Lazy summer evenings means Dad at the grill wearing that silly "Kiss the Cook" apron you bought him in 8th grade, an ice-cold Bud in hand. I think we can all agree that no one rocks the 'Q like Dad, and mine is no exception. He shares his never-fail grilling pointers with us:

For starters, is there anything you can't cook on the grill?
Dad: There’s not much you can’t grill unless it’s too tiny and falls between the grids.

Ok, but staying on for you is often sticking on for me!
Dad: For fish, start with flesh side down (if skin is still attached). A light brushing of oil adds flavor and helps prevent sticking. Finish skin side down.

Watch the temperature! Overheating may cause skin to burn and stick, so don't be afraid to underbake a little because it will continue to cook after you remove it from the grill anyway. In salmon, for instance, the oils will turn bitter when overheated. Don’t forget that raw salmon is one of the most popular sushi dishes, so you don’t have to over cook it to make it edible and can in fact make it inedible with overcooking.

For meat, choose a spot on the grill do not move it until it is ready to turn over. Usually when the meat is properly seared along the grids of the grill it will cease to stick.

What about vegetables?
Dad: Veggies are a great frontier on the grill. Almost anything can be BBQ’d but I’d say some favorites are eggplant, zucchini, asparagus, onions and all kinds of peppers. I like to grill them all on the lighter side of doneness – bell peppers may require peeling after cooking because they blacken easily, and it’s very simply done.

Try a few slivers of aromatic wood like cedar or oak and get it smoldering on the grill while the lid is down. Make ahead a sauce: 2 cloves garlic (diced or pressed), 3 Tbsp olive oil, 2 Tbsp red wine or balsamic vinegar (or to taste), and salt & pepper. When you pull off the veggies drop them into a salad bowl and toss in the sauce while everything is hot and serve right away. If you have to, undercook and put them all in a roaster with the sauce and keep warm until you can serve them.

How do you know what temperature is right, and should you adjust during the grill session? Can't I just set it to medium and be done with it?
Dad: The true secret to all cooking is temperature. In most cases you want a BBQ temperature of 400° F. A good test of this is to hold your hand 6” over the grille. If you can’t hold it for more than a second you’ve got it.

Best example is with steaks – hit them on one side until it’s a medium brown, the flip and do the other side. Depending on thickness of the meat (and I would suggest always go for 1” to 1½” thick if you can), turn the steak a second time onto a cooler part of the grill or alternatively turn the heat down or even off. Let it sit on low heat for 3-5 minutes and slowly bake the center to your preferred doneness. This works for pretty much everything.

There's got to be a rule on barbeque sauce. Can you set us straight?
Dad: BBQ sauce is great on ribs, chicken and pork. It’s a travesty to drown good beef with tomato paste and sugar.

You can do a lot of good flavoring with dry rubs which you concoct yourself. Next time in the supermarket read the ingredients of dry BBQ spice mixes and go from there. If you must use BBQ sauce, apply it only in the “resting” period. If you put it on too early it will run off into the burners and be lost as well as mess up the BBQ and/or burn into a mess and the taste will be off.

Unfortunately many people grow up on the myth that everything on the BBQ needs sauce, originating no doubt from too many cruddy store-bought frozen burgers in one’s youth. Think about it: no good restaurants ever use BBQ sauce on their steaks!

If you want to jazz things up a bit, dice up some bleu, brie, camembert, or gorgonzola cheese. Spread this over the meat while it’s resting in the BBQ and let it melt.

Wow, that sounds amazing! Do you have any other general tips to share?
Dad: If you have a BBQ fork, throw it away immediately. Never prick or cut meat on the grill because you'll drain the juices. Only use a spatula or tongs.

Doneness on steaks can be checked with a finger pressure test: very soft and spongy = rare; a little firmer = medium ; quite firm = well done, ready to write with.

Try not to leave the BBQ; that’s when flare ups happen. If someone offers to watch it for you suggest they go somewhere “hot” (Note: this is my Dad's way of saying H-E-double hockey sticks). You need to be “in the zone” when you are cooking, know where the hot spots are on the BBQ, where everything has been, and how long you want it to be there.

When cooking skin on chicken keep one side of the grill just above warm. Brown on medium high heat and when you start getting flare ups move meat over to the cooler side to bake to doneness. Take your time!

The Art of Grilling: there you have it. While I didn't always trust Dad's opinion regarding my choices in fashion or boys, I think I'll take his word on this one.

by Claire Rahn