Time to Fire Up the Grill

The unofficial start to summer has gone and passed and here we are. The lazy hazy days of summer have arrived. Kids are either out of school or only have a few short weeks left. Every night come supper time you start to smell that distinctive smell of barbeque grills being started up. What better way to celebrate summer time than getting the old grill out and going. No one wants to be in the kitchen, so the grill is a great alternative.

There are lots of choices of grills out there. From the basic charcoal grill that some people think is the best to the propane gas grill that other say rule. You can go out and spend a few hundred to a few thousand on grills or you can spend ten dollars at your local dollar store and buy yourself a hibachi. It is all a matter of personal taste, time and space. But what ever you decide to use, please remember, safety first. You will be dealing with fire and gas and or charcoal. Keep children away from the hot surfaces and obey all the grill safety rules.

So now you have your grill, you are armed with all the safety procedures, what now? Well the food is the next step. What you can put on the grill is only limited by your imagination. From the classic hot dogs and hamburgers to the extraordinary grilled turkey, you can grill anything on your grill. Steaks and chops are probably the most common choice around here, next to the dogs and burgers that is. Now here I could put in how there are grill rules to follow, but really there aren’t any. The more you grill, the better you will get, and you will develop your own style. Everyone has their own taste in steaks. Certain cuts of meat are made for the grill and depending on how long you leave it on, to where it is on the grill will affect the doneness and the taste of the meat. For those of you who like it rare you may want to cook your meat hot and fast, while those of us who like ours well done, sear it hot and fast and move it to a cooler place on the grill to continue cooking through more slowly.

So now you have your steaks, chops, burgers and dogs, what else can I grill up outside so I don’t have to go in and cook anything? Grilled veggies are wonderful. There are several ways you can grill veggies. For vegetables that are small you can make small packets out of tin foil. In the packet add your vegetables, a bit of olive oil and your seasonings close it up and throw it on the grill. This is great with potatoes also. Just add butter and garlic in your packet and maybe even a bit of onion and you have a great side dish. With larger vegetables, such as asparagus and peppers, you can lay right on the grill for a truly grilled flavor.

And who could forget dessert? Everyone wants a bit of sweet after a good meal of grilled meat and vegetables. You can grill fruit right on the grill like vegetables. Stone fruits work especially good with this method. Peaches and apricots taste wonderful with that grilled taste. Grilled dessert dishes will get you those ohms and awls from everyone that you are feeding.

Grilling is a wonderful summertime tradition. Anything that you can cook inside on a traditional stove you can cook outside on your grill. With a bit of time, patience and creativity you will be a grill master in a matter of time. Just always remember to stay safe with your grill and with food handling. But most of all remember it is summer time, it is time to kick back, relax, and enjoy family and friends and good food. Let your outdoor grill be part of that!