Quick Grill Tips

The original grilling library closed with a page of rapid-fire tips - the small habits that quietly separate relaxed grillers from frazzled ones. Restored here, with a little added context.

Fish Without Frustration

• If grilling fish, spray the grates with cooking oil first - turning gets easier, and sticking and flaking drop dramatically. (Oil the cold grate before lighting, never spray over flame.)
• You'll know it's time to turn the fish when the outside edges appear cooked - the visual cue that the bottom half is set enough to release.

Vegetables Worth the Grate Space

• Marinate large plank-cut vegetables in Italian dressing for 30 minutes before grilling for a zesty flavor with zero extra effort.

The Safety Habits

• When prepping, keep meat on a separate plate from vegetables.
• Never reuse a plate that held raw meat until it has been washed in hot, soapy water - the single most-violated rule in backyard cooking, and the core of the CDC's grilling food safety page.
• When basting, brush sauce onto cooked surfaces rather than raw meat, and never let a brush that touched raw meat back into the sauce. To serve a used marinade, bring it to a rolling boil for one full minute first.

Fire Management

• Use long-handled tools and protective mitts - reach is safety.
• Keep a bottle of water nearby to tame flare-ups on a charcoal grill. Never use water on a gas grill - move food off the hot zone and close the lid instead.

The Juice-Saving Rule

• Turn meat with tongs, not a fork. Piercing lets the juices you spent an hour building run onto the coals. Tongs for meat, spatula for burgers and fish - forks for serving only.

And Afterward

The best time to clean the grate is while the grill is still warm - five easy habits, covered in our grill block tips. Then close the vents, and next session starts with a clean fire. For the foundations behind these tips, see 3 Cooking Methods and the marinade formulas.