Some Tips For Preparing, Grilling Meat, Veggies

Here are tips on preparing and grilling meats, fish and vegetables:

Beef: Trim excess fat to avoid flare-ups on the grill. It’s a good idea to marinate the meat for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator before grilling; this helps tenderize the meat. Or rub it with a spice rub just before grilling; this adds flavor.

If you wish to salt the meat, do so just before or after grilling; if you do it earlier, it will draw the juices out of the meat.

Grilling time depends on the thickness, size and weight of the cut of meat and desired doneness. A boneless piece of top sirloin steak three-fourths of an inch thick will take 13 to 16 minutes uncovered over a medium charcoal fire.

Cook most cuts of beef over direct heat. Never cut or pierce meats on the grill to check for doneness; that allows juices to escape and the meat to dry out. Always use a spatula or tongs to turn meats, instead of a fork, to avoid piercing the meat.

Pork: Trim any excess fat to avoid flare-ups. Marinate for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator to tenderize, or rub with a spice rub for extra flavor.

For most cuts of pork, grill over a direct heat source to medium doneness or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Cook pork roasts and ribs over indirect heat. Pork chops take about 12 minutes to grill.

Poultry: Chicken can be grilled with or without the skin. The skin will hold in the juices and can be removed after grilling to eliminate fat.

Bone-in chicken parts can be marinated for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. They should be cooked to an internal temperature of 170 degrees before you remove them from the grill, 10 to 15 minutes per side.

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts cook rather quickly, six to eight minutes per side. It’s best to marinate them for up to three hours in the refrigerator or brush them with a little oil to prevent dryness.

Fish: Use spice rubs and marinades on fish to add flavor. Marinate fish no longer than 30 minutes in the refrigerator before grilling. If left in the marinade longer, fish may become mushy; it may even cook if the marinade includes acids, such as citrus juices.

Be certain to brush the grill rack with oil before grilling fish, and wipe the fish dry with paper towels if marinated. That will prevent the fish from sticking to the rack.

When grilling whole fish, first remove the head, if desired, and the scales. Use a fish rack. Larger cuts of fish and fish steaks generally should be grilled eight to 10 minutes per inch of thickness over medium heat. The exception is tuna, which should be seared over medium-high heat to rare or medium-rare doneness. If you cut fish into chunks for kabobs, it will cook faster.

Vegetables: Always brush vegetables lightly with oil before grilling. Large vegetable slices and whole vegetables can be cooked directly on the grill rack. Smaller or cut vegetables should be placed in a grill basket or rack topper.

Vegetables take a short time to grill. Allow five to 10 minutes of grilling time for most vegetables; cut-up veggies will take less time.