you achieve Grillin King or Queen status.

Look for meat with great marbling. It adds flavor and often helps tenderize the meat. (FNM)
Let your meat come to room temperature before putting it on the grill. This helps keep the grill at the same temperature from beginning to end. (FNM)
Don’t move it around too much. Let it get a good sear on each side. This should prevent sticking and help seal in the juices. (FNM)
If you’re going to marinade, ideally allow it to marinade for 24 hours before show time but as little as 2 hours can impart flavor.
Ditch the fork, go with tongs instead. This will keep the juices inside the meat instead of running out onto the flame.
Making kabobs? Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent them from burning.
The key to a flat burger EVERY time? Squeeze an indentation with your thumb in the middle on each side. As they plump while they cook, the burger will remain flat.
Hold the sauce until the last few minutes of cooking. The sugar in many sauces burns easily so wait to mop it on to prevent charring.
Have trouble achieving evenly cooked bone-in steaks? Bobby Flay says to ditch the bone! He finds the bone doesn’t impart that much flavor on a grilled steak so he debones his steaks before grilling. (FNM)
Give your meat the finger to see if it’s ready. Meat feels firm when well done, slightly springy when medium, and very soft & spongy when it’s rare. (FNM)
Give it a rest. Let the meat rest for about 5 minutes before cutting into it. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat so they don’t end up running out on your plate. (FNM)