The best way to wind down a perfect summer day is by firing up the grill. Having the same old fare can get boring after a while, but luckily, we’re not even close to running out of BBQ recipes! So today, we’re going to show you 3 clever grilling hacks to test at your next cookout. Brace yourself for the perfect chicken shish kabobs, cheesy potato bacon skewers, and a bratwurst ring. Light a fire under your barbecue menu by adding these grilling hacks to the mix!
1. Chicken Shish Kabobs
You’ll Need:
- 7 small chicken breasts
- salt, pepper, paprika & thyme to season
- 2 green bell peppers
- 2 yellow bell peppers
- 2 red bell peppers
- 2 large eggplants
- 1 large juice carton
- 4 wooden skewers (soaked in water)
- BBQ sauce
Here’s How:
1.1 Cut the lid off the juice carton, rinse out the rest of the carton, and let it dry completely.
1.2 Slice the chicken breast, bell peppers, and eggplants so you can stack the pieces in the juice carton, as shown in the video. Make sure to rub the seasoning into the chicken before stacking it in the carton.
1.3 Pierce the 4 soaked wooden skewers through the layers. To make the skewers easier to cut, freeze the assembled juice carton overnight.
1.4 Use the wooden skewers to remove the layers from the juice carton, cut them into 4 equal skewers, and brush BBQ sauce over them.
1.5 Brush BBQ sauce over the skewers and grill until the meat is cooked through.
2. Cheesy Potato Bacon Skewers
You’ll Need:
- 10 oz ground beef
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 block of Swiss cheese, cut into 3 strips
- firm, cold mashed potatoes
- 15 slices of bacon
- 3 wooden skewers (soaked in water)
Here’s How:
2.1 Add the ground beef, egg, salt, pepper, and parsley to a bowl and mix everything until combined. Cut the cheese into 3 equal strips, stick a wooden skewer in each cheese strip, and cover half the cheese strips with the ground beef mixture.
2.2 Coat the other half of the cheese skewers with the cold mashed potatoes. For the best results, freeze the skewers for 2 hours.
2.3 Wrap the skewers in bacon and grill until crispy.
3. Bratwurst Ring
You’ll Need:
- 16 uncooked bratwursts or sausages
- 1 large cheese wheel
- flour
- whisked eggs
- bread crumbs
- wooden skewers (soaked in water)
Here’s How:
3.1 Dredge the cheese wheel in flour, egg, and bread crumbs, repeat several times, and freeze for at least 4 hours or even better, overnight.
3.2 Briefly fry the breaded cheese wheel in hot oil until golden brown. Arrange the bratwursts around the cheese wheel and fix them in place with wooden skewers.
3.3 Place the bratwurst ring on the grill. If using charcoal, push it aside a bit so you can redistribute the heat more easily and keep the cheese wheel from melting.
These 3 grilling hacks are surefire ways to wow your guests. Plus, it just goes to show that trying new things almost always works out for the best. There are still so many things to discover when it comes to grilling, but these hacks are a great way to start!