Favorite Summer Grilling Recipes and How to Clean Your Grill

Favorite Summer Grilling Recipes and How to Clean Your Grill

Summer has arrived, and so has the time for cookouts and backyard grilling. We have put together a collection of some of our favorite summer grilling recipes, followed by some tidy tips for cleaning your grill.   

Favorite Summer Grilling Recipes

Grilled Corn on the Cob

There’s nothing more fitting for summer than grilled corn on the cob. There are different ways to grill corn on the cob depending on what end result you’re looking for. 

First, you can grill your corn while it’s still inside the husk. Using this method, you will usually see much less char, if any at all, as the husk protects the kernels from hitting the grill directly. 

If you are looking for charred kernels, you’ll want to shuck your corn, peel back the husk and all the silk, and cook your corn directly on the grill. For best results, grill your corn for 8 to 10 minutes, turning them frequently to make sure all sides are evenly grilled. 

Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Kabobs

Grilled chicken skewers are always a great go-to for easy grilled meals. Using marinated chicken and colorful summer veggies, you really can’t go wrong with kabobs. 

The most important part of this recipe is the marinade; chop up your choice of veggies and your chicken, and marinate for at least an hour before preparing your skewers. We recommend you soak your wooden skewers in water while you marinate your chicken, to prevent the skewers from burning on the grill.

Once marinated, thread your chicken and your veggies onto your skewers and it’s time to grill! 

Classic Grilled Cheeseburger

Don’t forget about the classic grilled cheeseburger, a favorite for the whole family. To step it up a notch, try grilling your burger buns for the last 20 seconds or so of your cook time. 

There’s something about the taste and texture of the bun after sitting on the grill for a bit that makes the whole experience even better. 

Seasoned Grilled Shrimp

Grilled shrimp is a super easy and family-friendly summer dinner, and can be seasoned according to your personal preference. Before grilling, we recommend you toss your shrimp in a combination of spices of your choice, olive oil, and lemon juice. 

Once tossed in your homemade marinade, you can thread the shrimp on skewers, turning them once halfway through grilling for the best results. Typically, the shrimp need about 6 to 8 minutes, or roughly 3 to 4 minutes per side. 

Once your grilled shrimp are lightly charred and cooked through, they’ll be ready to serve. These are great served on skewers by themselves, tossed on top of a summer salad or even served in warm corn tortillas as shrimp tacos. 

How to Clean Your Grill

Here are a few easy cleaning hacks for before and after it’s time to flip the patties so that your grill will be fresh and ready to fire up for your next use. 

Use a Non-Stick Cooking Spray on Your Grates to Minimize Build Up

Using a non-stick cooking spray before grilling will save you some cleaning time in the long run. The spray will help keep food particles from sticking to your grates, saving you time when it comes time to clean. 

Use an Onion as a Scrub Brush

Cut an onion in half, pierce it with a fork, and use it to clean your grill. With the cut side facing the grill, allow your grill to heat up to a high temperature and rub it along the grates. The onion will produce a steam that will help reduce the appearance of charred bits of food left on the grates of your grill. 

Onions have natural antibacterial properties, allowing them to help clean up any grime and grit left over from your last cookout. The natural astringents in the onion will clean the grates, flavor whatever you’re cooking next, and will also help keep the food from sticking. 

Tip: To Avoid Rusting, Coat Your Grill With a Thin Layer of Vegetable Oil 

To avoid rust buildup on your grill, it can be helpful to apply a layer of vegetable oil to the grates of your grill after cooking. 

It is important to remember that grease and oil are two very different things. You will want to remove any and all leftover grease from the grill before applying a layer of oil, to avoid rust buildup due to grease left on the grates. 

While cleaning your grill is a task you can take on alone, consider contacting Home Clean Heroes for help with the rest of the home, so you can focus on the things that matter most. Call Home Clean Heroes at 844-HEY-HERO to book a cleaning today.