7 Unexpected Grill Hacks To Elevate Your BBQ Game
There are a ton of obvious choices when it comes to grilling and having a cookout: burgers, duh. Hot dogs, yes, please. Sausages, steaks, and skewers, too. But what if you want to get more creative, or spend more time outside enjoying the nice summer weather and cooking up your next delicious meal? There are actually a ton of things you can make on the grill that may not have crossed your mind yet. Start experimenting with some of these when you get bored with the classic options.
You can make a pot of pasta!
Did you know you can boil water on the grill? Some grills have their own dedicated side burners, but even if yours doesn't, you can still put a heat-safe pot (no plastic handles!) of water on your grill and bring it to a boil. Place it over the heat, cook up some sausages and other veggies like onions and peppers, and you can make a summery pasta dish outside!
Try baking your dessert.
This might be a surprise, but you can actually bake on the grill. The easiest way is to set up for indirect heat, by either using two side burners for a gas grill, or creating a half heat zone using charcoal. You can bake things like fruit crisps, cobblers, and even cookies — just make sure to keep the lid closed to maintain an even heat level. Aim for around 350°F for most bakes, and if the temperature gets too high, pop the lid open. It's a good idea to plan on starting to bake your dessert when you're done with the main entree, so you can cool the grill down more as needed. You also probably don't want sausage or burgers splattering your beautiful peach cobbler.
Cook up a batch of hot wings.
Use two-zone cooking to make a perfect batch of juicy wings. Start by placing the wings over the lower heat zone to cook them through for about seven to eight minutes. Once they're cooked, move them to the hot zone and crisp them up for two to three minutes. Remove to a bowl and immediately toss in your sauce of choice before serving.
Psst: Download the Tasty app right now to access thousands of recipes in step-by-step mode.
Grill your favorite pizza (or a nice flatbread).
Whether you want to cook your pizza directly on the grate or pop a pizza stone onto it, you have a couple of options here. Option one is to grill your pizza dough on its own, flip it over once it's cooked a bit, then top it with sauce, cheese, and whatever else you want to use. Shut the lid for a few minutes to fully melt the cheese. Option two is to preheat a baking stone on the grill and prepare your pizza on a peel. Slide it onto the preheated stone and cook until crispy and bubbling, shutting the lid to melt the cheese if needed.
Try a bratwurst tub.
One of my favorite things I've done on the grill is a "brat tub," where you essentially add beer, peppers, onion, butter, and a little mustard to a deep aluminum pan and bring it to a boil. Add the sausages and shut the lid, allowing them to cook through. Once they're cooked, give them a good sear on the hot grill and allow the beer mixture to reduce to a sticky sauce. Serve with buns and enjoy!
Grill fruits for salads and desserts!
I feel like this is getting more trendy these days, especially with peaches. Halve your favorite fruit, whether it's a peach, plum, pineapple, or even mangoes. Cook them on the hot section of the grill until juicy and bubbling, and hopefully they'll get a little bit of charring. Serve with ice cream and granola or crumble topping for an incredible dessert, or add them to a salad for a different flavor and vibe. Grilled peach caprese, anyone?
Make melty and crispy pressed sandwiches.
Burgers and dogs often get all of the attention at the cookout, but you can also use your grill to make a great pressed panini or (literally!) grilled cheese. The idea here is to assemble your sandwiches and lightly spray or brush the bread with some oil and/or butter. Place your sammies on the preheated grill, and use something like a sandwich press or heavy cast iron pan (you can put a layer of foil between so your sandwich doesn't get dirty) to press the sandwich down and help it crisp up. Flip and repeat, and soon you'll be enjoying a fantastic grilled panini. Need sammy ideas? Use a little short rib or roast beef, or go for a classic ham and cheese.
Have other creative ways you use your grill? Let us know about them in the comments!
For recipes that help you take full advantage of your grill in the last weeks of summer, download the free Tasty app — no subscription required.
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