As a college student, chances are you’re a newbie at grilling and cooking summer foods in general. Take these awesome BBQ hacks and keep them in your pocket for when you need them. We’re sure everyone at your BBQ will be impressed.
1. Spray meat with apple juice
Photo by Everett Putnam-Mackey
Keep a spray bottle nearby full of apple juice for when you start grilling. Prevent your meat (especially pork) from drying out by spritzing apple juice on it throughout the cooking process.
2. Use a jar to coat meat with BBQ rub
Photo by Amanda Shulman
Making sure the rub gets on all of the meat can be tricky and a little messy for us so-called “adults.” Make life a little easier by placing the piece of meat in a lidded jar (along with the BBQ rub) and give it a good shake – that way you don’t miss any spots.
3. Get instant cold beer + drinks
Photo by Kathleen Lee
A party isn’t a party if the drinks aren’t cold. Make sure that never happens by filling your sink with ice and salt. Once you put the drinks in, they’ll be cold in no time.
4. Use chopsticks instead of tongs
Photo Courtesy of Foodimentary.com
This can be a tough one for people who aren’t good at using chopsticks. But if you’ve mastered the art (and don’t have tongs) don’t be afraid to flip your food with chopsticks. They’re stronger than you think.
5. Spiral cut hotdogs
Photo by Mira Nguyen
Sure, this is a classic grilling hack, but it’s so simple and so useful. But cutting your hot dogs into spirals, you not only cut down on the cooking time but also are giving way for more condiments.
6. Use muffin tins for condiments
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Who wants to spend an hour in the kitchen doing dishes after a BBQ? Cut down on the amount of tableware by putting small amounts of condiments in a muffin tin. You may have to refill them once of twice, but it’s better than being stuck in front of the sink afterwards.
7. Eat burger upside down
Photo by Marissa Sherman
This is, by far, the most helpful hack I’ve ever tried. Turn your burger upside down so you can get the most out of your meal. You’ll not only be able to taste more than just the bread, but it’ll also be harder to leave any leftovers.
8. Keep one side of grill lower than the other
Photo by Bernard Wen
After the meat is done cooking, move it to the lower side of the grill. That way, while you’re still cooking your other foods, the main course won’t burn.
9.Precook meat in microwave first
Photo by Leanna Smith
Running low on time? Pop that meat into the microwave for a few minutes before grilling in order to give it that jumpstart it needs.
10. Use your hand to determine meat temperature
Photo Courtesy of ASpicyPerspective.com
Let’s be honest: which one of us broke college kids actually owns a meat thermometer? Probably very few. No worries though; you can use your hand to determine where the meat is at in the cooking process.