Step up your grill game with these often overlooked tips.

1. Wait….. For Your Grill To Get Hot

Wait 5 minutes longer than you think…grill grates take time to get hot, let them.

2. Don’t Crowd The Grill

Food that’s crowded gets steamed instead of grilled. Do multiple batches or stagger your cooking a bit and keep items warm (peppers first, then corn, then steak).

3. Move It & Lose It

A lot of the flavor on a grill is developed in the caramelization that occurs, don’t move items around or flip too often. One flip is all you need.

Photo: Saveur

4. Bowl with Olive Oil & Salt > Drizzle

Photo: Once Upon A Chef

“Drizzling” with olive oil often results in non-oiled pieces of meat or veg. A simple trick is to glug a bit of olive oil and a bold pinch of salt in a bowl and really toss the ingredients like a salad. The better coating will result in more evenly cooked, better charred results.

5. Cook Like A Caveman

Photo: Adventures In Cooking

If your using hardwood coals like oak, hickory, pecan or maple don’t be afraid to throw veg like onions, squash, peppers and corn directly on the coals and “ember roast” them. You can easily peel off the overly charred bits and you’re left with unmatched smoky flavor. This is a great technique for pre-charring ingredients for a salsa. You can even cook steak and meat directly on the coals.

Here’s a great recipe for ember roasted sweet potatoes or ember grilled lobster tails.

Listen to these grilling tips in more detail on the Mantry Podcast:

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