Outdoor grill for veggies?

[happi duck]

We have a second hand, round Weber charcoal grill.  I don't mess with it often but when I do I grill up a bunch of veggies.

I'd like to grill veggies more often this summer and am considering buying a new grill.

Is propane worth it?  Does food end up tasting of propane?  Would a rectangle shape make grilling a lot of vegetables easier?

Are there other vegetarian uses for a grill besides veggie burgers/hot dogs and grilled vegetables?

[Miss Tick]

You could do pizza. If you are a fish-eating vegetarian, the grill can be great for that. I like grilled vegetables for Chop Salad.

We've used a Weber grill like that for 20 years. We have a charcoal starter and a couple of those vented pans for grilling smaller vegetables. Given our history, I don't see much point in replacing the grill. You could use that money to buy more vegetables!

[Katy]

Propane is easier and faster. No the foods don’t taste like propane. It’s just like cooking on a gas  stove. There are some propane grill griddles made for outside now that are basically a sheet of metal that are great for things like stir frying vegetables. We’ve made pizza on a grill. 

[HomeAgain]

We grill a lot of veggie kabobs on our propane grill.  It doesn't taste like propane.  I do like having our grill basket for smaller items, but things like zucchini or mushrooms will go directly on the grates.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Can't speak to propane, because I haven't used it, but I do have and use grill mats (basically a rectangular non-stick thin sheet that you put on the grill.)  It keeps small veggies from falling through. 

[happi duck]

It sounds like some pans or mats would help my current set up.  It'd be nice to grill some smaller veg!

[skimomma]

We are vegetarian and grill a LOT every summer.

First, we are purists and propane just does not cut it.  While food certainly never tastes like propane, you do lose the charcoal flavor, which we really like.  We like to smoke veggies as well, so charcoal it is.  We often will add apple wood or other things to enhance flavor.

Just last summer, I bit the bullet and bought 4 vegetarian grilling cookbooks and we have been going to town.  Before that, we still did a lot of grilling.  Grilled pizza if a favorite here but we grilled all sorts of other things outside of the standard veggie dogs.  Mostly vegetables like asparagus, sweet potato, zucchini, winter squash, anything in a kabob form, etc....  We also like to marinate and grill veggies to make into pasta or quiche.  But with the new books, we have expanded so that grilled chickpeas, various mushrooms, smoked beet hummus, all kinds of tofu dishes, and even things like grilled jalapeño poppers are summer staples.  I highly recommend getting your hands on some good books. There is no limit to veggie grilling fun.

As someone else already mentioned, I would keep the weber grill and focus your investment on tools.  We have various grill baskets that make smaller foods much easier to handle.  I have two cast iron flat pans that I use regularly.  And we often bury foil-wrapped items (beets are or favorite) in the coals to slow cook while making other foods.  This requires more robust tongs and gloves.  If you don't have one, a chimney for the starting the charcoal is great.

[GoVanGogh]

13 minutes ago, skimomma said:

We are vegetarian and grill a LOT every summer.

First, we are purists and propane just does not cut it.  While food certainly never tastes like propane, you do lose the charcoal flavor, which we really like.  We like to smoke veggies as well, so charcoal it is.  We often will add apple wood or other things to enhance flavor.

Just last summer, I bit the bullet and bought 4 vegetarian grilling cookbooks and we have been going to town.  Before that, we still did a lot of grilling.  Grilled pizza if a favorite here but we grilled all sorts of other things outside of the standard veggie dogs.  Mostly vegetables like asparagus, sweet potato, zucchini, winter squash, anything in a kabob form, etc....  We also like to marinate and grill veggies to make into pasta or quiche.  But with the new books, we have expanded so that grilled chickpeas, various mushrooms, smoked beet hummus, all kinds of tofu dishes, and even things like grilled jalapeño poppers are summer staples.  I highly recommend getting your hands on some good books. There is no limit to veggie grilling fun.

As someone else already mentioned, I would keep the weber grill and focus your investment on tools.  We have various grill baskets that make smaller foods much easier to handle.  I have two cast iron flat pans that I use regularly.  And we often bury foil-wrapped items (beets are or favorite) in the coals to slow cook while making other foods.  This requires more robust tongs and gloves.  If you don't have one, a chimney for the starting the charcoal is great.

Oh! Thank you so much for this! We had a large covered patio and outdoor cooking area built several years ago. We used our grill (charcoal) all the time. Then I went vegetarian. I have tried to get my DH willing to grill vegetables, but haven’t convinced him yet. I hate that we haven’t been using the grill! 

[Acadie]

2 hours ago, skimomma said:

But with the new books, we have expanded so that grilled chickpeas...

Were you the one who suggested grilling chickpeas on my thread from last summer? If yes I owe you a huge thank you, because grilled chickpeas are the bomb!

No matter what we're making, the first thing on the grill is a basket of chickpeas tossed with a touch of olive oil, salt, smoked paprika and whatever else...Penzey's Turkish seasoning is my current fave.

Such a treat! 

[happi duck]

@skimomma

It never occured to me to look for cookbooks!

I never thought of smoking the veg, cool!

I think I'm convinced to keep our Weber and up our game in other ways!

[Bambam]

2 hours ago, Acadie said:

Were you the one who suggested grilling chickpeas on my thread from last summer? If yes I owe you a huge thank you, because grilled chickpeas are the bomb!

No matter what we're making, the first thing on the grill is a basket of chickpeas tossed with a touch of olive oil, salt, smoked paprika and whatever else...Penzey's Turkish seasoning is my current fave.

Such a treat! 

Grilled chickpeas? Would they taste the same as when you use the air fryer? 

[happi duck]

Grilled chickpeas keeps bringing up the image of flipping little individual chickpeas, lol!

[skimomma]

15 hours ago, Acadie said:

Were you the one who suggested grilling chickpeas on my thread from last summer? If yes I owe you a huge thank you, because grilled chickpeas are the bomb!

No matter what we're making, the first thing on the grill is a basket of chickpeas tossed with a touch of olive oil, salt, smoked paprika and whatever else...Penzey's Turkish seasoning is my current fave.

Such a treat! 

That was me!

And we also start with chickpeas every time we grill!  We still have snow on the ground but I think we will drag out the Weber this weekend.

[skimomma]

12 hours ago, Bambam said:

Grilled chickpeas? Would they taste the same as when you use the air fryer? 

I have made these in the air fryer and in cast iron on the stove.  They are good but not the same as grilled.

[ScoutTN]

18 hours ago, Acadie said:

Were you the one who suggested grilling chickpeas on my thread from last summer? If yes I owe you a huge thank you, because grilled chickpeas are the bomb!

No matter what we're making, the first thing on the grill is a basket of chickpeas tossed with a touch of olive oil, salt, smoked paprika and whatever else...Penzey's Turkish seasoning is my current fave.

Such a treat! 

Definitely trying this!

[happi duck]

I'm looking at the Steve Raichlen veggie book:.  https://www.workman.com/products/how-to-grill-vegetables/paperback

Anyone have experience with this book?

[Acadie]

On 4/26/2023 at 2:48 PM, skimomma said:

Just last summer, I bit the bullet and bought 4 vegetarian grilling cookbooks and we have been going to town.  Before that, we still did a lot of grilling.  Grilled pizza if a favorite here but we grilled all sorts of other things outside of the standard veggie dogs.  Mostly vegetables like asparagus, sweet potato, zucchini, winter squash, anything in a kabob form, etc....  We also like to marinate and grill veggies to make into pasta or quiche.  But with the new books, we have expanded so that grilled chickpeas, various mushrooms, smoked beet hummus, all kinds of tofu dishes, and even things like grilled jalapeño poppers are summer staples.  I highly recommend getting your hands on some good books. There is no limit to veggie grilling fun.

Any cookbook faves? 

[skimomma]

 

32 minutes ago, Acadie said:

Any cookbook faves? 

These two are my favorites:

https://www.amazon.com/VBQ_The-Ultimate-Vegan-Barbecue-Cookbook/dp/1615194568/ref=sr_1_1?crid=38KFE5QWD2820&keywords=vbq+the+ultimate+vegan+barbecue+cookbook&qid=1682626383&sprefix=vbq%2Caps%2C448&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/Vegetables-Fire-Vegetable-Centered-Meals-Grill/dp/145215824X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2P1RLAONPP3V5&keywords=vegetables+on+fire&qid=1682626454&sprefix=vegetables+on+fire%2Caps%2C138&sr=8-1

 

[Miss Tick]

10 hours ago, skimomma said:

And we also start with chickpeas every time we grill!  We still have snow on the ground but I think we will drag out the Weber this weekend.

So, how does this work? Add flavor and grill until crispy? Sounds delicious!

[skimomma]

12 hours ago, Miss Tick said:

So, how does this work? Add flavor and grill until crispy? Sounds delicious!

Yep!  Drain and rinse, then toss with a little oil, salt, and other seasonings (smoked paprika is our favorite), then toss into a grill basket and shut the lid.  Once they are crispy and lightly charred, they are ready to eat.  Ours almost all end up being consumed while we are making other parts of the meal.  Of by some miracle there are any leftover, they make an excellent snack on their own and are pretty divine and salad or soup toppers.  When I am feeling super ambitious, I will make extra and also grill lemons, garlic, and beets to make an incredible hummus.  Leftovers should  be stored in the fridge.

[Acadie]

On 4/28/2023 at 7:58 AM, skimomma said:

Ours almost all end up being consumed while we are making other parts of the meal.  Of by some miracle there are any leftover, they make an excellent snack on their own and are pretty divine and salad or soup toppers.  

Same here--they're essentially an appetizer while we grill, and usually gone before dinner.

If there are leftovers, it's the lucky person who snags them the next day as a snack or topping for pretty much anything.

[Drama Llama]

On 4/28/2023 at 7:58 AM, skimomma said:

Yep!  Drain and rinse, then toss with a little oil, salt, and other seasonings (smoked paprika is our favorite), then toss into a grill basket and shut the lid.  Once they are crispy and lightly charred, they are ready to eat.  Ours almost all end up being consumed while we are making other parts of the meal.  Of by some miracle there are any leftover, they make an excellent snack on their own and are pretty divine and salad or soup toppers.  When I am feeling super ambitious, I will make extra and also grill lemons, garlic, and beets to make an incredible hummus.  Leftovers should  be stored in the fridge.

Do you have beet hummus recipe?  I would like to try that!

[KungFuPanda]

2 hours ago, BandH said:

Do you have beet hummus recipe?  I would like to try that!

I’m not skimomma, but I just watched this video the other day. The beet hummus is about 3 minutes in. I’m not even vegetarian but I like her recipes. 

 

[Amethyst]

We are also vegetarian and use the Weber. One of our favorite dishes uses grilled veggies with grilled polenta. Top it with some mozzarella and marinara. Yum!! 

[skimomma]

On 4/29/2023 at 12:35 PM, BandH said:

Do you have beet hummus recipe?  I would like to try that!

It's basically a regular hummus recipe except that you grill everything that you can (garlic, lemon wedges, and chickpeas) as well as the beets, which will need to be slow-roasted.  To do that, wash the beets really well, poke a few times with a fork, cover in oil and salt, then wrap in heavy duty foil.  Place in the coals at the bottom of the grill.  You will know when they are done by poking right through the foil and into the beets with a fork or skewer.  This can take 45-60 minutes.  Let cool, remove skin, and toss into the food processor with the other ingredients.

When I am making this side, it seems overwhelming, but really it's just mechanics.  I rarely am making it to eat at that time.  Like, we will be having a grilled pizza night but I will start by getting the beets into the coals and grilling up the chickpeas, garlic, and lemons.  I set all of that aside then continue to make the actual meal (pizza), letting the beets continue to roast in the coals.  After dinner, the beets should be cool enough to handle and I can finish the hummus for later eating.