As the weather is getting sunnier and warmer, the heat is on to start grilling again! The burgers, amazing steaks and veggies are calling out your name! But what about the grill lid? Should you keep it up or down? Find out right now!
Grilling is such a fun pastime, with its aromas, its tastes, and the enveloping smoke. Not to mention the social component of having people over and cooking with them in the open air. But the activity of grilling seems to be very steeped in myths and some kind of strange chemistry. There are a thousand versions out there of how to use the grill lid. And we’ve got some answers for you.
Grilling steaks
When you grill a steak, you need a scorching-hot grill. If you are using hot coals, then you need to grill the steak in the first 15 minutes of the maximum temperature. If you’re using a gas grill, which is not as hot as the coal grill, then you will need a bit more cook time, but use the highest temperature on the dial. Gas grills they hover between 500°F to 700°F on high heat while charcoal grills can get up to 850°F.
If you’re eating your steak medium rare, then you won’t need too much cook time anyway. About three minutes per side for a thinner cut of steak, or 3-7 minutes for a thicker cut of steak.
But when do you need the grill for this? Why, when it comes to flare-ups in the flames, of course. By using a very hot grill, the flames won’t be very high, because the steak will be seared before the fat melts. The fat part is the one that tends to stoke the fire in your grill.
So use the lid when the flames are too intense to handle. Because fire is kept alive by oxygen, when you cover the grill with the lid, it keeps more O2 from coming in.
Thicker cuts of meat
If you want to cook the meat all the way through and it’s a thicker cut, then put the lid down, because it will ensure a better experience on the inside of the steak. But a thicker cut of meat can benefit a lot from being marinated or at least rubbed with salt before cooking. Don’t forget to put it on the grill after you’ve kept it at room temperature for a while. Or else, it will remain cold on the inside.
Grill lid – Gone with the wind
Did you know that the wind tends to lower the temperature of the grill and therefore increase your cooking time? So make sure to keep an eye out for that. And when the breeze is incredibly strong, keep the lid on the grill. It will turn it into an oven because it traps the heat inside and allows it to surround your food!
Cook most veggies with the lid off. But think again when it comes to grilling corn. Once again, covering the grill with the lid makes sure that the tasty corn is steamed!
Don’t know what else to grill? We have plenty of ideas for you! Tell us how they go and what you picked!
