Our ancestors cooked their food over fire, and we still appreciate the health benefits and unique taste that comes from grilling meat. Without adding oil, grilled meat retains its vitamins and develops a delicious smoky flavor. It also stays juicy while excess fat drips off, creating a crispy exterior. Whether you search delicious recipes like barbecue, kebab, pork ribs, or any other grilled meat you need to know how to grill meat.
Tips of perfect meat grilling
- When you want to grill meat perfectly, the thickness of steaks should not be more than 4 cm. The meat should be sliced in flat pieces to cook evenly. You can use beef, lamb, pork or poultry, but it is essential to start with high-quality meat for the best taste and tenderness.
- While marinades and seasonings can enhance the flavor, the meat itself should be the star of the show. So, invest in good cuts for a mouthwatering steak or juicy shish kebab that will make your taste buds dance!
- For grilling, fatty meats with lard streaks such as pork, lamb, duck, goose, chicken wings, and legs are particularly suitable because the fat melts during frying and makes the meat very soft and juicy.
- Dry meats like beef and veal are best fried wrapped in bacon or drizzled with vegetable oil to keep them tender and to preserve their shape. Poultry and game can be cooked whole or in pieces on charcoal, skewers or wire rack.
- To ensure a delicious and healthy grilled meat dish, avoid using frozen meat, as the juice will flow out during thawing, making the dish too dry. Let the meat warm up to room temperature for an hour before cooking if it has been refrigerated overnight.
- Be sure to remove all excess ligaments, tendons, films, cartilage, and coarse connective tissue, as these inedible parts of the meat will make it tough and prevent you from enjoying a delicious dish.
Marinating meat
When grilling meat, marinate it beforehand. It is a crucial step that can transform it from ordinary to exquisite. A marinade composed of red or white wine, beer, cognac, fruit juices, oils, vinegar, and sauces can add new dimensions of flavor to the meat. You can also add spices, herbs, and aromatics like thyme, mint, bay leaf, and rosemary. For fatty meat sweet marinade with fatty meat honey can add a rich and unique taste.
It is important to remember that different types of meat require different time for being in marinade. Veal, beef, and lean poultry are best marinated overnight, while lamb, pork, chicken, duck, and goose require only a few hours. To avoid ruining the taste of the meat, do not much salt to the marinade, and always use non-aluminum bowls. If you want to make an attractive grill pattern on meat, press it against the grill at the beginning of cooking it.
Grilling meat
Grilling meat after marinating it is an art. Once the meat has absorbed new flavors, it is time to grill. Grease the grill with vegetable oil and lay the pieces on it. Fry them until they are crispy, then flip them over. Avoid touching the meat during the frying process as this can cause the precious juice to flow out, making the meat dry and tough. Salt the pieces after they are browned, as adding salt too early can dry out the meat fibers.
To create an impressive grill pattern on the meat, press it against the grill or use a frying surface with a corrugated bottom.
To make the meat more tender and juicy, place pieces of butter on it. After removing it from the grill, do not start eating right away. Give it time to distribute the juice evenly inside the piece. The result will be deliciously tender and juicy meat.
Serve the grilled meat with fresh herbs, vegetables, potatoes, cheese, and mushrooms. You can also enhance the taste with barbecue sauce. However, if you are cooking outdoors, the fresh air, hunger, and good company will be the best seasonings for the dish!