{"id":5183,"date":"2025-03-13T20:42:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-14T02:42:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mickeylieberman.com\/bbq\/?p=5183"},"modified":"2025-02-23T11:24:24","modified_gmt":"2025-02-23T17:24:24","slug":"what-are-23-bbq-and-grilling-tips-and-tricks-you-need-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mickeylieberman.com\/bbq\/what-are-23-bbq-and-grilling-tips-and-tricks-you-need-to-know\/","title":{"rendered":"What are 23 BBQ and Grilling Tips and Tricks You Need to Know?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0BBQ and Grilling Tips <\/span><\/p>\n

Millions of meat lovers across North America are now venturing outdoors to grill succulent pork, beef, chicken, and other delicious types of animal flesh.<\/span><\/p>\n

The following is a list of handy tips to ensure your grilling and BBQ successes.<\/span><\/p>\n

BBQ and Grilling Tips and Tricks<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Wash everything after handling raw meat, and don\u2019t reuse the plate that you used for uncooked meat.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Have a spray bottle full of water near your grill in case of flare-ups.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Using charcoal briquettes for your grill\u2019s heat? Then light the coals about 30 minutes before cooking.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re using lighter fluid, make sure the fire is completely out before slapping the meat on the grill, or else you\u2019ll have a nasty fuel taste in your meat.<\/span><\/p>\n

At this time, the charcoal should be mostly an ash-gray color with a little bit of glowing red underneath.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Using a BBQ smoker? Light the charcoal with a chimney starter. <\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s relatively quick to get some hot coals going and you won\u2019t have to fret about getting nasty lighter fluid fumes in your smoker.<\/span><\/p>\n

5. If you\u2019re a charcoal fan, first line the inside bottom of your cooker with a couple of sheets of aluminum foil before you put your briquettes in.<\/span><\/p>\n

This will give you a quicker and easier clean-up of the gray coals and ash once you\u2019re done barbecuing.<\/span><\/p>\n

The only downside to this is that the opening holes in the bottom of your cooker will get covered up.<\/span><\/p>\n

So when you first light your fire, make sure it gets plenty of oxygen to stay lit longer, thereby giving you hotter and longer-lasting coals.<\/span><\/p>\n

6. If using a smoker, minimize the number of times you open it. Opening the lid frequently will keep the smoker below the necessary heat levels. <\/span><\/p>\n

The adage says, \u201cIf you\u2019re looking, it ain\u2019t cooking!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

7. Cooking chicken? If you intend to eat the skin, rub the outside with a little butter or oil and then lightly season it. <\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019ll give the chicken a nice, crispy, savory skin.<\/span><\/p>\n

Not eating the skin? Don\u2019t season the outside, as it can\u2019t penetrate the skin.<\/span><\/p>\n

8. Although thick bands of fat may be undesirable, try to pick a steak with many specks and tiny strands of fat in between the muscle tissue.<\/span><\/p>\n

These little bits of fat are called marbling. At cooking time, these small bits of fat will melt and make the meat juicier and tastier.<\/span><\/p>\n

9. Leaner steak cuts will be a little tougher if cooked past medium.<\/span><\/p>\n

10. Don\u2019t leave the meat out at room temperature for longer than one hour. <\/span><\/p>\n

This will make bacteria grow at an exponential rate, plus it will make the meat less fresh.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you need to thaw out meat, do so overnight or all day in the refrigerator.<\/span><\/p>\n

11. Don\u2019t pierce your meat with a fork or prongs. <\/span><\/p>\n

The juices will escape, making the meat drier and less flavorful. Use a spatula or tongs to move and flip your food.<\/span><\/p>\n

12. Get a large plate or container with a lid when transporting your cooked meats inside. <\/span><\/p>\n

It will help keep your barbecue moist, juicy, and warm until it\u2019s time to chow down.<\/span><\/p>\n

13. Quick and easy way to grill large vegetables such as potatoes and ears of corn: coat heavily in butter, sprinkle on some seasoned salt, wrap securely in aluminum foil, and throw it on the grill.<\/span><\/p>\n

14. To reduce the amount of browning or blackening of meat, only apply barbecue or any other tomato-based sauces containing sugars during the last 10 or so minutes of grilling.<\/span><\/p>\n

15. Lots of people like steaks rare, but don\u2019t do the same for your hamburger. <\/span><\/p>\n

More bacteria are present in ground beef, so cook until it\u2019s well done and no pink is in the middle.<\/span><\/p>\n

If in doubt, grab a meat thermometer and make sure the temperature reaches no less than 160 degrees in the burger\u2019s center.<\/span><\/p>\n

16. Don\u2019t rely solely on BBQ sauce to flavor your meat. <\/span><\/p>\n

Experiment with different types of marinades, seasonings, and rubs to give your food unique and delicious tastes.<\/span><\/p>\n

17. Got a regular grill that cooks hot and fast but wants a little smoke flavoring? <\/span><\/p>\n

First, only line charcoals on the bottom of one side of the grill.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then, place some hickory or mesquite wood chips on top of the hot coals for extra flavoring.<\/span><\/p>\n

Place your meat on the side of the grill away from the coals (indirect heat), and keep the lid closed as much as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n

This will increase cooking times quite a bit, but it will be worth it. <\/span><\/p>\n

This added smokey taste may be so good you may even decide to forgo the barbecue sauce next time you do this.<\/span><\/p>\n

18. Marinades tenderize meat (and give it extra flavor). <\/span><\/p>\n

If it is all possible, marinate overnight; but if you can\u2019t, try to give at least an hour of the meat soaking in the marinade sauce.<\/span><\/p>\n

19. Don\u2019t add any salt until the meat is cooked to prevent it from getting dry and tough, as the salt will draw away moisture.<\/span><\/p>\n

20. Tired of the same-old BBQ sauce?<\/span><\/p>\n

Test out some new sauces you might have never thought of using.<\/span><\/p>\n

21. Use these general cooking times for grilled fish<\/strong>:<\/span><\/p>\n

Salmon fillets, 6 \u2013 8 minutes per side;<\/span>
\nSalmon or halibut steaks, 5 minutes per side;<\/span>
\nTrout fillets, 4 minutes per side;<\/span>
\nSmall whole fish, 7 minutes per side;<\/span>
\nLarge fish, 15 minutes per side.<\/span><\/p>\n

If your whole fish are stuffed, give it a few extra minutes per side.<\/span><\/p>\n

Use these general cooking times for grilled chicken<\/strong>:<\/span><\/p>\n

Breasts and wings, 15 \u2013 20 minutes;<\/span>
\nThighs and legs, 30 minutes;<\/span>
\nChicken halves, 40 \u2013 45 minutes;<\/span>
\nWhole chicken, 75 \u2013 90 minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n

On individual chicken pieces, apply sauce and turn every 5 minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Whole birds, grill breast-side down, and turn over after 45 minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Half birds, cook skin-side down for 5 minutes, and then flip over and grill for the remaining amount of time.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re in doubt as to whether or not the chicken is done, the center of the meat should read 170 to 175 degrees F on your meat thermometer.<\/span><\/p>\n

22. Keep your grill grate clean with a stiff wire brush or a piece of crumpled-up foil (with a subsequent wipe with a dry paper towel).<\/span><\/p>\n

When it\u2019s time for cooking, grab the grate with an oven mitt and clean it after the grill heats up after starting your fire and also after you\u2019re done grilling.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dip a folded paper towel in oil and apply it to the bars of the grate. <\/span><\/p>\n

This is to ensure your meat won\u2019t stick to the grill AND you\u2019ll get awesome-looking grill marks.<\/span><\/p>\n

23. Remember, it takes a bit of an adventurous spirit and a whole lot of trial and error before you get really good at barbecuing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Experiment with different kinds and cuts of meat, flavorings and seasonings, types of grills and smokers, and cooking methods. You just might stumble upon something you like.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0BBQ and Grilling Tips Millions of meat lovers across North America are now venturing outdoors to grill succulent pork, beef, chicken, and other delicious types…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5183","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bbq","wpcat-1-id"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t