It's summer, which means grilling season is officially upon us. So Redditor u/WoollyMammothBeaver asked the very important question: "What are some tips for a first-time grill owner who has no experience grilling?"
1. "Start with cheaper cuts and experiment until you get the hang of things. High-fat foods like skin on chicken and pork country ribs can handle overcooking better."
2. "Use some sort of grease like oil or fat and make sure to either grease the grill or your protein."
3. "Learn to control the heat. Not every item needs full blast heat."
4. "Always let your meat get to room temperature before grilling."
5. "Work your way up to the most challenging pieces of meat."
6. "Propane is quickest but charcoal tastes better."
7. "Try to make sure all your meat is generally the same thickness so it all cooks consistently."
8. "Don't keep flipping anything. Get the grill hot, put the meat on, and leave it alone."
"Once it no longer sticks to the grates, flip once." —u/brocollirabe
9. "The secret is in the prep. Marinade, marinade, marinade. Grilling is the last 10% of the job."
10. "Get a second propane tank so you don’t have to do the dash to the store while you're cooking."
11. "For the love of everything holy, don't press your burgers so the juice run out."
12. "Make an indent in the center of burger patties with your thumb. It prevents the meat from curling or puffing up."
13. "Learn your grill. Every grill has its own hot spots and cold spots. Don't fight them. Rather, use them to cook better food."
14. "Start with easy cuts of meat. Pork shoulder a lot harder to screw up than brisket."
15. "Undercook your meat and let it rest until it cooks through."
16. "A chimney starter is the best way to get your charcoal going, but it has a lot of other good uses. These things get seriously hot. Throw a grate over the top and sear some steak or tuna."
17. "Getting familiar with your grill's flame is the hardest part of grilling. If it flares up too early your meat will burn, but too late and it won't cook right."
18. "Be careful opening the lid of your grill, especially when you're cooking at a temperature over 500°F. The rush of fresh air into the grill can get so hot that the air will ignite."
19. "Make sure to preheat the grill. You don't want to just cook with the flames. The grill can act like an oven too."
20. "If you use a smoker, buy a bluetooth thermometer. Being able to check the temperature of your meat without opening the door is huge."
"And don't trust the thermometer on the door. It can be way off." —u/Sharcbait
21. "Use yogurt as a marinade. It's the best grilling trick I’ve ever learned."
22. "Don’t lift the lid often or the heat will escape and nothing will cook right."
23. "Get yourself a flat cast iron pan and grill with it."
