1. Prepare

Marinate your food in advance. With tougher steak cuts, 24 hours is helpful. For fish, 30 minutes can suffice. With other meats and with veggies, begin marinating in the morning.

Be sure to preheat your grill for 10-15 minutes before you add the food. Reduce sticking on the grill by oiling the hot grill rack with a vegetable oil-soaked paper towel. Hold the towel with tongs and rub it over the rack. NOTE: Easy as it may seem, DO NOT use cooking spray on a grill.

2. Combine Direct and Indirect Heat

Then, combining techniques creates the real magic of grilling. Sear a thick steak above a hot fire (direct heat) for a minute or two per side to brown it, and then move it away from the fire and close the hood (indirect heat). Let that steak coast up to temperature for 10 to 20 minutes more. You will be rewarded with a beautifully-browned exterior and succulent interior.

The longer cooking time allows more of the inner marbling to render its flavor into the steak, without having to cook it past medium-rare.

On a Kalamazoo Hybrid Fire Grill, you can use a wood fire to add even more flavor±—the zenith of grilling! Read more about direct and indirect grilling techniques at KalamazooGourmet.com.

3. Break The Rules: Flip Your Food

We’re not sure who came up with the rule that you can only flip your meat once. Some of the best steaks and chops we’ve ever made were flipped and moved frequently, particularly when using the combination of direct and indirect heat. (What you should not do is press on the meat with the flipper or other utensil, which presses juice out of the meat.)

On a nice big bone-in ribeye, you can even score the outer flesh with a knife to increase the amount of surface area for browning. Turning your steak frequently lets each side take short breaks from the direct heat below. It’s also great for building up a beautiful crust without burning the outside of the meat. This tip works well when cooking thick cuts of beef, lamb and pork.

4. Leave That Fish Alone

Fish should not be flipped. If the food is sticking to the grill, it just isn’t ready to be turned.

Let the fish cook until the sides start to release themselves from the cooking surface. You can help the cause by making sure you thoroughly preheat the grill.

When the hood thermometer on a gas grill first reaches 500°F or 600°F, the grill grates may be lagging behind. Give them time to thoroughly heat up before you start cooking.

5. Olive Oil and Veggies: It’s Just That Simple

Asparagus, corn, green beans, mushrooms and zucchini all love a hot grill. Just give them a thorough coating of olive oil and a dusting of salt, and grill them directly above a hot fire.

For asparagus and green beans, the Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet grillmasters recommend whisking a little lemon juice into the olive oil. It brightens the flavor and helps reduce any smoke from the olive oil.

We’re hungry just thinking about it!

Want to surprise Dad with a new grill for Father’s Day?
Check out KalamazooGourmet.com.