With summer barbecue season in full swing, some of you may be looking to go beyond the classic summer barbecue fare of burgers, hot dogs, and sausages.
Although vegetables aren’t a traditional barbecue food, grilling them is a great way to prepare them and add a colorful touch to your meal.
Two chefs shared with Fox News Digital how they grill vegetables and share techniques to get the best flavor out of them.
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1. “Turn down the heat a little.”
“For the most part, any vegetable can theoretically be grilled,” Jami Flatt, executive chef at Amatera in Portland, Oregon, told Fox News Digital in an email.
“In theory, you can grill just about any vegetable,” Portland, Oregon, chef Jamie Flatt told Fox News Digital, but technique is key. (iStock)
“Cook it until it’s al dente and be careful not to overcook it,” he added.
Flatt says his biggest grilling tip is to “turn the heat down a little” depending on the size of the vegetables you’re grilling.
Different vegetables require different approaches, Flatt said.
“There’s no one cooking method that works for each food,” he says. “The time and temperature on the grill will vary depending on how you want to cook the food. You have to start with the end dish in mind.”
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For example, when roasting zucchini or eggplant, the goal is to “remove the flesh from the skin,” and then puree the roasted vegetables to use in cooking.
But vegetables and fruits with a high water content shouldn’t be roasted in the same way as other vegetables, he says.
“A general rule of thumb is that anything with a high water or moisture content will be more difficult to grill.”
“As a general rule of thumb, foods that are moist or wet will not brown as well and are more difficult to grill,” he said.
2. Choose your grill (and veggies) wisely
The type of grill you use, whether it’s a gas grill, charcoal grill or another type of grill, will affect how you grill your vegetables, he said.
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“If you’re grilling something with a lot of moisture, you have to approach it differently,” Flatt says. “You want to cook it quickly on a very hot surface.”
Flatt told Fox News Digital that his favorite vegetable to grill is green beans, especially in the summer when they’re in season at farmers’ markets.
Flatt told Fox News Digital that his favorite vegetable to grill is kidney beans, a dish he serves at his Portland restaurant, Amatera. (Courtesy of Amatera)
“It’s very soft,” he said.
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“Just add a little olive oil, salt and pepper over high heat. Brown them a little on one side, but be careful not to overcook them.”
3. “I love good char siu.”
James Beard Award-nominated chef, restaurateur, culinary diplomat and author William Dissen told Fox News Digital that his favorite veggies to grill are “squash, broccoli, asparagus, potatoes, peppers and onions.”
“These vegetables love to be well charred and are made even more delicious by the smoky flavor that comes from the grill,” Dissen said in an email to Fox News Digital.
Vegetables like squash and zucchini are great for grilling, two chefs told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
Dissen is the owner of Market Place Restaurant in Asheville, North Carolina, and the author of Thoughtful Cooking: Recipes Rooted in the New South.
4. Choose a simple marinade
To add extra flavor to grilled vegetables, Dyssen says a simple marinade can be used, even something like lemon juice or vinegar.
One chief said the best vegetables to grill are “vegetables that brown well,” and one such vegetable is asparagus, he said. (iStock)
“When I was growing up, my dad would always make quick marinades using Newman’s Own Balsamic Vinaigrette and Italian Dressing, and then toss them on the grill with vegetables to add acidity, herbal flavor and oil,” he said.
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“This was a quick and easy way to add more flavor to grilled vegetables,” Dissen said.
5. “Just try it”
But above all, Flatt encouraged those who are nervous about grilling to “just try it.”
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“Instead of boiling or baking potatoes, make a grilled or roasted potato salad,” Flatt says. “Look up some standard recipes online and see what works.”
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Plus, he said, kids love it.
“Grilling is a fun way for kids who are interested in vegetables to learn something while watching the vegetables cook,” Flatt said.
