As owner of The Shed BBQ & Blues Joint in Ocean Springs, Brooke O. Lewis knows a few things about grilling. Fresh from the Memphis in May world championship barbecue contest, where her team was crowned Grand Champion, this seasoned pitmaster has some tips to step up your grilling game:
- Understanding what type of grill is right for you and your lifestyle will set you up for success. How do you know which one is the best fit? Consider your priorities. Do you value a quick start time? Smoky flavor? The ability to multi-task? Knowing your needs and wants will help you narrow down your options.
- Always have a reliable thermometer. My favorite is the Thermapen ONE from ThermoWorks, which gives readings in one second or less.
- To reduce the intimidation of open-fire cooking, such as grilling with charcoal, use the two-zone method. Build your fire off to one side rather than spreading hot coals across the entire grill surface. This method provides a direct (high-heat) cooking zone and an indirect (lower-heat) cooking zone.
- Layering marinades, rubs, injections, sauces and/or finishing glazes that complement each other will help build a dynamic flavor profile.
- When grilling with sauces and glazes that have a high sugar content, add these toward the end to prevent your sauce from burning.
- Allow your protein to rest after removing it from the grill. The resting period allows juices to redistribute, resulting in a juicier, more tender bite throughout. Resting periods will vary depending on the size of the cut: smaller cuts five to 10 minutes, larger cuts like roast 10-20 minutes on average.
- Always make sure your grill grates are well oiled before adding your food. This will prevent food from sticking.
- Once your cooker is hot, clean any residue left from the previous cook with a scraper before oiling the grill grates and starting your next cook.
- If you find yourself without a grill grate scraper/cleaner, loosely ball up a larger piece of tin foil. Use tongs to hold the foil in place, and scrape your grates clean. The foil will form between the grates with pressure and clean off excess particles.
- Do not let social media intimidate you, and do not try to compare your outcomes with what you see posted. Keep in mind that all the beautiful, perfectly executed food you see on social media wasn’t created overnight and there were many trials, tribulations and failures leading up to those perfectly executed posts.