Make Perfect Grilled Vegetables

Make Perfect Grilled Vegetables


• Foil packets, either handmade out of sheets of folded heavy foil or purchased premade pouches, offer the utmost convenience, although you sacrifice grill flavors as the foods are insulated from the smoke.
• Directly on the grill rack is a simple way to grill large, sturdy produce. Make sure your rack is clean before you start, then lightly oil and preheat it before adding the food.
• Mesh grilling baskets that have been lightly oiled hold several larger pieces of food and make it easy to turn them. Keep the handles outside the heat and use pot holders when grabbing the handles to avoid burning your hands.
• Grilling trays and woks come in all shapes and sizes, with and without handles. These sheets of nonstick enamel-coated metal with small holes allow heat and smoke to penetrate foods, but they prevent foods from falling into the fire. Woks are similar to trays, except they have higher sides, allowing you to turn foods with greater abandon. Both are ideal for small items, foods that have been precut into small pieces, or foods that fall apart easily. To use, oil lightly and place them directly on the grill rack. Use tongs to turn and remove foods. You may need to allow a little extra time when grilling with trays or woks.
• Foil pans that have been lightly oiled can be substituted for grilling trays and woks, but they can warp and don't allow grill smoke to permeate the foods as well as other methods.

Secrets to Success

Special handling
Produce needs special handling to assure grilling success. For the most tender and flavorful results, start out with the freshest foods. Most fruits and vegetables benefit from basting or a light brushing with a marinade, butter, or oil. Fast-cooking foods, such as tomato slices, do best over a hot fire, while others, such as potatoes and onions, prefer longer times over medium heat. Especially slow-cooking vegetables, such as fennel, grill best after longer marination.


Timing
Grill vegetables and fruits just until the outsides are golden and they've achieved a desirable tenderness inside. Delicate produce, such as asparagus, peaches, apricots, plums, bananas, and baby zucchini, will be ready in 3 to 5 minutes. Apple and pears need around 10 to 15 minutes. Vegetables such as potatoes, onions, eggplant, leeks, peppers, and fennel benefit from 10 minutes of steaming ahead of time if you want to shorten their grilling times. After precooking, they'll need as little as 8 to 12 minutes on the grill.