Grilling: What to Avoid and How to Do It Right

It’s summer, and for once, I feel like I have my calendar sorted to fully enjoy the season—and that means plenty of barbecue time. Grilling has always been one of my favorite summer activities. But recently, I came across some grilling advice from chefs that made me rethink some of my go-to BBQ habits.

Bloomberg recently spoke with a few chefs who recommend you rethink grilling your burgers. Apparently, grilling burgers on an open flame leads to the loss of a lot of delicious beef fat into the fire. The result? A less juicy, dry burger. Instead, they suggest cooking your burgers on a flat top or in a cast-iron pan. This allows the fat to render out and become part of the cooking process, helping form a nice beefy crust on the burger.

But if you’re set on grilling, the chefs have a workaround. They suggest using a cast-iron griddle on the grill. This way, you can still achieve that smoky barbecue flavor without losing the flavor and moisture of the beef.

Other foods to avoid grilling include peeled shrimp, lettuce, skinless chicken breasts, thick-cut bacon, and sausages. All of these foods tend to lose moisture or cook unevenly on the grill, making them less appetizing. Of course, this doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy certain classics at a barbecue. Hot dogs, for example, are still a grill favorite!

I’ve grilled plenty of chicken breasts and burgers over the years, and while I’m skeptical of abandoning these traditions, I can appreciate the reasoning. The key takeaway? It’s all about preserving moisture and flavor. If you love barbecue, consider switching up your approach for a better culinary experience this summer.