How to Grill Food

by the Editors of Easy Home Cooking Magazine

Grilling Peppers, Mushrooms, Onions, Sweet Potatoes, and Garlic


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Most vegetables benefit from the smoky taste and enhanced flavor, too. Large vegetables, such as eggplant, onions, and potatoes can be sliced and cooked right on the grid.

 Hinged wire baskets, made specifically for use on the grill, are designed to hold smaller, more delicate vegetables which can stick and break when turned with a spatula. The hinged basket protects them and really speeds up the process of turning small foods individually.

In this section, we'll show you how to grill bell peppers.

Bell Peppers

All colors and varieties of peppers can be roasted either whole or cut into pieces. If you wish to peel them, remove the peppers from the grill once the skins are blackened and place them in a closed paper bag. The charred skin will slip off easily.

To grill bell peppers:
  1. Prepare barbecue grill for direct cooking.

  2. Place bell peppers, skin-side down, on preheated grid.

  3. Grill bell peppers, on covered grill, over hot coals l0 to 12 minutes or until skin is charred.

    When grilling peppers, don't be afraid to let the skin of the pepper get really charred.
    © 2006 Publications International, Ltd.
    Don't be afraid to let the skin of the
    pepper get really charred. It is
    removed before serving.

  4. Steam bell peppers to loosen skin. Place charred bell peppers in paper bag. Close bag; set aside to cool 10 to 15 minutes.

  5. To peel bell peppers, remove skin with paring knife; discard skin.

    When grilling bell peppers, the charred skin should scrape off easily with a paring knife.
    © 2006 Publications International, Ltd.
    The charred skin should scrape off
    easily with a paring knife.

Mushroom Packet

Grilled portobellos make a tasty side dish or excellent vegetarian main course. Small mushrooms, such as button or brown mushrooms, should be threaded onto skewers for easy handling.
  1. Prepare barbecue grill for direct cooking.

  2. Brush dirt from mushrooms; clean by wiping with damp paper towel.

    When grilling mushrooms, clean mushrooms by brushing off the dirt and then wiping with a damp paper towel.
    © 2006 Publications International, Ltd.
    Clean mushrooms by brushing off the
    dirt and then wiping with a damp paper towel.

  3. Trim base of each mushroom stem with paring knife; discard stem ends.

    When grilling mushrooms, don't cut off the whole mushroom stem. Just remove the tough, dried portion at the end.
    © 2006 Publications International, Ltd.
    There's no need to cut off the whole
    stem of the mushroom. Just remove the
    tough, dried portion at the end.

  4. Thinly slice mushrooms and transfer to a 20 X 14-inch sheet of heavy-duty foil; dot with butter and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and your favorite seasonings.

  5. Wrap mushrooms in foil using Drugstore Wrap technique. Bring the 2 long sides of the foil together above the food; fold down in a series of locked folds, allowing for heat circulation and expansion.

    Grill mushrooms in foil to protect them and create a rich sauce.
    © 2006 Publications International, Ltd.
    Grilling delicate mushrooms in foil
    protects them and creates a rich sauce.

  6. Fold the short ends of the foil up and over again. Crimp closed to seal the foil packet.

  7. Place foil packet on preheated grid.

  8. Grill packet, on covered grill, over medium coals 20 to 25 minutes or until mushrooms are fork-tender. Open packet carefully to serve.
Onion Slices

Sliced onions reveal a sweet new personality when grilled.

To grill onions:
  1. Prepare barbecue grill for direct cooking.

  2. Slice off stem and root end of large red onion; discard.

  3. Cut onion crosswise into six 1/4-inch-thick slices.

  4. Place onion slices on preheated grill and brush with barbecue or other flavoring sauce.

  5. Grill onions, on uncovered grill, 7 to 10 minutes, turning halfway through grilling time and brushing other side with sauce.
Sweet Potato Packets

(made with sweet potatoes about 8 ounces each)

Sweet potatoes can simply be sliced, brushed with oil, seasoned and cooked right on the grid, or use the foil packet method to add additional flavor.

To grill sweet potato packets:
  1. Peel sweet potatoes with a vegetable peeler and slice crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

  2. Prepare barbecue grill for direct cooking.

  3. Place potato slices on four 14 X 12-inch sheets of heavy duty foil. Brush tops and sides with oil to prevent drying.

  4. Wrap in foil using Drugstore Wrap technique: Bring the 2 long sides of the foil together above the food; fold down in a series of locked folds, allowing for heat circulation and expansion.

    When grilling sweet potato packets, fold the long sides of the foil together.
    © 2006 Publications International, Ltd.
    For the Drugstore Wrap, first fold the long
    sides together in a series of locking folds.

  5. Fold the short ends up and over again. Crimp closed to seal the foil packet.

    Tightly crimp the short ends up and over to seal the packet when grill sweet potato packets.
    © 2006 Publications International, Ltd.
    Tightly crimp the short ends up
    and over to seal the packet.

  6. Place foil packets on preheated grid. Grill packets, on covered grill, over medium coals 25 to 30 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender. Open packet carefully to serve.
Garlic Heads

Mellow and buttery, grilled garlic is an awesome accompaniment to anything from a baguette to a pizza.

To grill garlic heads:
  1. Prepare barbecue grill for direct cooking.

  2. Cut off top third of garlic heads to expose cloves; discard tops.

    When grilling garlic, cut off the garlic heads to expose cloves.
    © 2006 Publications International, Ltd.
    Expose cloves by cutting off garlic heads.

  3. Place each head on small sheet of heavy-duty foil; drizzle evenly with oil.

  4. Wrap in foil using Drugstore Wrap technique, as pictured with Sweet Potato Packets. Bring the two long sides of the foil together above the food; fold down in a series of locked folds, allowing for heat circulation and expansion.

  5. Fold the short ends up and over again. Crimp closed to seal the foil packet.

  6. Place packets directly on medium-hot coals.

  7. Grill 20 to 25 minutes. Use tongs to remove the packets and open carefully.

  8. Peel off any charred papery outer skin. Serve whole or squeeze softened garlic from heads using a pot holder.

    Tightly crimp the short ends up and over to seal the packet when grilling garlic.
    © 2006 Publications International, Ltd.
    Squeeze softened garlic from heads.

There's one big vegetable left to throw on the grill: corn. We'll help you find the perfect techniques in the final section.