First, I cut a medium sized tomato in half and then removed the pulp and seeds from the inner sections:

Next I sprinkled some salt and pepper on the cut side of the tomato.  Then put the tomato on the grill, cut side down, and grilled on high heat for about 15 minutes.  My goal was to get the cut side to just start to char a little.

When the tomato was just starting to char, I flipped it over (I used tongs, but would suggest a spatula, as the skin of the tomato can start to slip away).

Drizzle a little bit of Italian dressing on the tomato, which allows it to settle down into the hollow tomato sections (where you removed the pulp and seeds).  The idea here is to get some more flavor down inside the tomato so that when you eat it, all the flavor isn't at the top.

Sprinkle the cut side of the tomato with shredded Mozzarella cheese and top it off with a sprinkling of salt and pepper, and basil.

Grill until the cheese is melted and serve!

Pretty delicious, if I so say so myself!  When I do this again, I'm thinking I might actually gently push some of the cheese down into the hollow tomato sections.

Grilled tomatoes are a nice, easy side dish and a great addition to your grilled meal.

Enjoy!

P.S., For more great grilling tips and ideas, I recommend How to Grill. It has a ton a great grilling ideas for almost anything you would want to cook on the grill. Click here for more information.

Grilled Tomatoes With Cheese is a post from: Outdoor Cooking Magic

Grilled Tomatoes With Cheese is a post from: Outdoor Cooking Magic

I came across this neat solution to the grilling asparagus problem in How to Grill by Steven Raichlen. He suggested that you put 4-5 stalks together with toothpicks. Great idea!  It's not that hard to do.  Snap off the woody bases of the asparagus stalks.  Take 4 or 5 stalks, line them up, and use toothpicks to skewer them together in two places, top and near the bottom.  This keeps the asparagus from falling through the grates.

I then applied a glaze of 4 tbsp sesame oil, 2 tbsp soy sauce and a couple of minced garlic cloves.  After applying the sauce, sprinkle with salt and pepper (kosher salt and ground pepper is best!).  Finally, sprinkle sesame seeds on the asparagus stalks.

You could also use many other glazes that you get at the store, or make your own. Be creative!

Finally, put the asparagus groups on a hot grill and grill for 2-3 minutes on each side. They shouldn't need much.

Most meats will taste better if you let them rest for 5 minutes after taking them off the grill, so that is the perfect time to put your asparagus on. They'll both be ready to eat at the same time.

As I said above, I found this great idea of using toothpicks to connect the asparagus together in How to Grill. It has a ton a great grilling ideas for almost anything you would want to cook on the grill. I highly recommend it. Click here for more information.

If you've never grilled asparagus, give it a try! I think you'll really enjoy it.

Grilled Asparagus – A Delicious Grilled Vegetable is a post from: Outdoor Cooking Magic

Grilled Asparagus – A Delicious Grilled Vegetable is a post from: Outdoor Cooking Magic

So I decided to try a dish called Maple Glazed Vegetables.  It's a pretty simple recipe.  You start by bringing  1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar and 1/3 cup of maple syrup to a boil.  Now it's probably best if you use pure maple syrup, but a 1/3 cup of that is pretty expensive, so I went with what I had in the cupboard (Mrs. Buttersworth is what I used).

Once the vinegar and syrup get to a boil, take it down to simmer until it starts to thicken.  I found that while hot, it won't thicken a great deal, but it'll thicken as it starts to cool.  So don't expect it to get incredibly thick while still on the stove!

Next take some vegetables and prepare for grilling.  I used asparagus (trim the bottom off), a couple zucchini, cut in half and then lengthwise in half again (I cut in quarters lengthwise, half would have been better), a red and a yellow pepper, seeded, and cut into 6 pieces lengthwise, some carrots, and a red onion, cut into 8 wedges (cut from the top, but not all the way down, to about 1/2 inch from the bottom.  This will help keep the onion from falling apart on the grill).

Put the veggies into a large bowl and drizzle a couple of tablespoons of olive oil on them and then sprinkle with salt and pepper to your taste.

Get that grill going and once heat, put the veggies on the grill.  I suggest putting the onion on first, since it seemed to take the longest to cook. If your asparagus is thin (like mine was), put on last, otherwise it will be way overcooked by the time everything else gets done.  So get that onion going before putting the rest of the veggies on.

Brush the maple-vinegar glaze on the veggies and close the lid and let them cook!  Cook for about 10 minutes, checking a couple of times to make sure they aren't burning.  Remember that any glaze or sauce that has sugar in it can burn if the heat is too high or if left on too long.

After 10, turn the veggies over, redistribute if needed, and brush more glaze on.  10 more minutes should do it. Take from the grill and brush with any remaining glaze and enjoy!

This could be a dish that you do as you finish up the meat that you are cooking.  Get the meat seared and move to indirect heat and put the veggies on and allow the meat to finish while you cook the vegetables.

Let me know what you think in the comments below and let me know how you grill veggies on your grill.

Grilling Vegetables – Maple Glazed Vegetables is a post from: Outdoor Cooking Magic

Grilling Vegetables – Maple Glazed Vegetables is a post from: Outdoor Cooking Magic

To make grilled potatoes, cut the potatoes into wedges. Put into a bowl and toss with a tablespoon or two of oil, and some salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Sometimes I'll microwave the potato wedges first if I need to get them done a little bit quicker.

After you add the oil and seasonings, put the potatoes on a hot grill, grill on one side and then turn.

I love to eat them by dipping into a little sour cream.

Enjoy,


P.S. To find out how to bbq the perfect main dish to go with these delicious grill potatoes, I recommend The Ultimate Guide to a Delicious Back Yard BBQ!

Grilled Potatoes is a post from: Outdoor Cooking Magic

Grilled Potatoes is a post from: Outdoor Cooking Magic

Slice two large tomatoes in half.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Combine 1/2 cup of bread crumbs, 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, and 1 tablespoon margarine or butter in a bowl and then sprinkle over the tomatoes.  Sprinkle parsely or other herbs (use your imagination).  Place them tomatoes on a 18x18 inch piece of heavy-duty foil.  Fold in the sides and seal. 

Grill the tomato packats, seam-side up, over medium-hot heat for about 20 minutes.  Serve immediately. 

That's all there is to it!

Cheese Covered Tomatoes is a post from: Outdoor Cooking Magic

Cheese Covered Tomatoes is a post from: Outdoor Cooking Magic

Take 8-10 green, yellow, red sweet peppers and quarter them.  Remove the seeds and membranes.  Brush the skins with olive oil and them grill them, skin side down over medium low coals or heat.  They should take about 15 minutes, or until them are just crispy tender or charred.  They make a great side dish for almost any meat that you are grilling.

Grilled Peppers is a post from: Outdoor Cooking Magic

Grilled Peppers is a post from: Outdoor Cooking Magic

Peel onions and cut them into large wedges from top to bottom. Cut the tops from the bell peppers, remove the core, and cut in these into large pieces also (from top to bottom).  Trim the ends from the squash and cut diagonally, into round shapes, about 1/2" thick.  Toss all the vegetables in a large bowl with olive oil and seasoning.  It will help season the onions if you open up the onion wedges so the seasoning can get into the wedge.  Cook the vegetables on a very hot grill, turning occasionally, until the peppers are slightly charred and vegetables are tender.  This won't take long, about 5 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Mediterranean Grilled Vegetables is a post from: Outdoor Cooking Magic

Mediterranean Grilled Vegetables is a post from: Outdoor Cooking Magic

Grilling Corn on the Cob with the Husk Off

One of my favorite ways is to husk fresh corn on the cob, rinse with water, brush butter or margarine on the corn with a pastry brush, sprinkle with salt and pepper, wrap in aluminum foil, and put on the grill.

Turn every 10 minutes and cook for a total of 30 minutes.  The water helps steam the corn and the butter, salt, and pepper give the corn a delicious buttery moist taste as it is grilled. I love it when the kernels get slightly charred. Gives it a great taste!

A different way to grill corn with the husk off is to husk the corn, rinse, and then boil until just done.  Then put the corn directly on a hot grill and brush with melted butter.  Broil the corn until the tips of the kernels just start to brown.

Brush with melted butter again when done and season as desired.  This method allows you to start the corn cooking while grilling the main course, and then to finish the corn off on the grill, giving it that distinctive grilled flavor.

Grilling Corn on the Cob with the Husk On

Grilling corn on the cob directly in the husks is the other way to roast corn.  In this method, peel back the corn husks, without removing them, remove the silk, and then rinse the corn.  Replace the husks and secure them with twine or piece of the husk.

Soak the cobs in water for 1-2 hours.  After soaking, place the corn on hot coals or on the grill for about 30 minutes.  Turn each cob as its husk turns to white, yellow, and then brown.  The moist husks will steam the corn and keep the corn from burning.

You can also brush butter on the cob and add seasonings after soaking in water and before replacing the husks.  This method will give the corn a very strong roasted flavor that is a favorite of many.   A variation of this method is to leave the silk on and then remove after grilling is done.

A slightly different method you can use for grilling corn on the cob is to pull back the husks but leave them attached.  Remove the silk and rinse as before.  Gather the husks at the end of the cob (where they are attached) and tie them together to form a handle.

Brush butter and seasonings on the cob.  Put the cobs on the grill with medium heat, cooking for 10-12 minutes.  A piece of foil placed under the husk handles will keep them from burning.  The corn will be a golden brown color when done.

Each of these methods used for grilling corn on cob work very well, and you should try each to see which one is your favorite.

You can also use a variety of seasonings in addition to, or instead of salt and pepper.  These can be mixed with the butter prior to brushing on the corn, or can be sprinkled on the corn after brushing it with butter.

Seasoning possibilities include minced garlic, basil, cilantro, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, lemon pepper, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, or any of your other favorite seasonings.  Each will give the corn a very distinctive taste.


P.S. One of my favorite books that has tons of tips for grilling all types of foods, including vegetables is How to Grill by Steven Raichlen.

I highly recommend this book for lots of grilling tips and techniques. Click here for more information or go to Grilled Asparagus to see one of those tips.

Secrets of Grilling Corn on the Cob is a post from: Outdoor Cooking Magic

Secrets of Grilling Corn on the Cob is a post from: Outdoor Cooking Magic

Cut vegetables into pieces that will cook quickly, usually no more than 1" thick.  Soak in water or a marinade for up to 1 hour before grilling.  This will help keep them from drying out.  Toss in a little oil to keep them from sticking to the grill.
Grilling baskets can be used to keep the vegetables from falling into the fire (it has smaller holes so the vegetables won't fall through).  If you don't have a grilling basket, foil can be used instead by wrapping the vegetables loosely in heavy-duty foil.

While grilling, brush with oil, or a marinade to help keep from drying.  Cook until the vegetable can be easily pierced with a fork.  Marinades can add a great flavor to your grilled vegetables.  Try your favorite seasoning (rosemary, thyme, marjoram, etc.) with olive oil and lemon juice.  Try different flavored oils (sesame, garlic, oregano), with different types of vinegar (balsamic, red wine, etc.).  Salad dressings can also make great marinades.

Flavored butters are delicious on grilled vegetables.  Mix your favorite seasoning with butter or margarine and brush on before and during grilling.

Try a mixture of vegetables at your next barbecue.  A mix of sweet onion rings, colored peppers (red, yellow, orange) cored and cut into slices, halved mushrooms, sliced zucchini, sliced yellow squash, and asparagus spears (or any combination of the above), combined with a marinade of crushed garlic, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and freshly ground pepper is delicious and will add much to your meal.

Grilled Vegetables – The Perfect Addition to Your Barbecue is a post from: Outdoor Cooking Magic

Grilled Vegetables – The Perfect Addition to Your Barbecue is a post from: Outdoor Cooking Magic