Grilling Techniques for Seafood, Vegetables and More

Seafood sticking to the grill. Mushy vegetables. Dry chicken. No one’s trying to make you shudder at the sight of a grill. But grilling can be intimidating – especially considering the oh-so-common mishaps that can happen. Don’t let those past hiccups intimidate you from grilling certain foods at the next BBQ. With a few easy grilling techniques, you’ll be serving up seafood, veggies, and more just like a pitmaster.

Get Creative with the BBQ Sauce

Pulled pork is arguably the most famous BBQ dish. And we get it. It’s delicious, always a crowd pleaser, and you don’t need to worry much about when to apply sauce. But if you’re looking to fire up the flavor, it’s time to think outside the box. Use BBQ hot sauces to give your sandwiches and burgers some flavorful heat.

Try adding a few tablespoons of a thicker-style sauce to ground beef or chuck before you put them on the grill – be careful not to overmix so you don’t end up with tough burgers. Baste with more sauce during the last few minutes of cooking, or top with the sauce for a little extra heat. The sweet and smoky flavors paired with the spiciness of peppers will have everyone begging for more.

Perfectly Grilled Seafood

Ever had fish fall apart on the grill? How about seafood that ends up overcooked or stuck to the grill grates? You’re not alone! The trick is knowing which seafood to put directly on the grill and how to prepare it. First, you always want to pat fish dry before grilling. Otherwise, it’s going to get soggy and fall apart – no one wants that!

Now to the hard part: grilling. Grilling seafood right on the grate at medium-high is amazing for giving it that nice, smoky flavor everyone loves, but this isn’t for all fish. This works best with thicker, heartier fish like salmon, halibut, and sea bass. Don’t forget to oil the grill and the fish well! Flakier fish should be placed in foil pouches instead.

Pro tip: Make it easy to grill and eat meatier fish, shrimp, or scallops with BBQ skewers.

Get Excited About Veggies

Grilling vegetables usually seems simple enough. But it’s a lot easier to undercook or overcook veggies than you’d think. For the perfect grilled vegetables, start by tossing raw vegetables in a bowl with a spice rub that includes salt, pepper, paprika, finely chopped garlic, and olive oil. Grill for around 4-5 minutes per side at medium to medium-high heat. Do not disturb them until sear marks appear. Dress them in a vinaigrette or marinade for even more flavor. Even the pickiest of eaters will love these veggies!

Don’t Skip Grilling Fruit

Thick-cut vegetables like bell pepper, onion, and asparagus aren’t the only types of produce that work beautifully on the grill. Great for amazing side dishes and desserts, you can grill fruit like tomatoes, pineapples, apples, or even avocados.

You have a lot more options than you’d think with grilled fruit. Serve grilled avocado or watermelon in a salad. Grill up mango to create a salsa for tacos or chicken. Add grilled peaches or bananas to ice cream for a post-BBQ dessert. You’ll typically need to grill fruit for three minutes undisturbed, then flip to cook for three more minutes.

Master the Art of Grilling Chicken

Why does it feel like tender, juicy grilled chicken is just out of reach? It’s notoriously hard to cook without it getting dried out or burned. So, what’s the secret? For the best results, use bone-in chicken with the skin on, which will look more evenly. If using boneless chicken, you should always pound it flat first to reduce cooking time and prevent it from drying out.

It’s also a good idea to brine or marinate chicken before grilling to add flavor, tenderize the meat, and prevent moisture loss during cooking. Just say no to dry chicken! Poke a few holes in the chicken to let it penetrate, pat off any excess moisture after marinating, and cook indirectly at medium heat with the grill lid on for a thoroughly cooked interior.

Make Prize-Worthy Baby Back Ribs

If you’re planning the perfect backyard BBQ cookout, you can’t forget the baby back ribs! Start by removing the membrane from the baby back ribs. You don’t want to skip this step – it’ll help your dry rub penetrate the meat and give it flavor. A killer dry rub is super important to making prize-worthy baby back ribs since it’s what infuses all the flavor throughout the whole cooking process. No need to shy away from spices here. Play around with cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, dried mustard, garlic powder, and any other spices you like.

Try using indirect grilling for the first half of cook time before transferring to direct heat for tender, fall-of-the-bone ribs. Brush with barbeque sauce for the last five minutes, then add more to serve.

Grill Up a Feast

Even if you’re a grilling novice, you can achieve perfect grilled chicken, seafood, and more on the grill. All you need is a little confidence, a lot of barbeque sauce, and just the right balance of flavor. Ready to grill up a feast? Grab your tongs and get fired up!