5 Easy Steps for Grilling Vegetables

Grill Master with Veggies
From Culinary.net | Contributor

While meats such as burgers, brats, steak, chicken, and pork chops often receive the spotlight at barbecues, a complete meal also includes sides and vegetables.

Before organizing your next outdoor grilling session, think about adding a variety of flavorful vegetables like peppers, asparagus, onions, tomatoes, and zucchini for a burst of fresh-grilled goodness. Follow these straightforward guidelines to grill your vegetables to perfection:

Ignite the grill.
The initial step involves preparing a hot grill. Aim for medium-high to high heat for optimal cooking, providing the perfect conditions for direct grilling. Lighting the grill in advance gives it ample heating time while you attend to other preparations.
Prepare your veggies.
Your chosen vegetables may require some preparation, such as removing stems, blemishes, or seeds. After cleaning, you could chop, dice, or slice them based on your recipe needs.
Add olive oil.
A light drizzle of olive oil on your vegetables before grilling helps in multiple ways. It enhances crispiness while preventing dryness and ensures seasonings like salt and pepper adhere better during cooking.
Use foil packets or skewers.
If grill marks aren’t your preference, place diced or chopped vegetables in a foil packet to steam-cook them for a softer texture. Alternatively, soaking wooden skewers in water prevents them from burning and keeps smaller vegetable pieces from slipping through the grill, all while achieving a crispy finish.
Monitor grilling duration.
Cook times vary based on the type and cut of vegetables, but generally, 5-10 minutes over direct heat works well. The smaller your vegetable pieces, the quicker they’ll cook.