There's no reason to pack away your grill when the temperature drops. Cold weather grilling can be just as enjoyable and rewarding as grilling during the warmer months. With a few adjustments and preparations, you can grill delicious meals even when it's chilly outside. Here are some essential tips for successful cold weather grilling.
Cold Weather Grilling
There is no reason to not enjoy some cold weather grilling. You just need to make a few adaptations. It's time to get started!
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What is the best grill to use?
What type of grill should you use for cold weather grilling? You've got several choices: electric, propane or gas.
- Electric grills can be used inside during cold weather. What type of electric grill you buy becomes a little bit of personal preference. Do you want more of a George Foreman style grill, or more of an outdoor style you can use indoors with grill plates?
- Propane gas grills are probably better to use in the winter as gas can liqueify and make cooking times longer. You'll also want to make sure the grill is nice and preheated prior to putting on your foods to cook. It may also require extra cooking time if you are cooking outside and your grill may need to be defrosted prior to cooking with it. Don't forget to make sure you've got good lighting too when grilling!
Tips
- Dress warm: When you head outside make sure you dress warm! Gloves, coats and hats are necessary. Be careful with the extra bundles of clothing around a hot grill.
- Preheat your grill longer: In cold weather, your grill will take longer to heat up. Plan for an extended preheating period to ensure your grill reaches the desired cooking temperature. This can take up to twice as long as it would in warmer conditions.
- Check the temperature: Use a grill thermometer to monitor the internal temperature of your grill. This will help you ensure it's hot enough before you start cooking.
Products to make cold weather grilling easier
There are some products that will make grilling in the winter much easier for you:
- Preheated plates: If you're cooking outside, if you can have a preheated plate to put your cooked meat on, it will stop the meat from cooling down too quickly.
- Light: A good grill light is really helpful for seeing when it's dark and cold outside.
Recommended Winter Grilling Foods
There are some fabulous foods you can enjoy grilled in the winter. Some of our favorites are:
- Hot drinks like cider, etc
- Steak, chicken, sausage, brats, pork, lamb, pheasant, quail
- Pumpkin, squash, sweet potatoes, apples, potatoes, pomegranates
And don't forget to check out some of our favorite winter grilling recipes!
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