How to choose the best meat for grilling?

The sun is starting to burn, the days are getting longer, and queues are beginning to form at ice cream stands, all clear signs that the grilling season is slowly but surely approaching. If you are also among the lovers of meat and vegetables prepared directly over glowing coals and want to take your grilling skills a step further, then you are in the right place. Today, we will look at how to properly choose meat for your grill.

It all starts with meat preparation

Before you start heating the grill grate, it’s good to have the meat properly prepared. Ideally, avoid classic supermarkets and stop by a local butcher who will have meat of somewhat higher quality. If you have a good piece in the freezer, let it thaw and temper for at least half a day before grilling. Take meat chilled in the fridge out at least two hours before grilling.

The actual preparation of the meat should not be done without a proper marinade. Ideally, let the meat marinate overnight so the marinade nicely blends with the meat. Also, never tenderize the meat! For the grill, nicely thick and marbled pieces are always suitable.

A good steak should not be missing from any grilling

You can throw chicken, pork, game, and fish on the grill, but the king of every grill will be a beef steak. Choose a properly aged steak that has undergone the dry aging process, which gives it the right dark red color. At the same time, choose a piece of meat with visible creamy yellow fat marbling.

And be careful. Steaks should not be marinated, only seasoned, ideally with black pepper, just before placing on the grill.

Watch out for dried-out poultry

Poultry is a lighter alternative to grilled meat. More than with other meats, it applies that you should buy it from local breeders. You will be surprised how much the taste of chicken meat from local farms differs from chicken bought in supermarkets. You can grill breasts, drumsticks from thighs are also excellent, as well as whole chickens or halves.

However, chicken does not have to be your only choice. Turkey meat also works great on the grill, and you won’t make a mistake with duck or goose breasts either. However, be careful about the very easy drying out of poultry meat and, conversely, undercooking inside while the surface is already burning. If you add pepper, go for white pepper.

Pork ribs are a grilling classic

And then we have pork meat, which excels in its juiciness. You will never make a mistake with traditional grilled ribs, chops, or even pork belly. You will always make your guests very happy when they see this meat being prepared.

Pork is exactly the type of meat that calls for a marinade. Try to experiment a bit, forget about prefabricated marinades, and prepare your own at home, for example, a honey marinade with a bit of freshly ground red pepper.