It’s that time of year again, folks! If you didn’t break out your tongs and spatulas for Memorial Day a few weeks ago, the Fourth of July is quickly approaching. Here at Vargas and Vargas Insurance, we love to spend an afternoon outdoors, and it’s a proven fact that all hot summer afternoons are made better by food served hot off the grill. Are you ready to grill this summer?
Try these Delicious Recipes!
If you’re tired of serving up the same hot dogs and hamburgers every time you grill, it might be time to look for some new recipe ideas. Allrecipes.com is a great place to find new and fresh ideas, as it has some great BBQ and grilling recipes. The Food Network website also offers a vast selection of grilling ideas, including a great article about 50 Things to Grill in Foil.
Don’t forget that you can cook your desert on the grill as well! Almost any fruit can be grilled when you follow the right directions – for starters, try out this grilled fruit recipe from NPR!
Grilling Tips and Tricks
- Marinades help to tenderize meat. If you can, marinade your meat overnight or for a few hours prior to it hitting the grill.
- Salt draws moisture out of meat, so don’t add salt to your meats until after it is cooked.
- If you’re grilling up skewers, there’s a trick to getting the correct doneness. If you want well or medium-well, space out your items on your kebab. If you’re looking for a medium or medium-rare doneness, pack your items together.
- Want to cook the perfect steak? Use this guide to learn how to test your steak’s doneness without having to slice into it!
- For delicious, juicy meat, always allow it to rest before you serve it. It may be tempting to serve steaks as soon as they’re done grilling, but letting them sit for a few minutes before cutting into them allows their juices to redistribute.
- Need to clean your grill? Wait until the grates are warm – it’s much easier to clean warn grates than cold ones!
- Remember – grilling (and cooking in general) is all about trial and error. Experiment until you find flavors that you and your friends love!
Keep Your Friends and Family Safe
Grilling is a great way to bring people together. Just make sure that you are following the right safety procedures when you grill. It doesn’t matter whether you are grilling dinner for two or having a backyard bash for the whole block – safety should be your #1 priority.
- Do your grilling in a safe location. Make sure that you keep a safe distance (preferably at least 10 feet) between your grill and your home or any trees, or you could have a home insurance claim on your horizon!
- When you are setting up your grilling area, ensure that you have all of your tools situated before you begin grilling. Also make sure that there is a first aid kit within reach, just in case.
- Make sure that anything that touches raw meat (hands, utensils, plates, etc.) gets thoroughly washed.
- In case your grill flares up, always have a spray bottle of water nearby.
- Never leave meat at room temperature for more than one hour.
- Check yourself. No one wants to eat undercooked meat, so use a thermometer to ensure that your foods are cooked to the proper temperatures.
- If there are children present in your cooking area, establish a zone around your grill where they are not allowed to play. If it helps, use a bit of twine or a few jump ropes to establish a physical line that they may not cross.
We hope that you have enjoyed these grilling tips and tricks, and that they will help to make your Fourth of July cookouts more special than ever, and stay tuned to our blog for a Fourth of July fireworks article coming up soon!
Photo credit: Aaron Paxson / Foter.com / CC BY-ND
