Summer grilling is becoming about more than perfectly cooked burgers and steaks. New research found that Americans increasingly view grilling as a way to connect with family and friends, unwind after a busy day, and create meaningful experiences outdoors.
Choosing the Right Cut
Celebrated chefs and grilling experts Robert Irvine, Jess Pryles, and Andrew Zimmern shared their top summer grilling tips. According to Pryles, choosing a quality piece of meat is one of the most important steps in the grilling process. She recommends looking for steaks that are evenly cut, consistently shaped, and at least 1 to 1½ inches thick.
Pryles also encourages consumers to pay attention to marbling, the white streaks of fat distributed throughout the meat. “Fat equals flavor and tenderness,” she says. For those looking to try something new, Pryles suggests lesser-known cuts like sirloin cap, skirt steak, bavette, and flap steak.
Marinades and Heat Management
Irvine believes marinades are one of the easiest ways for home cooks to improve their grilling results. He recommends a simple formula for creating marinades: one cup of oil, one-half cup of acid, one-quarter cup of a salty ingredient, one-quarter cup of sweetener, and two to four tablespoons of aromatics.
Both Irvine and Pryles emphasize the value of two-zone cooking, which creates separate areas for direct and indirect heat. This technique allows cooks to build a flavorful crust without overcooking the interior. Pryles also relies heavily on two-zone cooking for steak, saying “control is what makes you a better griller.”
Grilling Seafood
Zimmern believes seafood may be summer’s most underrated grilling ingredient. He recommends firm, fatty fish that can withstand high heat, such as salmon, Arctic char, and swordfish. For beginners, Zimmern suggests starting with a clean, well-oiled grill grate and placing the presentation side down first.
Zimmern also encourages consumers to explore lesser-known species like barramundi, cobia, and red drum. He notes that one of the biggest mistakes grillers make is treating fish like beef, saying “most people overcook fish because they’re waiting for it to behave like a steak.” Instead, fish should be removed from the grill when it begins to flake and still retains a slight translucency.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
