Grilling Tips

Anything that can go in the oven can go on the grill.
To keep food from sticking, coat the rack with vegetable oil spray before heating.
Some foods require direct heat (food is positioned directly over the heat source, whether charcoal or gas); other food requires indirect heat (the heat is on either side of the food and not directly beneath it).
Hotness of your grill: The longer you can hold your hand above the grilling surface, the lower the heat of the grill – 5-6 seconds equals medium-low; 3-4 seconds equals medium; 2 seconds is medium hot
Leave an inch between items on the grill.
To keep food from slipping through the rack into the heat source, use a cooling rack below the grilling rack.
If you’re short on time, partially cook the meat or vegetables in the microwave and then move immediately to the grill.

The more dense the meat, the higher the heat you’ll need.
To retain the juices in meat (beef, chicken or pork tenderloin), sear (directly above the heat source for the highest heat); then, move the meat to a lower heat section of the grill for cooking to desired doneness.
Use tongs to turn meat so you don’t cause punctures that will drain juices.
Meat will keep cooking after removed from the grill, so keep it on the heat until it is almost done.

Grilled veggies can be prepared two ways: in foil packets or directly on the grill.

The foil method works best with small and irregularly shaped veggies. Place cubed or sliced vegetables on a sheet of heavy-duty foil and fold foil edges enough to hold a tablespoon of water, a pat of butter or margarine, and salt and pepper to taste. Close top and ends of foil securely with a double fold, but leave a little space for steam expansion. Place packet on grill rack and proceed to grill according to the grilling times for your grill. Turn the packet once halfway through grilling time. The packet will be very hot, so please open carefully to avoid steam burns.
You can grill large vegetables directly on the cooking grate. Simply brush with vegetables oil and season with salt, pepper and appropriate herbs or spices. Then place them on the grill. Large tomatoes can be halved horizontally; slice zucchini, squash, and eggplant lengthwise. Turn halfway through grilling time.

Make sure your sauces are room temperature. Baste long-cooking meats during the last 30 or fewer minutes of grilling. To avoid burning sauces with higher sugar content, wait until the last 10 minutes of cooking.

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