Grilling is not difficult at all, but let’s go step by step. There should be no reason for you to have a problem using this relatively easy cooking method.

1) Preheat your grill:

You must preheat your grill for at least 15 minutes with the lid closed. I have seen people turn on their grills and 10 seconds later they add their food. This just won’t work. If you’re not willing to preheat for at least 15 minutes, you really shouldn’t mess around because it won’t grill at all. Grilling means browning marks on the food and a nice smoky flavor. If your food looks pale, the reality is that you steamed it and not grilled it. If you don’t hear that sizzling sound when your food hits the grill, your grill isn’t hot enough to grill your food properly.

2) Chimney starters:

If you use charcoal, chimney starters are a must. And I don’t sell them nor am I affiliated with anyone who sells them either. Add charcoal to your fireplace and crumple a couple of sheets of newspaper in the bottom of your fireplace. Light the paper and in about fifteen minutes your embers should be perfect. I’m not a big fan of adding all these liquids to light the charcoal and I don’t see any reason for it. Always buy the largest fireplaces that hold around 5-6 quarts of charcoal. They cost around $20 and are worth every penny.

3) Common sense:

A lot of grilling is common sense. Let’s use steak for example. If your steak is 3 inches thick and you grill it over very high heat, there’s a good chance it will be charred on the outside and undercooked on the inside. On the other hand, if your steak is 1 inch thick, you need to be much more aggressive on high heat. Steaks should be cooked over very high heat whenever possible, but if they’re very thick, you’ll need to lower the heat.

4) Ambient temperature:

All foods will grill much better if they are taken out of the refrigerator 15-30 minutes before grilling. If the food is frozen, you run the risk that the outside of the food will be cooked, but the inside will not be fully cooked.

5) Seasoning:

A very common mistake is that people do not season their food when grilling. The key here is to be very aggressive. Quite often, most of the seasoning will run off, so don’t be shy. Always season to your liking. You may fancy the basic olive oil and salt and pepper. Another time, you may want to use cajun spiced olive oil. Never limit yourself. Be free and do what you like. I’m sorry, but I have to say it one more time. Be very aggressive when seasoning!

6) Open or closed chest?

This often gets too confusing. A good rule of thumb to follow when using a gas grill is to close the hood during cooking for anything that takes 5 minutes or more to cook.

7) Cleaning:

It’s much easier than most people think. As soon as you are done grilling, brush the grill for 10 seconds to remove any excess food debris. Close the hood with the grill at high temperature for about 15 minutes. During that time, any food particles caught on the cooking surface should turn to ash. Brush your grill for another 10 seconds. Get a couple of paper towels or an old rag that is damp (not dripping) and spend another 10 seconds and wipe down your grill. You have now worked a total of about 30 seconds. Turn off the grill and leave the hood open. When completely cool, close the hood and cover your grill. It will be ready for next time.

Don’t limit yourself to just grilling beef, pork, chicken, and seafood. Vegetables are also scandalous. Here is a list of some of my personal favorites:

Corn on the cob:

I think that all that leaving the shells on and all that jazz creates extra and unnecessary work. Cook your “ears” in the microwave, drain and brush with olive oil, salt and pepper. Play with them for a couple of minutes on your grill to give them a nice color and serve. Done deal. And trust me, you won’t hear any complaints at all. Maybe some moans but no complaints.

Potatoes:

Partially cook your potatoes in the oven. When cool, slice and re-season with olive oil, salt and pepper and grill about 5 minutes per side or until nicely charred. Instead of salt and pepper, I usually opt for a little cajun spice. You’re in charge here, so season with whatever you like. Do you like thyme? Cheer up. Or chili powder, dry mustard, oregano, etc.

Peppers:

Remove stem. Cut into quarters. Remove the membrane and the seeds. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. (I like cumin in my peppers.) Play with them on the grill for 10 minutes or so. Done deal. If you want to go one step further, you can take a minute and make a very quick vinaigrette. Two or three parts of olive oil to one part of vinegar. Do you want to add a tablespoon of mustard? Go for it! You can pour this over your potatoes or peppers.

In short, remember to preheat for at least 15 minutes with the top down. Let food come to room temperature before grilling. Season very generously! Use common sense. I’m pretty sure you’ll be fine and I wish you good luck. You should now be well on your way to becoming an official “grill master” and I’m getting hungry!