BEST GRILLING TIPS FOR SUMMER

by MATTHEW HARVEY

In Texas, it’s getting warmer outside and that means one thing. It’s time to fire up those grills! Well, let’s be honest they were probably never really turned off all that long except for that day or two that there was ice on the ground.

We’re Texans after all. We’ll grill no matter what the weather is like. If we have an excuse to grill, we grill. Birthday party, grill it up; Mother’s Day, time to grill, Father’s Day, get a new grill and break it in; Anniversary, we wish we were grilling while eating a steak we know we could grill better in the backyard. Texans will look for any reason to grill. Whether it’s a special event, whether the sun came up, or because we received mail that wasn’t a bill, it’s always grilling time!

Previously, in TEXAN MAGAZINE, I wrote an article about barbecue. This is NOT that article. No, this is about grilling, which as we know is different. It doesn’t matter what your recent transplant-from-another-state-neighbor says, it’s different. Grilling is a past time, it’s a hobby, it’s fun. Barbecue is a passion, an obsession, and can start fights. Grilling? Not so much.

So, let’s dive right in and discuss some of the many things you can slap down on the grill and have a truly Texas-style meal.First, let me say this one thing. I am not, I repeat NOT going to get into a discussion about pellet versus charcoal versus gas or propane. That would take too long, and depending on where you live, the stance will be wrong and that, like barbecuing, can be fightin’ words. So, we’re just not going to go there. Not one bit, not at all. I’m not going to say that charcoal is for purists, while propane is for those who aren’t comfortable with regulating temperature with air flow, while pellet grillers like to use something that looks like pet food to cook their food. I’m not going to say that. Whatever method you prefer is fine for you to use.

The goal of grilling is to make great food. It’s not about the instrument you use, it’s about the food you’re grilling. It’s like driving from Austin to San Antonio, there are multiple ways to get there, and not any of them are more right than the other (except for any that avoid IH 35). It’s about getting there, and the destination. It’s not whether you drove a Ford, or some other vehicle you see on the road. It’s about getting there. Now, having said all that, why don’t we get on with it and talk about grilling.