12 Grilling Hacks You Never Thought Of

Spice up your summer and impress the heck out of your guests with these genius grilling tips.

Grilled Cheese -- Like, Literally

It may seem counterintuitive to put a wheel of cheese directly on the grill, but just wait until everyone dives into the luscious pool of smoky, gooey cheese scooped up with grilled baguette slices.

Strewing citrus slices over a grill keeps fish from sticking to the rack and infuses it with flavor at the same time. Slice oranges, lemons, and limes about 1/4 inch thick, then spread the fruit generously over a hot grill.

In the mood for some tender grilled ribs or chicken legs but not in the mood to stand over the grill for hours? Instead, speed up the cooking time by boiling the meat in sweet-salty-garlicky brine. Then, just grill for a few minutes to give your food a smoky char.

Once the grill is lit, don’t waste a bit of that precious smoke and sizzle. Grill some food for tomorrow, too. Nobody will complain about leftovers when they take the form of a grilled chicken burrito bowl for lunch, or a dinner of steak quesadillas or salmon-and-shrimp Nicoise salad.

Get the Burrito Bowl Recipe

Get the Steak Quesadillas Recipe

Get the Leftover Salad Nicoise Recipe

Cast-iron skillets are perfect for cooking over the fire. They can withstand the flames, they hold and distribute heat beautifully, and a properly seasoned skillet is nonstick, too. This is an ideal way to cook vegetables so they don’t fall through the grill, as well as delicate items like fish.

Get the Skillet-Fried Trout with Herbs and Tomatoes Recipe

Get the Skillet Paprika Potatoes Recipe