How to avoid grilling mistakes

The 4th of July holiday in the US features fireworks, parades, picnics, and backyard grilling and barbecuing. Judging from the out-of-office replies I am receiving, plenty of Americans are making this weekend and upcoming holiday an extended time off. For some it might be the first time they’ve grilled out in a long time and for a few could be their initial foray into barbecuing. Whether you are a beginner or not, The Washington Post’s Aaron Hutcherson is here to help, providing advice on how to avoid twelve common barbecue mistakes.

I have probably committed all of these sins at some point. The one that resonates most with me these days is the admonition to be sure to clean the grill before you cook. I live with someone who believes that “the fire will cleanse it” and there is no need to remove the remnants of the previous grilling session prior to using the grill. And then he wonders why the burgers are sticking. C’est la vie.

Another one that is tough for me as an impatient person is waiting until the coals are fully hot before spreading them out and throwing the food on the grill. “You really need to wait till your charcoal is white before you start grilling,” says barbecue expert Melissa Crookston. “That keeps them having any flare-ups, because while we do like a little kiss of fire flavor profile, you don’t want the Towering Inferno.”

If you’re looking for some grilling inspiration, check out these Member favorite Grills & BBQ recipes in the EYB Library:

• Indecision grilled chicken from Small Victories by Julia Turshen
• Blueberry BBQ chicken from Deep Run Roots by Vivian Howard
• Char-grilled asparagus from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi
• Turkish lamb chops with sumac, tahini, and dill from Dinner: Changing the Game by Melissa Clark (pictured)
• Soy-marinated grilled beef (Bulgogi) from Korea Town by Deuki Hong and Matt Rodbard
• Chargrilled broccoli with chickpeas, almonds, lemon and chilli from Community (Revised) by Hetty McKinnon
• My Moorish pork chops from Jamie Does… by Jamie Oliver