Not so long ago, vegetables were used mainly as spacers between chunks of meat on grilled kebabs. But with the right preparation, they can become the main event, rather than an overlooked side. If you want to elevate your own grilled vegetable game, here are three hacks to get you started.
1. Perforate That Foil
Many vegetables are skinny enough to fall through your grill’s grates, or need to be cut that small to cook quickly. A perforated grill basket will keep your vegetables secure while letting in smoke and creating some char.
If you don’t have a dedicated basket, grilling in foil is the next best thing. In a tightly sealed foil pouch, vegetables cook in their own steam. This is perfectly fine, but it’s not really grilling. For a grill basket effect, make a few small slashes in the foil pouch so heat enters and steam escapes. This way, your vegetables will actually taste grilled.
2. Dial Up the Flavors
Grilling blogs are filled with suggestions for improving the taste of your steaks, chops, and chicken pieces with marinades and dry rubs. So why not use those same techniques on your vegetables?
Marinades, flavored oils, and dry spices cling perfectly to produce like corn on the cob, or broccoli and cauliflower florets. For other types of vegetables, consider poking holes with the tip of a paring knife to let marinades enter, or brushing or misting them with oil to help spices and herbs cling. You could also brush veggies with a sticky sauce, or serve them with a flavorful dip.
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3. Learn To Master Controlled Heat
Not all grilled vegetables are suitable for quick cooking over high heat. For sturdier vegetables or thicker cuts — think center-cut cabbage or cauliflower steaks — low heat works better.
Set up your grill with a hot side (burners on or coals mounded) and a cool side (burners off or no coals), and grill slow-cooking veggies on the cool side with the lid down. Once they’re tender, move them to the hot side for a final sear to caramelize and enhance their flavor. It’s the vegetable version of steak’s reverse-sear.
