Ahhh, summertime. The sun is up. The weather’s warm. There truly is nothing quite like a great summer barbecue, and as the season heats up, so do my Weber grilling classes. Throughout the past couple of weeks, I’ve been on the road teaching grilling technique classes at some very exciting events, one in Chicago and another in San Francisco. Both festivals were fantastic and I can’t even tell you how much I enjoy sharing my secrets with Weber fans from all over the country. I really feed off of my students’ passion to become better grillers.
It’s funny actually, in every grilling class there is one technique that I am amazed still remains a “secret.” Class after class, barbecue fans tell me that it’s the one tip they constantly fail to remember. So, in the interest of helping every griller become a great one, I’m going to expose the mystery right here and now: preheat your grill.
Okay, okay, I know you were probably expecting something a little more exciting, but it really is that simple. Many times I see people light their charcoal, electric or gas grills and then immediately throw food on the grates. I cringe every time I see it.
Pre-heating your grill is critical for having success. Without this key step, you are quite literally putting all of your food in jeopardy. This is true for two reasons. First, since your grill will not reach the optimal cooking temperature, your food will end up staying on the grill too long. This can easily lead to overcooked and dried out results. Yuck. And second, if you put your food on a cool or lukewarm surface, you can kiss your tasty, crosshatched steak goodbye. Placing uncooked food on cool grates will essentially eliminate your chance at creating flavorful sear marks. These marks are where the sugars in your food get caramelized for that delicious smoky grilled flavor we all love. Not to mention failing to preheat your grill may lead to problems with your food sticking to the grate. When food can sear and caramelize on a nice hot grate, it will release itself easily and make flipping a breeze.
So don’t forget to preheat your grill for at least 10–15 minutes the next time you fire things up. You’ve been warned, and if I happen to catch you skipping this all-important step at one of my classes, you can bet your apron you’ll lose your grilling privileges. Don’t test me, folks. When it comes to grilling, I mean business.
Until next time, happy summer and happy grilling to all!
User Comments
Apr 27, 2013Kevin says...
Hi MtMurph01,
It's not a problem, so keep the questions coming. Yes, preheat the grill like normal. Then, either turn down the far right burner to low or off and turn on the sear station. 800 degrees Fahrenheit would be good for a large roast to sear, but a little too much for steaks. Keep in mind you should not be using the sear station the entire time you grill. This should only be used for the searing portion. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Happy Grilling!
-Kevin
Apr 26, 2013Michael says...
Hi Kevin!
I do have another question, sorry. I have a new Genesis E-330. Last night I tried steaks with the sear station for the first time. The results were good, but I have a problem that I do not encounter with my charcoal grill. I pre-heated for the required amount of time, 10-15 minutes, and the grill was at about 800 degrees. I turned off the far left burner since all three on low were at 550 degrees. Is this a good temperature or should I have left all three on low since when you place food on the grill the temperature goes down? Also, when is the time to start the sear burner on the grill? At the time you preheat? Sorry so many questions but my other two grills were not well made and were not Webers. Thanks!
Jun 29, 2012Ronald says...
Yep, preheating is important when cooking in cast iron as well. Keeps food from sticking, and it's the only way to get those nice grill marks. I like to place hot dogs at an angle and slowly roll them with the tongs to get a great slanted grill mark on them.
Apr 11, 2012Damjan says...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvZERhmtzi4
:)
Feb 24, 2012Kevin says...
Hi Jray57:
First, and foremost, congrats on getting a Spirit 310 gas grill. I know you will enjoy for years to come. Now, I would not call gas grills the dark side, just a different side. Let's be nice!
Here are a couple of recommendations I can give you which should alleviate your problems. One, make sure the grill is preheated like you are doing. We should be looking for 550-600 degree temperatures. Once the grill has been properly preheated I then recommend to clean the grates with a stainless steel grill brush.
Now the second tip I will give you is probably going to fix your problem. If food is sticking to your grates, two things could be happening, one the grates are not clean, and two, you are turning your food to early. No matter what the food, if the grates are clean the food will naturally release itself from the grates. With chicken breasts this usually happens after about 4-5 minutes. You rib loins could take a little longer. If you are noticing that the food is sticking to your grates the best thing to do is close the lid and let the food continue to cook for another 30 seconds to a minute.
Understand we always recommend oiling the food, especially lean proteins like chicken, turkey and fish. Know that the majority of the great BBQ flavor comes from the sear marks on food so making sure the food does not stick is critical. Hopefully these tips should help you and get you back on the right track. If you need anything else let me know. Happy Grilling!!-Kevin
Feb 23, 2012John says...
Just bought my first gas grill-a Spirit 310. Coming to the dark side after years of charcoal only I have a concern. After preheating the grill for 10 mins I still have an issue with food sticking! My chicken breasts and venison rib loins marinated in an olive oil based concoction stick terribly, even the flip side after basting. Like I said I preheat and keep the grates clean. What am I doing wrong?!