Learn How to Grill Fruits and Vegetables Like a Grill Master
Grilling fruits and vegetables with your meat adds excellent flavor. Learn how to perfectly grill these tasty additions and impress your next dinner guests.
It’s no secret that meat pairs deliciously with the right grilled fruits and vegetables. But if you don’t know how to grill them right or which ones to use, you won’t get the most flavor out of your produce.
3 Tips to Learn How to Grill Fruits and Vegetables Like a Grill Master
To help you improve your grilling game, here’s how to grill fruits and vegetables like a grill master.
Which Fruit and Veggies To Use
While you can grill just about any fruit or vegetable you want, some are more ideal than others. Leafy greens will very quickly wilt and burn and often just don’t taste good grilled.
What makes grilled fruits and vegetables so delicious is that their texture and flavor transform.
Corn, pineapple, peaches, zucchini, eggplants, mangos, and pears are all delicious when grilled, as the act of grilling makes them softer and deepens their flavor profile. However, watermelon, tomato, lettuce, spinach, cabbage, apples, and bananas will quickly turn into mush.
How To Grill Fruits and Vegetables
When grilling fruits or vegetables, the first step is to marinate them according to how you’ll season your meat. This is especially true with thick-stalked and root vegetables.
It’s harder the penetrate them with flavor. Make sure to slice them evenly and let them steep in a marinade for at least 20 minutes.
When you’re ready to grill, you have two options. When grilling produce that cooks quickly, you can put it directly on the grill, but be sure to keep it away from direct flame as you don’t want the flavor of gasoline or charcoal to linger.
For vegetables that take longer to cook, like potatoes and okra, wrap them in tin foil and allow them to cook.
If you want to get those signature grill marks, simply sear them on the grill for a few seconds. Generally, you can get away with cooking most fruit directly on the grill.
Which Produce Pairs Best?
This is a common question and one that doesn’t have a true answer. While there are many tips, tricks, and rules to grilling and preparing different meats, the rules regarding produce pairings aren’t as clear-cut.
Depending on how you season your meat, any fruit or vegetable could pair well.
You can cook peaches and steak together for a delicious sweet and salty crusted steak or pair artichoke and chicken together for healthier and earthier flavors.
Ultimately, it’s up to you to experiment and see what you like best. And truly, experimentation can be the most fun and fulfilling part of cooking any meal.
Now that you know how to grill fruits and vegetables like a grill master, you’re ready to up your grill menu before summer is out and host the best grill party on the block.
Tasty Recipes to Try:
Stacey is a Southern girl with a taste for travel, thriving on the discovery of the world through food. After spending many years traveling and living overseas, she’s now back home in her beloved deep south enjoying life with her three little ones and loving the adventure. She’s a food stylist and food photographer, as well as, the creative behind Little Figgy Food, where she loves to inspire others to try new flavors and foodie techniques.
