As we prepare for the barbecue season, our first question might be, if we don’t already have a grill, which one should we choose: a charcoal, gas or electric grill? There is no general answer for this question, as the best grill is the one that suits each one’s needs, lifestyle and last but not least, their budget. When deciding what to buy, you need to consider what your priorities are: to make a barbecue quickly, with very little time and effort? Or is the taste the most important factor for you? Where will your grill be placed and how much space do you have?
Some people say charcoal-grilled food is the most delicious, so it’s only worth buying a grill that you put charcoal on, light it, wait about half an hour, and then you can start grilling. The downside is that it can’t be simply turned off, and its indoor use is completely ruled out. A novelty is the portable pellet grill, in which we burn hardwood pellets made from wood waste, and the grilled food will have such a good authentic campfire taste.
The food made on a gas grill also tastes good, yet this kind of grill offers versatility and relative comfort. Since you can grill your food in just 10 minutes, it is especially recommended for those who use it often. At the same time, they are not too practical, as the ones connected to the gas pipeline are not portable. Gas-tank grills are also quite heavy, but at the same time they require quite a lot of space, even the smallest models.
Electric grills offer the least authentic grilled flavor, but can usually be used almost anywhere. Their advantage is that they can heat up quickly and require no fuel other than a nearby electric plug socket.
Once you've selected your grill, let's see what and how to grill!
When you are grilling meat, it is advisable to marinate the slices before grilling. For Transylvanians, the barbecued meat is the most popular, which is usually made from pork and is worth marinating for several hours before grilling, most often with a salt-pepper-garlic mixture. But you can grill any meat from chicken to fish or to lamb. Fish meat should be marinated for maximum half an hour.
The marinade should not contain many ingredients, on the contrary: let the taste of the meat prevail. Different herbs give the meat character, while olive oil gives it a protective layer; when marinated in wine vinegar or wine, the fibers of the meat are loosened and the end result is crumbly. However, if you use an acid marinade, don’t keep the meat in it for a long time because it will be chewy!
Helpful hint: the thickness of the meat slices should be 1 cm and it’s even good if you use slightly fatter meat. If we add some lemon juice to the slices before grilling, the meat will soften more easily, just be careful: turn the slices with tongs instead of a fork, because the stabbed meat loses its moisture.
Unlike meat, vegetables can be left to marinate for maximum half an hour, then grilled at a lower temperature and preferably on skewers. You don’t even have to marinate them anyway; they will be very tasty and healthy as they are. You can also grill eggplant, asparagus, tomatoes, paprika, potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, onions, corn or other vegetables.
Also, the grill is a perfect tool for preparing mushrooms. The advantage of mushrooms over meat is that they are low in carbohydrates, calories and fat, so consuming them can be a great alternative for those who intend to lose weight and those on a diet, but also for those with diabetes or gluten and lactose intolerant people.
You can read about preparing the mushrooms correctly before grilling here!
Larger mushrooms can be grilled directly on the grill, and medium and smaller ones can be grilled on skewers. If you brush the mushrooms with olive oil, they will not stick to the grill and it is worth also sprinkling them during grilling so that they do not lose their moisture. Don’t forget to turn the skewers to make sure that all sides of your mushrooms are grilled evenly! In the case of grilled mushrooms, it is also recommended to work with tongs instead of a fork. If you marinate the mushrooms before grilling, they will be ready in just 10-15 minutes. Here’s a few more tips for grilling mushrooms so you can get the most out of this real superfood.
