How to Grill Veggies

Often overlooked, grilled veggies are probably the best way to eat your vegetables! Here are some basic rules of the road when cooking great tasting veggies outdoors:

One: Always select the highest quality of vegetables. They are inexpensive compared to meat, so go hog wild and they will certainly complement any meat item you are preparing. Obviously the freshest veggies are best and avoid any visible signs of damage. If you have a Summer garden, then half the work is done. In general, the skin should be bright/fresh in color and relatively firm when touched.

Two: To help avoid charring, I use a small amount of olive or canola oil to marinade or baste the veggies with. You can use this during the actual cooking if desired.

Three: Not all veggies cook at the same rate or in the same amount of time. When you learn to "time" your vegetables (i.e. the ones taking longer, go on the grill earlier) so that they all come out done at the same time. If using charcoal you can "bank your fire" so that it is hotter in some areas more so than in another area. That way, you can cook some veggies just a little hotter than others. Be careful not to burn them using this technique.