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Vegetable Barbeque Recipes Can Improve Your Cookout |
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Written by Christine Szalay-Kudra
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You do not have to give up on great vegetable dishes just because you are thinking about grilling, and there are a lot of advantages to adding a few grilled veggies to your meal. Having a good vegetarian option at your next cookout will be a great idea to please vegetarians and omnivores, too, and it takes just a short while to cook.
by ChristineSzalay-Kudra
You do not have to give up on great vegetable dishes just because you are thinking about grilling, and there are a lot of advantages to adding a few grilled veggies to your meal. Having a good vegetarian option at your next cookout will be a great idea to please vegetarians and omnivores, too, and it takes just a short while to cook.
There are lots of vegetables that cook well on the grill. Onions in all colors, and their relatives, the leeks, are a great choice. Mushrooms do well, as do whole heads or cloves of garlic. Carrots, either sliced, or small whole ones, can be grilled. Any kind of summer squash is great, hot and sweet peppers do amazingly, and grilled eggplant can be a surprisingly smoky, rich tasting dish. Tomatoes can also be grilled.
Choose larger examples, in slices, to lay directly on the grill, or smaller ones on skewers to make shishkabob type veggie skewers. Just make sure you soak wooden skewers in cold water to prevent them from scorching and catching on fire, and make sure that your grill is at the correct temperature. All vegetables should be washed or wiped clean, then patted dry.
Consider a half hour or so of marinating for your vegetables. Just use your favorite regular marinade, or vinaigrette you enjoy on salads. Veggies can also be brushed with oil, salted and peppered, and cooked right on the grill. Remember not to put sugary sauces on your veggies before grilling, though. They may be sweet, but they will stick and burn.
Remember that you should use at least a little bit of oil with all vegetables, so they do not stick to the grill. You do not need to worry about adding very much in terms of calories, and it will be easier to cook them. Do not cut vegetables too big, or you will have to deal with them undercooking, or too small, since they could slip through the grate.
Space vegetables at least one quarter of an inch apart to make sure that the centers and edges of each one cooks at the same rate. Remember that these grilling recipes cook very quickly, too. That means that they can scorch and burn, or turn to mush, if you are not willing to keep an eye on them. Delicate veggies are done almost instantly.
Thick, dense vegetables are going take longer to cook, while thinner vegetables with a wet feel will cook quickly. Tomatoes and asparagus will be done within a few minutes, but it will take longer for potatoes and other starchy veggies. Make sure you position them in a place with less intense heat to provide even cooking. Slice dense vegetables thinner if you need them to cook more quickly.
If you'll be serving vegetarians, instead of just augmenting your meat foods with a vegetable side, and meat is being cooked, be sure you reserve a place on the grill where meat has not been cooked, or cook your vegetables on foil. You may not be able to taste the flavor of charred meat on your grill, but your veggie friends can, and they will appreciate the little bit of extra effort.
About the Author:
Great grilling recipes make your meals unforgettable! If you do not use any recipes when you grill, you should try some and see the difference. Imagine... no charring, no undercooked food. There are some fabulous recipes to try at our site. Try them out and you will end up adding them to your permanent recipe collection. |
