Grilling is an excellent way to prepare food and grilling techniques are simple to learn. Not only does this cooking method enhance your food’s flavor and texture, but research also shows that it can help lower your cholesterol, improves digestion, and reduce your risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, certain cancers, and type 2 diabetes.
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A Great Cooking Method for Keto Eaters
If you are trying to reduce your carb intake, grilling is one way to prepare your food, too. For many newbies to barbequing, this task can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are some grilling techniques that every grilling enthusiast should know about, as well as the food that you can cook using each technique.
Grilling Techniques #1 – Direct Grilling
This is the most basic technique every grilling aficionado should know about. Simply put, direct grilling entails putting your food directly over the heat source, usually charcoal. This can also work on gas grills or on a pellet grill, which allows you to sear or roast meats and vegetables. When direct grilling, you need to make sure that your grill is very hot and that your heat source is even.
As such, if you’re working with charcoal, then all your charcoal should be spread evenly. Meanwhile, if you’re using a gas grill or pellet grill, all your valves must be turned on to the same level. Quick and relatively easy to do, this technique is ideal for thin cuts of meat, seafood, vegetables, and even burgers. If done correctly, direct grilling results in evenly cooked food with wonderful sear marks that make them look more appetizing.
Grilling Techniques #2 – Grilling with Aluminum Foil
If sear marks are not for you, you can instead use aluminum foil. But, a word of caution first: do not line your grill with aluminum foil as this can restrict the airflow inside your grill, which can then result in dangerous situations. Instead, try wrapping your food in aluminum foil before placing it over your grill.
This is called the “Texas Crutch,” and it works great if you want to lock in moisture in your food. This technique is ideal for ribs or steaks, but not briskets as it might end up becoming overly tender.
As well, this technique works well for food that requires high temperatures, so go ahead and wrap your potatoes with aluminum foil before popping it on your grill.
Grilling Techniques #3 – Rotisserie Cooking on the Grill
Also called spit-roasting, rotisserie cooking is considered as one of the oldest cooking techniques known to man. This entails skewering your food with a device called a spit and then holding it from a distance above a heat source.
The spit should then be rotated constantly and slowly to ensure even cooking and for the meat to baste in its own juices. This way, your meat does not exactly grill but instead roasts, resulting in a crispy outer skin but moist meat. This technique is perfect for whole chickens, fish, and even vegetables.
In Conclusion
Grilling is a simple and straightforward method of cooking. However, there are also a variety of techniques that you can explore, which works well with different kinds of food. Understanding these techniques allows you to maximize your use of your grill.