grilling

Source: Flickr user hepp

Happy Fourth of July! Whether your must have today is a burger, a hot dog, barbecued ribs, or otherwise, chances are you're firing up the 'cue for your festivities. In need of some inspiration? Regardless of what you're making, we've got you covered, thanks to Grilling Month on YumSugar.

Source: Flickr user woodleywonderworks

Go Back to Grilling and Smoking Basics

• Know your techniques: grilling
• How to light a grill
• Smoking meats on a charcoal or gas grill
• How to tell when food's done on the grill
• 5 steps to pizza-grilling success
• Different ways to grill fish
• Prep tips for perfecting your kebabs
• Awesome grill pans for stovetop grilling
• What to do with leftover or used charcoal
• How to properly dispose of a propane tank

Keep reading for barbecue recipes, party-planning ideas, tips, education, and more!

Pizza on the barbecue makes a great Summer meal: it's fast and easily customizable to your guests — and, let's be honest, who doesn't love pizza fresh off the grill? So after your guests have finished their savory pizza pie, satisfy everyone's sweet tooth with a strawberry and chocolate pizza à la mode.

To make it easy, pick up premade pizza dough at your local market and chocolate chips since they melt so easily. Right before grilling your pizza, intensify the flavor of the strawberries by lightly sautéing them in a pan with a pat of butter.

Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and watch everyone gobble up this delicious treat. If you're feeling even more adventurous, let your guests select their topping like peaches, nectarines, or other berries, and try Nutella or other varieties of chocolate chips for your pizza topping.

Grill up your pizza dinner and save a little dough for this indulgent sweet pizza pie.

Fusion's been done with other iconic handheld foods like tacos and burritos, and now, internationally inspired sliders are all the rage. Take the classic American concept and add in combo toppings and spices with inspiration from Asian, French, Indian, Mexican, or Texan cuisine. See our fusion slider ideas, and you'll be on your way to more worldly sliders in no time.

Whether you prefer gas or charcoal, cooking on a grill is an incredible way to infuse flavor into your favorite meats and vegetables. But if you're ready to take your grill mastery up a notch, try using a long, slow burn in a process known as smoking. In the US, smoking finds its roots in American Indian cooking, where it was used as a means of preserving food. As the technique proliferated among other cultures, it became a proven way to turn normally tough cuts of meat into culinary delights. These days, any reputable joint in the barbecue belt uses smoking as a way to make ribs, shoulder, brisket, and more fall-off-the-bone tender.

Ready for the tutorial? Read on for smoking basics.

Your Summer grilling soiree was a hit, and all that's left to do is pack away leftovers and dump out your grill full of charcoal ash and spent hickory chips. But before you upend that Weber, take care to dispose of the mess safely (ash can still be hot!) and properly.

To dispose of charcoal and wood ash: Let the ash cool for 48 hours. You can speed up this process by pouring water over the hot charcoal and stirring it very carefully. When the ash has cooled completely, wrap it in aluminum foil and place it in an noncombustible outdoor trash bin.

If you used additive-free lump charcoal: Fertilize your plants! Charcoal ash contains potash, an important nutrient for some plants. It's also a great way to increase the pH of the soil.

Read on for a few ideas on how to recycle unused charcoal.

In honor of the warm weather and sunny skies, we've declared June Grilling Month, and every day this month we're bringing you brand-new grilling recipes, educational tidbits, and pointers for making your cookout the best party ever.

To really blow out barbecue season, we're hoping you'll be game to share your favorite flame-broiled moments on the back porch with us. Upload your photos to Instagram and include the hashtag #savorysight in your caption; we'll combine our favorite shots and share them with you in a few weeks. And make sure to follow YumSugar on Instagram (username heyyumsugar) for delicious inspiration. If you don't use Instagram, then don't worry! You can always upload your Spring food photos to our Savory Sights community group.

Of the less-than-conventional foods to throw on the grill, my favorite is probably pizza. I love a luscious, melted pie in any form, but there's something about the crunch and char of the crust from the grill that makes barbecued pizza irresistible. Thinking of throwing a pizza on your grates for the first time? Here are a few tips for grilled pizza pizzazz.

1. Make sure your grill is hot! When it comes to pizza crust, the higher the temperature of your grill, the more blistery and chewably crispy your pizza will be. If you don't have a thermometer on your grill, then check the heat using the "Mississippi" test: hold your hand three inches over the grill grates, and start counting, "One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi," and so on. If you can only count to two or three before the force of the heat makes you pull back your hands, then you know you've got your grill at 600ºF or higher.

For more pointers, keep reading.