So you’ve spent the past few years messing around with your grill, but you finally want to become a grill master. The good news is that it doesn’t take much. With a few simple improvements (and purchases), you can take your grilling game to the next level.
Here are a few of our top tips for upping your game.
1. Get the Right Grill
Make sure you have the right grill. There are tons of different options and brands to choose from, but it all starts with selecting the . The main options include:
- Charcoal grills. This is a classic option that’s been around for decades. It’s a quick and easy option for grilling burgers or steaks and imparting a little bit of that smoky flavor into the meat.
- Ceramic smokers. Whether it’s a Kamodo or Green Egg, ceramic smokers are great. They’re a little more advanced/sophisticated than your standard charcoal grill and give even more flavor. They can take some time to set up, so they aren’t always ideal for a single steak, but the flavor is unparalleled.
- Pellet grills. While pellet grills have been around for over 30 years, they’ve only just recently become a popular option. It’s a great choice if you’re looking for a smoker that’s easier and faster to set up than a ceramic smoker. Pellet grills are great for long cooks.
- Gas grills. Finally, if you want something inexpensive, easy, and convenient to use, a gas propane grill is the perfect option. It won’t give you nearly the same flavor as some of these other options, but it’s hard to beat the convenience of turning a knob and having a flame.
You don’t necessarily have to pigeonhole yourself into choosing just one type of grill. For example, a lot of people own both a gas grill and a ceramic smoker, so they have different options for different occasions. However, it’s a good idea to focus on mastering one type of grill and then expanding your horizons.
2. Choose the Right Setup
Having the right grill is the first step. The second step is to design a grilling setup that makes it easy to prepare food, grill, and stay organized. There are plenty of outdoor kitchen options to choose from, including mobile stations, built-in cabinets, and even smoker trailers that you can pull behind a truck.
While it’s obviously going to depend on your personal preferences, budget, and space constraints, we recommend installing a . This is a simple and cost-effective option that looks great. It also ensures you have plenty of space and room for storage.
3. Know How to Select Good Meat
There’s a lot of skill that goes into grilling techniques and setups, but don’t underestimate the importance of meat selection. Starting with the gives you a huge advantage (and more room for error).
When it comes to beef, pay attention to marbling, grade, color, and cut. It should have a dark red or cherry color and have a healthy amount of fat (white lines). Prime, Choice, and Select are the USDA grades you should look for.
Pork should be red to pink in color (not green or brown). And while it doesn’t come in grades like beef, pay attention to the breed. Berkshire and Duroc have higher levels of marbling.
Chicken comes in Grades A, B, and C. More than likely, your local supermarket will only carry Grade A chicken. Poultry should have a pink tint to it (not white or brown).
4. Keep a Grilling Journal
If you want to really get good at grilling, you need to treat each cook like an experiment. Keep a journal and take rigorous notes about the cut of meat, where you bought it, and what it looked like. Write down the temperature and grill setup, how long you cooked it for, what seasoning you used, etc. Then document the results and make notes on what you could have done better. The next time you go to cook that same type of meat, you’ll have detailed notes that you can review.
Take Your Grilling Game Up a Notch
If you want to become a grill master, you have to go beyond the basics. Upgrade your grill and tools, optimize your outdoor kitchen, and try new things. It won’t always go perfect, but you’ll learn something new with each cook. At the end of the day, this is how you get better!