4 Tips & Tricks For Leveling Up Your Grilling Game

Happy National BBQ Month! To kick off our favorite time of the year, we’re coming through with all the advice to hone your craft this grilling season, for BBQ beginners and prized pitmasters alike. Keep reading for our top four tips and tricks from Lisa Richards, Founder and CEO of CowgirlQ Catering, for leveling up your grilling game from prep to plate!

Pitmaster-Minded Prep 

When it comes to greasing the grates, avocado oil spray is one of Lisa’s go-tos! Known for its high smoke point, avocado oil can withstand heat over 500°F without breaking down or causing stickiness that might impact food texture or dirty your grill. Using avocado oil also enhances savory notes in food. 

Mesquite, Best-quite! 

Opting for briquettes made from natural materials like hardwood is essential. As a byproduct of petroleum, coal can burn “dirty” and impart a chemical taste to your food. Lisa recommends mesquite briquettes for added flavor notes and its ability to burn hotter, making it perfect for searing or fast-cooking vegetables. 

Prioritize A Healthy Fire 

Lisa’s secret to the smoke? Grilling slow and steady for a healthier and more flavorful experience. 

Before you begin cooking, make sure all briquettes are aflame and positioned beneath the food. 

Taking this precaution will prevent briquettes from catching fire and burning off any residual chemicals, which could affect both the safety and taste of your grilled food. 

Gas Grilling With Gusto When cooking chicken on a gas grill, consider adding a pan with a bit of water to add moisture, or take things up a notch by flavoring the water with citrus juice–adding a zesty kick as it steams. Remember, when the lid is closed, a gas grill is simply an outdoor oven! To round things out, Lisa loves opening the lid to finish grilling chicken, enhancing texture and crisping up the skin.