How to get perfect grill marks on the BBQ? Simply & easily…all the time!
Answer, it is as simple as 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock. Just like your driving instructor told you while you were first learning to drive. I’d like to give you a few hints on how to impress yourself and your friends with your BBQ prowess.
First, the most important thing about getting great grill marks on any kind of meat, fish or vegetable is to make sure that you pre-heat grill!
Scrape and brush clean your BBQ grill. Once its nice and hot get what you are cooking ready!
Lightly oil your grill and get ready to cook!
After you have decided what you are going to cook first. Chicken before beef..you know...to time everything so that everything finishes at the same time.
Place what you are cooking on to the side that you would like to mark first. We call this the “presentation side” it is the side we chefs choose to present to our hungry diners.
If you can imagine the face of a clock. You want to place(the chicken breast in my case) at an angle from the 2 o’clock position to 8 o’clock. Let sit, I know the temptation to lift it up and check is strong but you must resist! If you are impatient and lift the chicken too early it may have a tendency to stick.
If you are judging that you will be cooking a chicken breast on each side for 8mins depending on thickness. I would decide to turn the chicken at the 4 minute mark.
Once time is up change its position on the grill. Imagine that clock face again and turn the chicken to a 10 o’clock direction to 4 o’clock orientation on the grill.
Wait the remaining allotted time on the first side and then flip it over. I usually mark one side and flip and cook whatever it is that I am cooking on the other side to the desired doneness.
Once you flip it over you will see perfect grill marks and it will always garner you compliments and will make for a great photo for your blog!
Keep posted for other simple and quick tips soon! Get out and get cooking!
This chicken looks wonderful. I think the biggest mistake people make is overcooking chicken thinking they're going to get sick if they don't.
ReplyDeleteI went to a dinner party last week and the host served chicken breasts that he'd roasted in the oven for 70 minutes! Talk about a labor of love to eat. I felt like I chewed my teeth off. :)
Fantastic photography here!
Thanks Maureen! It is true most people are phobic about chicken and salmonella. As a result they tend to over-cook their chicken, leaving family and guests tasked to find some sauce or a beverage to wash it all down. I am sure that its happened to all of us at least once in our lives. The key is to have an instant read thermometer and cook the chicken to at least an internal temperature of 165°F for cuts of chicken and an internal temperature of 185°F is recommended for a whole chicken. Another piece of advice would be to brine the chicken prior to cooking. It will help with the end product, but won't save any chicken from the unfortunate treatment of being baked for 70 minutes. Thanks for the compliment and comments! Really appreciated it! BnB
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