BBQ Hacks Every Grill Master Should Know

Lauren Slocum
Updated December 15, 2023 161.7K views
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7.2K votes
1.5K voters

Briskets and burgers and rib racks, oh my! If you consider yourself a serious barbecue connoisseur, you'll want to make sure you've mastered all the tips on this barbecue hacks list. From cleaning the grill to marinating your meat, we're bringing you a summer cheat sheet filled with cooking tricks for your outdoor parties.

It all seems so simple, right? Get some meat and some coals, get the grill hot and throw some slabs on the rack. Boom. But if you're looking to master flavor and texture, there are tons of barbecue tips out there to help you become of a king of your craft. Impress your guests with crosshatch marks on their steaks, surprise your vegetarian friend with the perfect hot dog alternative, and even learn new ways to serve condiments by checking out the cooking hacks on this list. 

So if the time has come to pull the cover off your grill, be prepared to put these tricks to action. When it comes to mastering meat, you're the one holding the tongs! Grab your barbecue destiny by the patty and vote for the best barbecue trick found on this BBQ tips list!
  • 1
    334 VOTES

    Always Let The Meat Sit For A Few Minutes Before You Cut It

    If you want your meat to be the juiciest most delectable meat you've ever cooked, you should let it sit for about ten minutes before you cut into it. There is some very scientific reasoning behind all of this: when meat hits the heat, the liquid and juices rush toward the center, storing them there until you cut into it. If you want to let these juices internally marinate before cutting it open, let it sit first. 
    334 votes
  • 2
    341 VOTES

    Wait For Your Coals To Turn Gray

    You can't be impatient when it comes to cooking time. If you're using a charcoal grill, always wait for the coals to turn gray and have a little glow about them. Who really needs to be rushing through a BBQ, anyway?

    341 votes
  • 3
    264 VOTES

    Smoke Stuff

    Not quite sure what the differences are between smoking meat and barbecuing it? Smoking is a slow process that usually takes hours to cook. Smoking meat is a delicious alternative to barbecuing if you have the time and the means, and there are tons of fun ways to experiment with different wood chip flavors. There are plenty of relatively affordable smokers that are great for the beginner.
    264 votes
  • 4
    325 VOTES

    Clean The Grill With An Onion

    Cut an onion in half and you have yourself a DIY, environmentally conscious grill cleaner (that actually works really well). Poke the half with a fork or sharp object so you can use the onion like you would a bristle brush. Get your grill really hot to loosen the built-up grime, then start scrubbing (the sliced side of the onion should be face down). The onion will remove all residue and won’t leave the grill with any harsh chemical flavors.

    325 votes
  • 5
    236 VOTES

    Apply The Rub An Hour Before Cooking

    If you're using a rub instead of a marinade, apply the rub about an hour before you're ready to cook, says pit master Johnny Trigg. Trigg recommends using equal parts salt, pepper, granulated garlic, and grilled onion (McCormick and Weber will do the trick, too). 
    236 votes
  • 6
    248 VOTES

    Add Some Wood Chips To The Charcoal

    If you're going for that smokey BBQ flavor, throw a few small pieces of wood into the charcoal. Add the wood to the coal right after the initial fire dies down.
    248 votes
  • Avoid Using Chemicals Because They'll Change The Flavor
    Photo: Owen Kelly, aka Lightfusegetaway / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY 3.0
    7
    212 VOTES

    Avoid Using Chemicals Because They'll Change The Flavor

    If you're a true barbecue lover, you care about achieving a succulence and flavor that can't be attained by any other means of cooking. Avoid using chemical fire enhancers on your grill or you could be chowing down on some strange-tasting dinner.
    212 votes
  • Take Steaks Out Of The Fridge 20 Minutes Prior To Cooking
    Photo: Jon Sullivan (PDPhoto.org) / Wikimedia Commons / Copyrighted free use
    8
    218 VOTES

    Take Steaks Out Of The Fridge 20 Minutes Prior To Cooking

    Cooking steak? The one and only Bobby Flay says to take it out of the fridge about 20 minutes before you start grilling. This will let it get to room temperature and will allow for an even cook. 
    218 votes
  • Use Two Skewers Instead Of One
    Photo: Hans Braxmeier / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain
    9
    169 VOTES

    Use Two Skewers Instead Of One

    To prevent those clumsy little pieces of meat and veggies from spontaneously rotating around the skewer, pierce 'em with two skewers. This also makes eating a lot easier. 

    169 votes
  • 10
    159 VOTES

    Fire Roast The Vegetables For Optimum Deliciousness

    Fire roasted vegetables are an easy and satisfying side dish. Throw tomatoes, onions, bell peppers (anything with thin skin that can be peeled off) directly onto hot coals or wood and blacken the skin. Fire roasting enhances natural flavors and it’s a simple way to impress your guests with some variety. (Plus, you’ll look cool while you casually turn rotate your veggies in the fire.)

    159 votes
  • Spray Your Meat With Apple Juice
    Photo: Flunse (Patrick Geltinger) / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA 3.0
    11
    189 VOTES

    Spray Your Meat With Apple Juice

    Pit Master Johnny Trigg likes to keep a little spray bottle of apple juice by the barbecue and spray the meat while it's cooking. He says the kind of meat doesn't matter (pork, chicken, ribs, brisket, etc.), it'll add extra flavor to the meat and maintain that nice golden color that everyone loves.
    189 votes
  • 12
    170 VOTES

    Take Your Meat Off Right Before It's Done

    Meat continues cooking after you take it off the grill - there's a lot of heat trapped inside those walls! Take your meat off the grill about a minute or two before you think it'd be done and you'll get the desired cook you were going for. A lot of people tend to pull the food off when it looks done and end up sad and disappointed when it turns tough or loses that pink color. 

    A good tip for knowing if your meat is cooked: if the meat comes off the grill easily, it's ready to go. If it sticks to the racks you want to keep it on longer. 
    170 votes
  • 13
    117 VOTES

    Get Those Perfect Diamond-Shaped Grill Marks

    In order to get those aesthetically pleasing crisscross grill marks, barbequelovers.com says to think of the grill as a clock and angle your meat towards 10 o'clock. Cook the meat about half-way through then flip it and angle it towards 2 o'clock. Voila! Crisscross barbecue sauce. 
    117 votes
  • 14
    167 VOTES

    Serve Condiments In A Muffin Tray

    This awesome hosting hack will save you lots of clean up and it makes you look like quite the innovative BBQ connoisseur. 
    167 votes
  • 15
    164 VOTES

    Ice Your Patty For A Better Burger

    MasterChef Graham Elliot recommends making a small crater in the middle of your burger patty and placing an ice cube in the middle of it. This will keep it moist and prevent it from drying out if you're cooking them well-done. 
    164 votes
  • 16
    88 VOTES

    Oil Your Fish Well To Avoid Sticking

    Sure, you can cook fish super easily in a pan on the stove, but a little smokiness makes for that perfect rustic summer flavor. If you've cooked fish on the grill, you've probably had to painfully peel delicious fish meat off the rack. To avoid that, clean the grill really well before you get started. It's best to cook fish on the grill that still has the skin on it, so oil up the skin side and place that down on a super hot rack. Let it sit, covered in the grill, for several minutes. 
    88 votes
  • 17
    139 VOTES

    Marinate Your Meat With Beer

    Whether you're drinking it or using it as marinade, beer is to barbecuing what charcoal is to the grill - you simply can't have one without the other. Check out this garlic beer marinade or this beer-marinated skirt steak recipe for some ideas on how you can start using the magical elixir to enhance flavors. 
    139 votes
  • Get Rid Of Your Gas Grill
    Photo: Brian Chu / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.5
    18
    134 VOTES

    Get Rid Of Your Gas Grill

    Jonny Garret from Jamieoliver.com cracks a joke (that’s really accurate) comparing gas barbecue flavors to flavors created in the oven. Your food can still be delicious when cooked in a gas grill, but if you want to do BBQ right, you should trade in that gas grill for a charcoal one. While there’s more maintenance and upkeep with charcoal, you’re losing lots of classic barbecue flavor without one.
    134 votes
  • Use A Paper Bag To Peel Fire Roasted Veggies
    Video: YouTube
    19
    96 VOTES

    Use A Paper Bag To Peel Fire Roasted Veggies

    If you’ve ever fire roasted a vegetable, you know that peeling one of them is like trying to take off wet denim. To avoid stripping flavor, mangling your vegetable, and possibly throwing the steaming veggies at your guests, try this trick for peeling fire roasted veggies. All you need is a paper bag!
    96 votes
  • Only Flip The Meat Once
    Photo: Declan Rex d3c1an / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain
    20
    176 VOTES

    Only Flip The Meat Once

    According to Nicole Davenport, a Chopped Grill Master and co-owner of Whiskey Ranch BBQ, you should only flip your meat once. You may be subconsciously flipping because you've been overcome by the power of the tongs, but flipping repeatedly causes a lot of natural juices to fall off the meat. Cook one side fully then flip it over and let the other side do its thing. 
    176 votes
  • 21
    104 VOTES

    Always Marinate The Meat (And Always Save Some Marinade)

    Ideally, you'll think ahead and marinate your meat the night before you cook it, but even if you only have a couple hours, get those cuts in some sauce and leave them marinating in the fridge for as long as you can. Leave a little extra marinade so you can glaze the meat while you have it on the grill. 

    Marinating meat not only contributes to flavor and juiciness, the American Institute for Cancer Research says that marinating meat cuts down on HCAs (Heterocyclic Amines), which "contribute to the process of cancer development."
    104 votes
  • 22
    115 VOTES

    Use Lumpwood Charcoal For Flavor

    There are plenty of ongoing debates and opinions about the best kind of coal, probably because different kinds of coal serve different purposes. But if you're looking for a smoky, authentic BBQ flavor, Lumpwood Charcoal is regarded as the most flavorful and authentic by BBQ master Jamie Oliver (among others). It's also considered the most "pure" because it's the most natural form of charcoal, minus all the additives and chemicals that are pumped into the Match Light Briquettes. 

    "Pros: Lights quickly, burns hotter, little ash production, easier temperature adjustment, all natural

    Cons: Burns faster, more expensive, less consistent (bags can contain unusably small pieces of charcoal)"

    Source: Serious Eats

    115 votes
  • 23
    93 VOTES

    Keep The Burger Patty Simple

    MasterChef Graham Elliot says to keep your patty simple - don't prepare the meat like you would meatloaf, with onion and garlic and pepper. According to Elliot, the patty should just be meat (and a piece of ice for moisture). 
    93 votes
  • 24
    85 VOTES

    Always Be Prepared With The Right Gear

    If you're taking your barbecuing seriously, you'll want to be prepared by having all the right tools. Lots of folks out there recommend using two different sets of tongs, one for the meat and one for moving coals around. You'll also want two spatulas, one for raw meat (depending on what you're making) and one for cooked meat.

    To keep everyone alive and out of the woods, you should always use a meat thermometer for cuts that are harder to gauge. Every grill needs a brush, so get one of those while you're at it too.
    85 votes
  • 25
    89 VOTES

    Use Briquettes For Convenience

    Unlike its counterpart (lumpwood charcoal), briquettes are all about consistency, convenience, and accessibility. You can find them at just about any store and you know exactly what to expect from them when you light up the grill. They'll cook your food evenly because they're packed with additives and chemicals that allow for that even burn.

    89 votes
  • Pick Up Some Head Country Sauce
    Photo: Amazon
    26
    80 VOTES

    Pick Up Some Head Country Sauce

    Many professionals swear by Head Country barbecue sauce, which regular backyard barbecuers can find at just about every grocery store in America. Get it in the original flavor or in a Hickory Smoke flavor which takes it up a notch on the spicy scale. 
    80 votes
  • 27
    64 VOTES

    Use Squash As A Vegetarian Hot Dog Option

    Entertaining vegetarians? You can whip up some squash hot dogs in no time! This is a great option because you can cook the squash on the grill and the vegetarians can use all of the toppings you've put out for regular dogs. No one has to feel awkward about you cooking some fancy vegetarian dish, and you won't have to go through the trouble of using other parts of the kitchen. Win, win! 
    64 votes