HOME
Sitemap
Arts-and-Entertainment
Business
Communications
Computers
Fashion
Finance
Food-and-Beverage
Health-and-Fitness
Home-and-Family
Home-and-Garden
Illness-and-Disease
Internet-Business
Legal
Personal-Growth
Pets
Politics
Product-Reviews
Real-Estate
Recreation-and-Sport
Reference-and-Education
Travel-and-Leisure
Vehicles
Writing-and-Speaking
|
Barbecue Tips To Make Your Grilled Vegetables Great
By: Christine Szalay-Kudra
You do not have to be cooking meat to enjoy the delicious taste of grilled foods this summer. No matter who you are, you can enjoy the fantastic flavors and textures of vegetables cooked on the grill. You may be surprised by how delicious many of these veggies can taste. There are lots of reasons you should try grilled vegetables - they are healthy, taste great, and are a wonderful choice if you are watching your weight, too.
Why Vegetables Grill So Well
Vegetables are a great choice on the barbecue, because its intense, dry heat causes the sugars that naturally exist in many plants to caramelize. That results in a rich, sweet taste that is hard to beat. Grilling really brings out the best in your veggies. Corn forms a sweet layer just below the skin, onions soften and lose their harsh flavor, becoming sweet and buttery, and bell peppers develop an almost meaty taste in the smoke.
Grilling Vegetables Is Quick And Easy
Putting together a quick meal is no problem at all when you choose to grill a few veggies. In just a few minutes, they are ready to eat. That is faster than grilling most meats, and makes them a wonderful choice for hungry guests waiting for the main course. Of course, you can also skip the meat and do just veggies. Vegetarian grilling will give you a lighter meal that still tastes great and satisfies.
Tips For Grilling Vegetables
If you are interested in getting the most out of your grilled vegetables, you will need to start with ones that are in the best condition possible. Look for foods from sources you are confident about, and make sure the vegetables you choose are extremely fresh. Remember that produce goes through changes as it ages, and can be overly sweet or starchy, dry, tough, bitter, or otherwise problematic, in addition to the possibility of spoilage. In order to get the best taste, you will need to use produce that is in the best condition possible.
Choose vegetables that have a lot of color to them to create interest in your grilled food. Try orange, green, red, and yellow peppers, sweet potatoes in orange, white and purple, yellow, red and blue potatoes, and both colors of sweet corn. Heirloom varieties of tomatoes are becoming more readily available, too, so you can add stripes and interesting colors to a grilling plate.
Greens are important, as well. Try grilled broccoli or bok choy brushed with a little soy sauce, mushrooms in marinade, and many others. Almost all veggies do well on the grill if you know how to handle them. Season simply with oil, pepper and salt, or your favorite vinaigrette recipe to bring out their flavors. These and other target="_blank" barbeque tips will contribute to fantastic grilling.
Remember that all veggies need different temperatures to cook, with starchy vegetables like roots requiring low heat for a long time, while delicate ones such as tomatoes and asparagus should be cooked on high heat. Do not cook them long, and turn them often for best results.
|