A Complete Guide on How to Backyard Grilling

Backyard grilling is a popular activity that can be used to meet friends, exchange emotions, and enjoy nature. However, it is really complicated, especially for those who have no outdoor barbecue experience. Therefore, this article has compiled a very detailed and comprehensive strategy for backyard grilling. Hope it can help you complete a perfect barbecue party.

Your Backyard Grilling Checklist

1. Grill: There are four types of grills (charcoal grills, gas grills, electric grills, as well as solar grills) and the prices vary. Charcoal grills and gas grills are much suitable for backyard grilling because they are light and easy to carry.

2. Fuel: There are two kinds of fuels (propane and charcoal).

3. Food: It can be prepared in three categories (meat and poultry, fish and seafood, vegetables and fruits). It is best to skewer prepared food on the skewers at home. And meat needs to be marinated in advance.

4. Seasoning: It can be prepared in three categories, one is the marinade, the second is sprinkling, and the third is dipping. Don’t forget olive oil!

5. Accessories: Grill basket, charcoal tongs, long-handled tongs, two barbecue brushes (silicone), heavy-duty mitts, torch, heatproof tray, tin foil, carton boxes, wet paper towels, instant-read thermometer, and so on.

How to Backyard Grilling

1. Preheat the Grill

Preheat a charcoal grill

Spread a small amount of charcoal in a pyramid shape and then use the torch to quickly ignite the charcoal. Put more charcoal blocks around the burnt charcoal. Wait twenty minutes, and then spread the charcoal evenly with tongs.

Preheat a gas grill

An automatic ignition device is a standard feature on most modern gas grills. To preheat the gas grill properly, the control knobs should be turned to the high setting. And while the grill is preheating, the hood should be closed to hold in the heat. A gas grill usually takes at least 10 minutes to warm up.

2. Start Grilling

Step 1. Before grilling food, use a long-handled brush to brush the grate with a layer of oil, which helps prevent food from sticking to the grate and makes cleaning easier. Brush oil lightly to avoid dripping oil to cause flames.

Step 2. Place your food on the hot grill and keep your eyes on it. Brush the seasoning when the food is half cooked to keep the food moist, turn it over, and then continue grilling.

Step 3. Stick the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, keeping it away from the bone. When cooked, the internal temperature of the chicken should be 165 °F, pork and fish should be 145 °F, while beef ranges from 140 °F to 170 °F.

Step 4. When it’s done, put it on a plate using the tongs, and garnish with some scallions. Now, you can enjoy your delicious food!

3. Turn off the Grill

Turn off a charcoal grill:

Shut down the charcoal grill when you are done by closing the lid and the vents. Lack of oxygen will prevent the charcoal from burning. Do not pour hot coal into the garbage, otherwise, it may cause a fire. It is recommended that you extinguish it with water and cool it down.

Turn off a gas grill:

It’s pretty easy to turn off a gas grill when you finish your backyard grilling. All you need to do is to turn all control knobs to 0.

4. Clean the Grill

Clean a charcoal grill:

Soak the grill in vinegar for a while, then spray a degreasing cleaner, wait a few minutes, and wipe it with a wet dishrag.

Clean a gas grill:

Run the grill until everything on the grates has turned to white-gray ash. Then clean the inside of the grill with warm, soapy water.

The Golden Rule of Grilling

How long does it take to bake different foods? Here is a list.

Meat and poultry

• Steak: Low heat, 15 – 30 minutes
• Pork chops: Medium heat, 15 – 20 minutes
• Lamb chops: Low heat, 30 – 40 minutes
• Chicken wings: High heat, 10 – 12 minutes
• Chicken legs: Medium heat, 10 – 18 minutes
• Whole chicken: Low heat, 1 hour 15 minutes – 1 hour 30 minutes

Fish and seafood

• Fish: Low heat, 5 – 8 minutes
• Shrimp: Medium heat, 8 – 12 minutes
• Squid: Medium-high heat, 3 – 5 minutes
• Oysters: High heat, 5 – 8 minutes

Fruits and vegetables

• Eggplant: Medium heat, 3 – 5 minutes
• Potatoes (whole): Low heat, 50 – 60 minutes
• Onions (whole): Low heat, 45 minutes
• Corn (whole): Low heat, 35 – 45 minutes
• Mushrooms: Medium heat, 15 – 20 minutes

Now, are you ready to have a backyard grilling with your family or friends?