Grilling is not all hamburgers, steak, and hot dogs. You can also use your grill to produce fantastic vegetables this summer. You will be amazed by how delicious these simple dishes can be - they are something that everyone can enjoy, even people who are not usually into vegetables. There are lots of reasons to try these great grilled veggies. They taste good, are healthy, and will even help you stick to your diet without avoiding the grill.
Why Vegetables Grill So Well
Vegetables are a wonderful choice on the barbecue because it offers, dry, intense heat that caramelizes the sugars naturally already in the plants. The result is a sweet, rich taste that cannot be matched by most other cooking methods. Grilling is one of the best ways to bring out flavors in vegetables of all kinds. Onions become milder, mellower, softer, and sweeter, corn develops a crisp, sweet layer below the skin, and bell peppers take in smoke and become almost meaty.
Grilling Vegetables Is Fast
Putting together a quick meal is no problem at all when you choose to grill a few veggies. In just a few minutes, they are ready to eat. That is faster than grilling most meats, and makes them a wonderful choice for hungry guests waiting for the main course. Of course, you can also skip the meat and do just veggies. Vegetarian grilling will give you a lighter meal that still tastes great and satisfies.
Tips For Grilling Veggies
If you are interested in getting the most out of your grilled vegetables, you will need to start with ones that are in the best condition possible. Look for foods from sources you are confident about, and make sure the vegetables you choose are extremely fresh. Remember that produce goes through changes as it ages, and can be overly sweet or starchy, dry, tough, bitter, or otherwise problematic, in addition to the possibility of spoilage. In order to get the best taste, you will need to use produce that is in the best condition possible.
Choose vegetables that have a lot of color to them to create interest in your grilled food. Try orange, green, red, and yellow peppers, sweet potatoes in orange, white and purple, yellow, red and blue potatoes, and both colors of sweet corn. Heirloom varieties of tomatoes are becoming more readily available, too, so you can add stripes and interesting colors to a grilling plate.
Do not forget the greens, either. Broccoli grills beautifully, as do bok choy and other Asian cabbage relatives. Mushrooms are also an excellent choice on the grill. Nearly every vegetable does well on the grill, though some require special handling. Seasoning is simple - a little salt, pepper and strongly flavored oil, or a light vinaigrette, is all you need to make your veggies taste their best. These and other
barbecue tips will help you have a great meal.
Remember that all veggies need different temperatures to cook, with starchy vegetables like roots requiring low heat for a long time, while delicate ones such as tomatoes and asparagus should be cooked on high heat. Do not cook them long, and turn them often for best results.
