Hot And Tasty Grilled Vegetables On The BBQ

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 offer a lot more variety than the usual cookout fare, whether served on their own as the basis for a whole meal, or simply to augment the usual. No matter what, they are fast, easy to cook, and offer excellent results. From tomatoes and peppers to corn, squash, onions, eggplant, and even jalapeno peppers, vegetables are anything but bland.

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.

Mushrooms do extremely well when you cook them on the BBQ, too. This is a method of cooking that helps them taste their best, especially if you use a tasty marinade. Try a salty, sweet type, and cook whole mushrooms right on the grate, with little ones placed in a grill basket. You will be surprised by how good they can be.

Some vegetables are not top choices for cooking on your grill, however. These include leafy greens such as lettuce and spinach, cucumbers, celery, and other foods with a high water content and a low sugar content. They tend to shrivel and stick, with poor results. However, not all moist veggies are like this.

Cabbage and baby bok choy, for instance, are fantastic grillers. Serve them with a spicy relish, some soy or oyster sauce, or any other favorite topping. Asparagus grills beautifully, if quickly, and eggplant takes on a whole new smoky flavor when you cook it in slices over the coals with some strong olive oil.

Onions, sweet and hot peppers, zucchini, yellow squash and pattypan squash are also excellent choices, and you will be amazed at the results when you grill beats. Radishes, potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, and other root veggies take a little while, but they do an excellent job over the coals, too. Remember to watch them carefully to avoid burning, but the result is well worth it. You will be amazed by how good many vegetables are after just a little time on the grill. Take some time to experiment.

Some people make a do it yourself masonry outdoor barbeque grill in their back yards. With a little planning and advice, anyone can do a good job and create a permanent grill. Don’t forget to make a way to clean it out easily. To learn more about barbecuing, visit our site.