While summer grilling usually brings up mental images of steaks, hot dogs and burgers, there are lots of other options out there. Let us take a look at another class of highly grillable foods - vegetables. They are great for grilling, and the variety is incredible.
Grilled vegetables are also a lot healthier than a meal of burgers, chips, and potato salad. Serve them on their own, or along with your usual grillables for a taste treat that will be hard to beat. From corn to tomatoes and peppers, squash, eggplant, onions and even asparagus and jalapenos, there is a whole world of vegetables out there that you should not miss out on.
Corn is perfect for the grill - after all, it comes in its own wrapper and cooks quickly. Just peel back the husks, remove the silk, soak the corn, and wrap the cob back up in its own husk. Place the resulting package on the grill and the corn will steam itself. Serve with plenty of butter and seasoning and watch the corn on the cob disappear.
Tomatoes might not seem like a food that is right for grilling, but they will surprise you. Halve a tomato, brush it with oil, and grill with the cut side down. The result is incredibly good, and you cannot get it by cooking these veggies any other way. Avoid overcooking to prevent mushiness.
If you'll be cooking mushrooms on your
barbeque, you'll want to take a little time to marinate them. Grilling can bring out some really fantastic flavors. Cook mushrooms whole on the grating or in a grill basket to prevent smaller ones from falling into the fire. Use big mushroom caps on sandwiches as an alternative to the standard burger.
Of course, there are a few vegetables that you might have trouble grilling. Lettuce, celery, cucumbers, and most leafy greens contain too much water and not enough sugar to perform well. They stick and shrivel, and the result is not great. However, some vegetables that you would not expect good grilling out of are actually great.
Take a look at veggies in the cabbage family, including bok choy. These are wonderful grilling foods, despite their high water content. Serve them with strongly flavored seasonings to make them a delicious addition to your next grilled meal. Eggplant and asparagus are also great choices with strongly flavored oils.
Try other common veggies, such as hot and sweet peppers, summer squash of every kind, onions, leeks, and other alliums, and more. Even starchy vegetables are great on the grill. They take a little longer unless cut into pieces, but you will get great results from sweet potatoes, white potatoes, carrots, radishes, turnips and beets. Take a little bit of time to try out something new and see how good the results can be.
More Information:
Grilled corn is a family tradition. Whether you choose to roast it in foil or the husks, it is a summer tradition that shouldn't be lost. Before you just toss it on the grill, take some time to learn about how corn grills so you get the best results. You can find great informative articles on grilling corn at our site.
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