Top 10 Summer Grilling Tips 

There’s still time for some summer grilling using our signature blends! So what are our top tips for summer grilling? 

1. Equip With The Grilling Essentials. There are several grilling essentials, including 16-inch tongs. You’ll also want grill pans to catch any food that falls through the grates, as well as a digital instant-read food thermometer to test how well-done your meat is. If you’re cooking shish kebabs, consider flat stainless-steel skewers.
2. Clean Your Grill. It’s always good to start the season with a clean grill. Start by heating your grates. Then use a grill brush or a ball of aluminum foil to scrub them. Clean between each use to ensure your food is not getting contaminated with last night’s dinner. 
3. Preheat Your Grill. Whether you’re using a charcoal grill or a gas grill, it’s important to preheat. For a charcoal grill, you’ll want to lower the lid after the charcoal bricks turn ashy in color. Then open the dampers and let the grill preheat for five to 15 minutes. For a gas grill, put the lid down and heat on high for ten or 15 minutes.
4. Start with Salt. Season with salt before any other seasonings. This will enhance the food’s flavor and ensure that it stays juicy. 
5. Choose Your Yaji Spice Blend. Before you actually fire up the grill, form a plan on which Yaji Spice spice blend you’ll use on your meats or vegetables. 

 If you’re looking for a kick, consider Ataré. Ataré is warm and spicy. It can be rubbed onto meats as a marinade and then grilled. It’s perfect for grillers looking to infuse their food with a harmonious blend of warmth, smokiness, and nuanced sweetness.  

Mama Put is another spicy choice. Mama Put delivers a complex spiciness with citrus and cardamom notes and a lingering, fiery spiciness from the long chili. Fire up your grill and marinate your meat of choice with Mama Put. It will infuse your food with a unique blend of warmth, sweetness, smokiness, and heat. 

For a nutty flavor, go with Suya blend. Suya blend has a rich, nutty flavor. Ginger and cayenne pepper deliver an invigorating, warming heat, while locust bean adds a smoky, earthy dimension. Garlic and onion powder contribute robust, savory notes. Perfect for marinating and grilling meats, especially beef, chicken, and lamb. 

6. Grill Vegetables. You can use Ataré blend, Mama Put blend, and Suya blend on grilled vegetables as well. 
7. Allow Meat to Rest at Room Temperature. Before cooking, allow your meat to rest at room temperature for half an hour. This will ensure it stays juiciest, as well as cooks quickly and evenly. Fish is the exception to this rule and should go directly from the fridge to the grill.
8. Flip Fewer Times. Food will cook more evenly the fewer times you flip it. 
9. Use Carryover Cooking.  You’ll want to slightly undercook your food and then allow it to rest for at least 5 minutes for burgers, steaks, pork loins, and chicken.  This is called carryover cooking, where food continues to cook after being removed from the cooking surface.
10. Don’t Flatten Burgers and Steaks. This will drain the juices from the meat.  

With these tips, you’ll be a pro at the grill in no time. Make certain to visit our online spices store to browse our signature spices before you fire it up. You’ll want Ataré, Mama Put blend, and Suya blend in your cupboard of spices this summer grilling season.