Good grilling recipes + step-by-step grilling instructions :)

[J-rap]

I love to grill!  We rarely do it though.  I'm looking for simple grilling instructions for an old-fashioned grill (no gas or frills), since I want to figure out how to do this myself and not rely on other people.  

 

Plus, good recipes!

 

 

[SparklyUnicorn]

In terms of getting the grill going, I'm sure there are instructions on the bags of charcoal, but basically you pile up some charcoal, squirt some lighter fluid on them and light it.  You need to let it burn for awhile until the coals look white and ashy.  Then you start cooking. 

 

The heat is difficult to control so you have to pay attention to flare ups and stuff.  If it's a cut of meat that needs to be cooked longer and thoroughly, like bone in chicken, you may want to partially cook it before putting it directly on the grill.  You can boil it or you can wrap it in foil and take it out when it is nearly cooked. 

 

I'm sure there are zillions of recipes on-line, but the techniques are similar.  The hardest thing is trying to cook things thoroughly without basically charring the heck out of something on the outside while it is still raw on the inside. 

 

 

[J-rap]

In terms of getting the grill going, I'm sure there are instructions on the bags of charcoal, but basically you pile up some charcoal, squirt some lighter fluid on them and light it.  You need to let it burn for awhile until the coals look white and ashy.  Then you start cooking. 

 

The heat is difficult to control so you have to pay attention to flare ups and stuff.  If it's a cut of meat that needs to be cooked longer and thoroughly, like bone in chicken, you may want to partially cook it before putting it directly on the grill.  You can boil it or you can wrap it in foil and take it out when it is nearly cooked. 

 

I'm sure there are zillions of recipes on-line, but the techniques are similar.  The hardest thing is trying to cook things thoroughly without basically charring the heck out of something on the outside while it is still raw on the inside. 

 

When you say let it burn for awhile, how long do you mean, generally?

[SparklyUnicorn]

When you say let it burn for awhile, how long do you mean, generally?

 

about 10-15 minutes

[SparklyUnicorn]

coals will look like this when ready:

 

 

 

[happi duck]

I just kind of wing it with tips picked up here and there. We mostly grill veggies.

 

When I put in the charcoal I pile it up in a way that leaves less on one side so that I have a cool spot for moving stuff around as it's cooked and for things that don't need the highest heat.

 

After the grill grate is hot and before cooking I hit the grate with a wire grill brush and then using tongs I wipe the grate down with an oiled paper towel. Instead of a wire brush I've seen using tongs and a crumpled piece of foil.

 

Never squirt lighter fluid once there's a flame. (I'm assuming this is true and not just a tall tale!)

[Guest]

Well, my advice is not to cook indoors and outdoors at the same time, at least as a newbie. Ask me how I know... :leaving:

[J-rap]

coals will look like this when ready:

 

Thanks!  That's actually very helpful.  :)

[J-rap]

I just kind of wing it with tips picked up here and there. We mostly grill veggies.

 

When I put in the charcoal I pile it up in a way that leaves less on one side so that I have a cool spot for moving stuff around as it's cooked and for things that don't need the highest heat.

 

After the grill grate is hot and before cooking I hit the grate with a wire grill brush and then using tongs I wipe the grate down with an oiled paper towel. Instead of a wire brush I've seen using tongs and a crumpled piece of foil.

 

Never squirt lighter fluid once there's a flame. (I'm assuming this is true and not just a tall tale!)

 

Thanks!  I'm sure this all seems very basic to most people, but it's very helpful to me!  So you don't necessarily scrub the grill down after each grilling, you just brush and oil when you're beginning the next one?

[VaKim]

As for the fire itself, we got one of these chimneys. It makes the charcoal heat up much faster. Check out the video clips on the page for how to use.

 

I do cover my grill with foil and poke holes in it with a screwdriver. Then I can just replace the foil each time. 

Edited June 25, 2016 by VaKim

[J-rap]

As for the fire itself, we got one of these chimneys. It makes the charcoal heat up much faster. Check out the video clips on the page for how to use.

 

I do cover my grill with foil and poke holes in it with a screwdriver. Then I can just replace the foil each time. 

 

Foil is a good idea!  I hadn't heard of that one.

[happi duck]

Thanks! I'm sure this all seems very basic to most people, but it's very helpful to me! So you don't necessarily scrub the grill down after each grilling, you just brush and oil when you're beginning the next one?

Again, I just wing it. I "scrub" with a wire grill brush while the grate is hot *before* oiling and then cooking.

 

I figure that the flames and scrubbing off any loose bits is enough to be 'clean'. My grill grate does not look shiny and new!

 

I don't bother doing anything after cooking.

 

I just wing it because I think it's fun and we all like roasted veggies. Grilling was never going to happen unless I did it...so I did! Fire, food and trial and error.

 

Have fun!

[ktgrok]

You want higher and lower areas of heat if you are making anything other than maybe hot dogs or hamburgers. so move your coals, once they are all ready, into one area and leave the other empty, that way you have two zones. One with direct heat and one with indirect heat. The area without the coals under it cooks more like an oven, if you have the grill lid on. The area with the coals cooks more like a broiler. You can move food back an forth as needed if the outside starts to char before the inside is done. 

 

If you know you will be doing mostly indirect heat you can move the coals to the outer edges and leave the middle bare. 

 

There are some great grilling episodes of Good Eats, and there are whole shows devoted to grilling on PBS. Check the website or if you have the app, the app, to find Barbecue U and Primal Grill

 

http://www.primalgrill.org/videos/season_3_intro.asp

 

http://www.bbqu.net

Edited June 25, 2016 by ktgrok

[J-rap]

You want higher and lower areas of heat if you are making anything other than maybe hot dogs or hamburgers. so move your coals, once they are all ready, into one area and leave the other empty, that way you have two zones. One with direct heat and one with indirect heat. The area without the coals under it cooks more like an oven, if you have the grill lid on. The area with the coals cooks more like a broiler. You can move food back an forth as needed if the outside starts to char before the inside is done. 

 

If you know you will be doing mostly indirect heat you can move the coals to the outer edges and leave the middle bare. 

 

There are some great grilling episodes of Good Eats, and there are whole shows devoted to grilling on PBS. Check the website or if you have the app, the app, to find Barbecue U and Primal Grill

 

http://www.primalgrill.org/videos/season_3_intro.asp

 

http://www.bbqu.net

Thanks for the links!

[ktgrok]

Thanks for the links!

 

No problem! I've watched more hours of those shows than I want to admit to, it used to be on the Create PBS channel every weekend, over and over. 

[purplejackmama]

Best grilled chicken breast advice I've learned:

 

You want the meat to be uniform in thickness. So, slice the chicken in half long ways (I hope that makes sense. Like how you would butterfly) and then marinade. Favorite marinades have an oil for tenderizing, and spices for seasoning. I love a bottle of Italian dressing as a marinade. Covers all the bases!

 

It took me years to learn this. This keeps it all pretty juicy and flavorful. My family endured many a dry chicken! Learn from my mistakes. :)

[J-rap]

Best grilled chicken breast advice I've learned:

 

You want the meat to be uniform in thickness. So, slice the chicken in half long ways (I hope that makes sense. Like how you would butterfly) and then marinade. Favorite marinades have an oil for tenderizing, and spices for seasoning. I love a bottle of Italian dressing as a marinade. Covers all the bases!

 

It took me years to learn this. This keeps it all pretty juicy and flavorful. My family endured many a dry chicken! Learn from my mistakes. :)

 

That sounds good!  Sounds like an easy enough one to begin with.  :)

[Ali in OR]

I would also recommend using a chimney to start the coals. No lighter fluid necessary (I don't like the smell or the chemicals) and the coals light much more consistently for me than when I used to use the "pile 'em up and soak 'em with lighter fluid" method. For a chimney you crumple 2 pieces of full-sized newspaper and put them in the lowest compartment. Fill the upper compartment with briquettes. Use a lighter wand to light the newspaper through the holes in the chimney. Coals ready in about 15 minutes.

 

Here's my go-to recipe for marinated chicken breasts. We eat them with side dishes, we cut them up and top salads with them, I add them to pasta dishes, and even Mexican dishes (though I keep thinking there is probably a more ideal spice than Italian seasoning for Mexican dishes, but it always tastes fine). I take a package of 2 chicken breasts from the Costco 6-pack. I cut each breast into 3 roughly equal pieces by cutting off the skinny end for one piece (kind of a triangle shape), then cutting the remaining fat end lengthwise into 2 thinner pieces--all 3 pieces are roughly the same thickness. For the marinade:

 

1/4 c. olive oil

1/4 c. red wine vinegar

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp onion powder

1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp Thyme

 

(this is a low-sodium recipe. You can add some salt or garlic salt, but I don't think you really miss it)

 

Combine ingredients, pour into a gallon sized ziplock bag, add chicken pieces, marinade in fridge 2 hours (shorter or longer seems to work ok too). Grill chicken about 5 minutes per side. I use a digital meat thermometer to make sure chicken hits 165° before I take it off the grill.

Edited June 26, 2016 by Ali in OR

[ktgrok]

Best grilled chicken breast advice I've learned:

 

You want the meat to be uniform in thickness. So, slice the chicken in half long ways (I hope that makes sense. Like how you would butterfly) and then marinade. Favorite marinades have an oil for tenderizing, and spices for seasoning. I love a bottle of Italian dressing as a marinade. Covers all the bases!

 

It took me years to learn this. This keeps it all pretty juicy and flavorful. My family endured many a dry chicken! Learn from my mistakes. :)

 

Hmm,, I'll have to try this! I just pound them with a rolling pin in a plastic bag, to make them a uniform thickness, then yes, marinade. The garlic and herb one in the bottle is my favorite. Or mojo ones. 

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[ktgrok]

Best grilled chicken breast advice I've learned:

 

You want the meat to be uniform in thickness. So, slice the chicken in half long ways (I hope that makes sense. Like how you would butterfly) and then marinade. Favorite marinades have an oil for tenderizing, and spices for seasoning. I love a bottle of Italian dressing as a marinade. Covers all the bases!

 

It took me years to learn this. This keeps it all pretty juicy and flavorful. My family endured many a dry chicken! Learn from my mistakes. :)

 

Hmm,, I'll have to try this! I just pound them with a rolling pin in a plastic bag, to make them a uniform thickness, then yes, marinade. The garlic and herb one in the bottle is my favorite. Or mojo ones. 

SaveSave