Memorial Day has come and gone and you know what that means: it’s grilling season! I know grilling has always been known as a “man’s domain”, but with these tips and tricks, us ladies can whip up a delicious grilled meal. We are independent women who don’t need no man to grill for us!
The jumping off point for any great grilled meal, in my opinion, is a great marinade. I’ve been using this simple marinade for years now, and it turns out delicious every time. It’s full of flavor, but is general enough that is can be paired with any side. The highlight of the recipe is definitely the beer. On top of adding great savory flavor it helps to tenderize the meat. Plus, it works on all kinds of proteins and even hearty vegetables if you’re looking for a vegetarian option. Today, we’ve featured chicken breast and portabella mushrooms, but I also love it on a good steak and it’s amazing on a pork chop. The marinating process is the same for everything, just adjust the grilling times. I also like to reserve some of the first part of the marinade to brush on while grilling, ensuring extra flavor and a beautiful brown color. Here’s some example cooking times and temperatures
- Chicken Breast (boneless): 160° – 5-8 minutes per side
- Portabella Mushroom: 8-10 minutes per side until tender
- Chicken Thighs (boneless): 165° – 10-12 minutes per side
- Skirt Steak: 135° – 4-8 mintes per side
- Pork Chops (bone-in): 14-° – 8-10 minutes per side
Michele’s Top 5 Grilling Tips
- A clean grill is a happy grill – starting off with a clean grill is the best way to make sure your meat comes off the grill without sticking. Give your grill a quick brush before you start grilling. Then, when you’re done cooking, give it a good scrub while the grill is turned off but still hot. If it’s really dirty, spritz it with a little water.
- Start high, then go low – the whole point of grilling is to get those beautiful brown lines, known as grill marks. The best way to ensure you get those is to start your grill off on a high heart. But keeping it on high is a one-way ticket to dryyyyyy meat. A great method for this is creating cooking zones: heat one half of the grill to high the other half to medium, moving over your food halfway through cooking.
- Let the grill do the work – Anyone who’s grilled has had the following disaster: half the meat sticks to the grill. The way to prevent this (on top of having a clean grill) is letting the meat tell you when it’s ready to flip. If you’re timer goes off but the meat isn’t going anywhere, give it a few more minutes. When it’s time, the meat will come clean off the grates.
- Get yourself a meat thermometer – this is my number one tip when cooking any meat by any method: get a quality, digital read thermometer. You can find them for as low as $10 and they ensure perfectly cooked meat. Every piece of meat is different. Cooking for a specific amount of time may not get you the right doneness, but temperature doesn’t lie. Use a thermometer and it’ll be perfect every time.
- Let it rest – This is another universal protein tip. When the meat comes off the grill, let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Don’t worry, your meat will still be perfectly warm. But letting it rest lets the meat relax, leaving it tender and juicy instead of dry and sad.
Follow these tips, and I guarantee you’ll be the star of any cookout. If, like us here at Wildflower, you come from a state with unpredictable weather, we’ve got to take advantage of the outdoor time while we still can. So, get out there and fire up that grill! Your summertime meals will thank you.
Wildflower Collective 