By Culinary.net | Contributor
While burgers, sausages, steak, chicken, and pork are often the star attractions at barbecue gatherings, a well-balanced meal also requires an assortment of sides and vegetables.
As you prepare for your next outdoor cookout, remember to include delicious vegetables—such as peppers, asparagus, onions, tomatoes, and zucchini—to create a vibrant array of grilled flavors. Here are some straightforward steps to ensure your grilled veggies turn out perfectly:
- Preheat the grill.Begin by igniting your grill to reach a hot temperature. For optimal results, aim for medium-high to high heat for fast, direct grilling. Lighting the grill prior to prepping your vegetables allows ample time for it to heat up while you get everything ready.
- Prep your vegetables.Depending on the veggies you’ll be grilling, you might need to clean them by trimming stems, removing blemishes, or taking out seeds and pits. Additionally, you may wish to cut them into pieces—whether that’s chopping, dicing, or slicing—depending on your recipe.
- Apply olive oil.Drizzling a little olive oil over your veggies and tossing to evenly coat them serves multiple purposes. It helps achieve a crispy outer layer rather than allowing them to dry out, and it also helps seasonings—like salt and pepper—adhere better during the grilling process.
- Use foil packets or skewers.If you prefer a softer texture without the char marks, consider placing chopped vegetables in a foil packet before grilling; this technique steams them. Alternatively, wooden skewers that have been soaked in water (to prevent burning) can help keep smaller vegetable pieces from falling through the grill grates while still allowing for a nice crisp exterior.
- Monitor cooking times.Different types of vegetables and preparation methods will dictate varying cooking times, but generally speaking, 5 to 10 minutes over direct heat should suffice. Smaller cuts will cook more quickly, so keep that in mind.
Explore more grilling advice at Culinary.net.
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