The Best Easy Grill Hacks For Your Summer Parties

Summer’s here, and the grills are being dusted off. The next few months are, if you’re anything like me, going to be dominated by figuring out exactly how you can get your money’s worth on the fancy grilling equipment and barbecue-adjacent ingredients that you’ve been stocking up on. But – and there’s no denying it – there’s also a certain stress that comes with grilling, which can supersede the laid-back feel of the cooking itself. As soon as your first pieces of meat start dropping through the slats, or you have your first dried-out, burnt-tasting bite of food, it can all feel like a chore.

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Well, not anymore, I say. There are a few ways to hack proceedings to minimize some key stresses when grilling. Here are my favorites.

Use A Cast-Iron Skillet

If you’re cooking steaks or dealing with smaller items that might otherwise be prone to slipping through the gaps on your grill, a cast-iron skillet will be your best friend. Cast-iron skillets can achieve the same sear that your grill would, by virtue of being able to heat to high enough temperatures, and they can also help to retain moisture around your meat. 

All you need to do is put your skillet right on your grill and give it time to heat up. Then, you can treat the skillet as its own zone on your grilltop. A cast-iron skillet can also be particularly useful if you’ve made burgers that are a little too chunky and need smashing down: You won’t lose any of the meat to the fires below.

Add Ice Cubes To Your Burgers

On the subject of burgers, they can dry out verrrry quickly on a grill – and while you can combat that by using a meat blend with a higher fat content, sometimes you want both leanness and moisture. This is where ice cubes become your best friend. Pop an ice cube in the middle of your burger, and as it cooks, the ice will melt, keeping the interior moist.

Now, it should be said that this hack divides opinion: Some people think it can prevent the sear you get on your meat. However, if you start with a high enough temperature, you should still be able to get a good char on the outside, while the inside remains juicy. There really is no substitute for enough fat, though. 

Make A Muffin Tin Condiment Station

This one’s more of a functional hack, but it will save you a lot of annoyance when clearing up at the end of the meal – and some space on your table. Rather than put out all of your condiment bottles, make a condiment station using a muffin tin. You put ketchup in one hole, mayo in the other, your favorite yellow mustard in the third, and so on. Keep your condiment bottles handy for top-ups. 

Grill Where You Least Expect It

Making a potato salad? Grill the potatoes first. Serving fruit after the meal? Pop it on the grill beforehand. Using dill pickles to top your hot dogs or burgers? You guessed it – grill ‘em. 

This one’s a flavor hack that works on the principle of maximizing taste using what you’ve got in front of you: A screamingly hot piece of metal. Before you throw the meat on, take a minute or two to grill a few extra items to amp everything up.