Memorial Day Grilling Tips

If you are headed out to a family gathering at Bisteneau, Cypress Park, Caddo Lake, one of our local parks or any other favorite spot, I found some cool grilling tips for you. One thing you should know about is the principle of indirect versus direct heat. It is best to push coals to one side and leave an open area on the other side to create variant sections of hot and cool on your grill. You should use the hot side to sear steaks much like you would in the broiler. The cooler side works more like an oven, great for chicken or whole fish.

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Also, you should not open the lid of the grill more than you need to. This lets the heat to escape and can lead to dry meat. Instead, open the lid just once to flip whatever’s cooking and let the timing and heat do the rest. If grilling a burger, avoid poking or moving it around except for when it’s time to flip.

How long should you cook something? This really depends on the cut of meat, the degree of the heat, and individual preference, and only experience and trial and error will teach you the perfect timing. As an estimate, a 1-inch steak will be grilled rare in eight minutes, and will reach medium in approximately 10 to 12. Use a meat thermometer to adequately judge the doneness of whole poultry or roasts.