How to Make Quick and Delicious Meals on the Grill

Quick meals on the grill are a must during summer, whether it’s at home, the campsite or your cottage. Want to go from grill to table in under 30 minutes? Here are the types of meat to choose as well as a few tips to help save you time.

MEATS

• Beef

  The fastest-cooking beef cuts are tender and thin, and can be seared over high heat. That’s the case for steaks like striploin, sirloin, rib eye, filet mignon and flank steaks. Although cooking times vary based on the thickness of the meat, the general cooking method remains the same:

  1. Preheat the grill, setting the burners to high
  2. Grill the meat over direct heat, 3 to 6 minutes per side, for rare to medium doneness.
  3. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before serving.
• Pork

  Pork tenderloin is a lean and tender cut of meat that cooks well on the grill. It can be cooked at a fraction of the time when sliced into medallions, which require them to be grilled just 3 to 5 minutes per side. For the whole tenderloin, here’s how to cook it:

  • Preheat the grill, setting the burners to high.
  • Lower the heat to medium and then place the tenderloin on the grill.
  • Close the lid and cook for 20 minutes, turning it regularly during cooking.
  • Check the internal temperature using a meat thermometer inserted into the centre of the tenderloin. The temperature for a fully cooked pork tenderloin is 135°F (57°C).
  • Let the meat rest for 10 minutes.

  Bone-in pork chops take longer to cook than boneless ones, but they are also tastier. Like the tenderloin, it’s best to grill them over medium heat, 3 to 4 minutes per side. The meat is ready when it’s slightly pink and the thermometer reads 125°F (52°C).

  Try them in the recipe for Grilled Pork Chops with Corn Salad.

• Chicken

  Chicken breasts, even when boneless and skinless, take awhile to cook (about 25 minutes, turning halfway through). For a quick cooking time of only 8 minutes, the trick is to slice them in half horizontally to make thin cutlets.

  With a cooking time of about 15 minutes per side, chicken legs also take long to cook. For a quick meal, opt for just the thighs, which cook quickly, especially when boneless and skinless.

  1. Preheat the grill, setting the burners to high.
  2. Grill the chicken for 5 minutes each side.
  3. Turn off one section of the grill and cook for 5 more minutes.
• Skewers

  Whether they’re made with chicken, pork or beef, skewers cook quickly, given that the pieces are smaller. Thread the meat onto skewers and do the same with vegetables like onions, peppers and mushrooms. By threading them separately instead of alternating them, the ingredients will cook evenly.

FISH AND SEAFOOD

Direct-heat grilling works well for many cuts of fish, including a thick fillet and a steak. Long and flat, thinner fillets are the fastest to cook. For more delicate fish, use the foil packet method. Here’s how:

1. Preheat the grill, setting the burners to medium.
2. Wrap the fillets in aluminum foil and place the packet directly on the grill.
3. Close the lid and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the flesh is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.

Delicate fish to cook in a foil packet:

– trout

– tilapia

– sole

– walleye

Shrimp can be flash-grilled (2 to 3 minutes per side), making them a smart choice for quick, flavourful meals. It’s therefore crucial to watch the cooking time carefully, to avoid overcooking, which will make them rubbery.

Other Grill-Friendly Allies

With a cooking time of around 2 minutes per side, tofu and halloumi cheese are must-haves for the grill and pair perfectly with vegetables. They also taste great when paired with salad. Cut into slices or wedges, the most popular vegetables require between 5 and 10 minutes to cook. These include:

– mushrooms

– cherry tomatoes

– onions

– zucchini

– peppers

– asparagus

– pre-cooked corn

– small eggplants