Grilling on the barbecue has never been more exciting. Not only 
do barbecues come in a myriad of designs and options, but also 
with the advent of popular cooking shows, cooking books and 
magazines’, grilling has reached a whole new realm. Grilling is 
no longer just about steaks and burgers, barbecue grilling is 
full of adventurous and elegant recipes and menu plans. Some of 
the tantalizing grilling ‘recipes have names like grilled mango 
blossom, grilled portobello’s with avocado salsa and grilled 
beef tenderloin with cabernet sauvignon sauce.

You’ll want to familiarize yourself with the barbecuing grilling 
basics before you start. The two most popular types of grilling 
are the indirect and direct grilling methods. The indirect 
method is a slow cooking process because less heat is used. One 
suggestion for indirect cooking is to use a disposable drip pan 
or foil placed underneath the food to be cooked, using tongs 
arrange the coals around the pan. The food is cooked by the hot 
air circulating around the food (similar to a convection oven) 
this process is great for cooking roasts. It’s always a good 
idea to check with your owner manual for your specific barbeque.

The direct grilling method is achieved by arranging the coals 
(with long handled tongs) to spread evenly in a single layer, 
extending about one inch beyond the area of food. The food is 
then placed directly over fire. The direct grilling method is 
fast because of the intense heat and allows for quick browning 
on the outside of foods. Direct grilling works best for food 
requiring short cooking times, such as burgers and steaks. It’s 
important to turn over food to allow cooking of both sides.

The three most popular ways of adding flavor to your selected 
grilling foods are with sauces, marinades and rubs. The sauce 
can be said to define a great barbecue, you can use a little 
sauce or a lot. A sample recipe for sauce is this maple barbecue 
sauce; combine equal amounts of maple syrup, ketchup and white 
wine add garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, basil, ginger and chili 
powder with a bay leaf, bring ingredients to a boil then reduce 
and let simmer. A sauce should be brushed on in the last five 
to ten minutes of grilling as the sugar can cause the sauce to 
burn. There are a wide variety of barbecue sauces and recipes 
available.

Marinades are another way to change a mediocre meal into 
incredible. They are an excellent way to add flavor while 
tenderizing and promoting crisp brown exteriors. The three 
basic ingredients in marinades are flavorings (herbs, spices 
and sweeteners), oils and acids (citrus juices, wines, vinegars 
and yogurts). A simple marinade recipe is the lemon rosemary 
marinade. Mix shredded lemon peel, lemon juice, olive oil, 
sugar, white wine, rosemary, salt and pepper and pour over your 
selected meat, tofu, or vegetables in either a plastic sealable 
bag or shallow dish and refrigerate for one to two hours, 
remembering to shake bag or flip in dish half way through 
marinating process.

Rubs are a wonderful bold blend of seasonings, which are just 
as the name implies rubbed directly into the food. The food is 
rubbed with spices prior to grilling, transforming the rub into 
a crunchy brown crust that seals in the juices and enhances the 
flavors. A very basic rub recipe is this herb rub; equal amounts 
of dried rosemary, dried thyme, dried minced onion, dried minced 
garlic, with smaller amounts of salt and pepper combine all 
ingredients in a food processor until coarsely ground. Sprinkle 
mixture evenly over meat, then rub in with fingers. Store in a 
covered container in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to two 
hours, and then grill.

When outdoor grilling there are a few simple things to remember 
in order to avoid any contamination of food. Any marinated food 
should be kept in the refrigerator (not on the counter) to 
prevent giving bacteria a chance to grow. Set some marinade 
aside at the beginning, and never reuse any marinade that has 
been used on raw meat. Always keep vegetable and fruits separate 
from raw meat; utensils and plates should also be washed before 
using. Be sure to properly cook all meats. Serve food 
immediately, so hot foods don’t have too much time to cool and 
to start growing bacteria. Perishable foods should not be left 
out of the refrigerator for more than two hours, and if the 
outdoor temperature is more than 85 degrees or hotter serve 
within an hour.

Grilling vegetable is an excellent way to bring out seasonal 
flavors. Vegetables and fruits such as; eggplant, bell peppers, 
summer squashes, sweet onions, roma or cherry tomatoes, 
mushrooms, mangoes, pineapple or peaches are all excellent 
choices for grilling. Cut vegetables into half inch slices or 
large chunks. Brush with some olive oil (may be seasoned with 
garlic or other selected herbs). Grill the vegetables until 
tender, turning only once. Fruit should be halved with pits 
removed, and grilled until tender (no oil is needed), with the 
pulp side down. Vegetable cooking sprays or small amounts of 
oil will prevent the vegetables from sticking (avoid spraying 
vegetable near lighted grill). Marinating the vegetable 
beforehand also makes the vegetables easier to handle and less 
likely to stick to your grill surface.

Grilling corn on the cob cooked in the cornhusks (without the 
corn silk) is a unique and tasty alternative to boiled corn. 
Peel back cornhusks and put butter and herbs around the corn. 
Fold over cornhusks and tie with kitchen string. Grill the corn 
for approximately thirty minutes, remembering to turn the corn 
about three times.

A simple and elegant meal might consist of a grilled pizza and 
some grilled fruit crisp for dessert. To grill a pizza use a 
store bought Italian bread shell cover with pesto, thinly sliced 
plum tomatoes, yellow tomatoes, kalamata olives and basil 
(drizzling olive oil over top). Use tin foil folded in half 
placing the pizza on top folding up the edges of tin foil up to 
the edges of the pizza. Using the indirect method of grilling, 
grill the pizza for about 10 minutes. For the grilled fruit 
crisp dessert, mix peaches, pineapple tidbits and brown sugar 
spooning into a metal baking foil pan. Then combine larger 
amounts of brown sugar, flour and butter with a touch of 
cinnamon and nutmeg sprinkling over top of fruit mixture. Grill 
about fifty minutes (indirect grilling method) or until hot and 
bubbly, serve with ice cream if desired.

Outdoor grilling is a convenient and nice alternative to cooking 
indoors. The options of menus are limitless. Grilling is one of 
the easiest and most tantalizing low fat ways of cooking. Whether
you stick to the time honored steak and burgers or go for 
something a bit more adventurous, grilling is always a tasty 
and enjoyable way to be outdoors with family and friends.