When warmer weather makes its annual appearance, it’s time to break out the grill. Who doesn’t love grilling? The bbq smell is in the air, and you’re sipping an ice-cold drink to keep you refreshed throughout your grilling session.
You always have certain staples on your flat top grill, such as burgers, hot dogs, sausages, and chicken. While these are tasty options, sometimes you might want to try something different. There are other foods you can grill to enhance your experience. Here are a few you should try to up your grilling game and keep things interesting.
1. Pizza
Everyone loves a good slice of pizza—whether you prefer it cold or hot, it’s bound to have your taste buds jumping for joy. The toppings you put on pizza will surely enhance its flavor. But to take it up a notch, you can place it on the grill.
Yes, it may sound odd, but once you try it, you’ll never use the oven again. The smoky flavor from the grill seeps into the pizza, combining two of your favorite things. Plus, you won’t need to worry about it sticking to your flat top grill or falling through the grates—the dough is sturdy enough to withstand the grill’s heat.
2. Fruit
You may have heard rumblings about grilling fruit. And we’re here to tell you those rumblings are true. Putting fruit on your flat top grill is an excellent way to add some smoky flavor to some of your favorite healthy options. The best fruits to grill include:
- Watermelon
- Pineapple
- Mangoes
- Peaches
Once you’re done grilling, you can add them to a fruit salad. Or you can sprinkle some honey on the fruit to match the bbq taste with extra sweetness.
3. Eggplant
Eggplant is one of those vegetables with an acquired taste—you either like it or you don’t. Seasonings are a great way to enhance their flavor. But grilling it is an even better option. The thing about eggplant is that you can serve it as a side or main dish. If you’ve never grilled eggplant before, here’s a great recipe you can try:
- First, cut the eggplant into circular slices; thick or thin, depending on your preference
- Next, brush the slices with olive oil, drizzle with lime juice, and sprinkle cajun seasoning over them
- Grill for five minutes on each side, remove and enjoy
4. Potato Chips
When you think of potato chips, you can feel the crunch in your mouth even if you’re not currently eating them. You know they go great with most sandwiches, but they are also an excellent option for grilling. Now we know what you’re thinking—wouldn’t that make them even crunchier?
Don’t worry; you won’t be taking a bag of potato chips and sprinkling them across your flat top grill. Instead, you’ll be making your own, and here’s how you do so:
- Cut the potatoes into thin slices length-wise; you can use a knife or mandoline slicer—thicker pieces will result in grilled potatoes instead of potato chips
- Coat the slices with olive oil and salt
- Put the potatoes in a pan and place them on your grill, and allow them to cook for five minutes on each side until they’re browned
- Remove and repeat with the remaining potatoes
Ensure you don’t leave the potatoes on the grill too long because they can burn quickly. But once you have the perfect batch, you can pair them with aioli.
5. Cheese
Cheese is great on most things, isn’t it—pizza, sandwiches, salads; you name it. But it’s also a food that has a grilling capacity that many are unaware of. If you want to grill cheese, please don’t use thin slices; they will burn immediately and make your flat top grill a mess.
Instead, use thick cuts to get that charcoal taste. Halloumi cheese is one of the best to grill because of its flavor. Lightly brush the pieces with some olive oil and place them on the grill. One thing you should be aware of is that grilled cheese (no pun intended) has a chewy texture. But if you have no issues with that, pair them with bread and grapes, and enjoy some tasty goodness.
These Five Foods Will Change How You Grill
Everyone’s used to grilling the same things, such as hotdogs, burgers, and sausages. But if you want to give your grilling game an interesting twist, try some of the foods listed above. Trial and error are essential, so if you don’t like something, you don’t have to grill it again. But after you’re done, you might find a new grilling favorite.