13 Grilling Hacks Just in Time for Summer

1. Create a press out of a brick and some foil.

Cast-iron presses are not the cheapest. Instead, just go outside, find a brick, and wrap that sucker in some tinfoil. Heat it up on the grill for 5-10 minutes, then place on the sandwich for 5 minutes of grilling.

2. Clean the grill with an onion.

The oils in an onion help remove grit from a grill. Make sure the grill is still hot and the grime will come right off. Bonus! The onion residue will add some poppin’ flavor to your next meal. Or you could rub an onion on the grate before you start grilling to prevent sticking in the first place.

3. Use a muffin tray as a condiment holder.

No more wasting plates and table space. A muffin tray keeps everything clean and organized. No more mess.

4. Spiral your hot dogs.

Not only does this look cool and creative, but now you have more space for condiments. Bring the muffin tray over! To create this effect, skewer the hot dog and roll as you cut.

5. You can check your propane tank level.

Not sure how much gas you have left in your tank? Boil some water, tilt your tank, and pour water on the side of the tank. Do not pour the water over the top of the propane tank. Touch the tank where you think the fuel level is. If the spot is cool after the boiled water was poured on it, that is where the gas level is.

6. Use long tongs (or chopsticks) to avoid burns.

With longer tongs, you will have a safer distance between you and the heat when grilling. You can even use the tongs to open the grill or move the charcoal around. If you don’t have any tongs, you can try using wooden chopsticks.

7. Poach your hot dogs before grilling them.

If you poach your dogs, you can expect them to stay moist and not have any unwanted fat hanging around. It is also the best way to cook hot dogs evenly.

8. DIY smoker with foil.

All you need is a disposable aluminum bread pan, foil, and some hickory wood chips. Let your woodchips soak overnight then cover in foil and poke holes on the top for smoke to escape. Place your smoker box over one heating element and let sit for 10 minutes or until you see smoke before you start cooking your meat.

9. Use two skewers (or chopsticks) instead of one.

To prevent individual meats and veggies from rotating, use two skewers to keep everything cooking evenly. You can also use chopsticks if you do not have any skewers.

10. Turn your chip bags into bowls for easy cleanup.

For this genius hack, fold the top edge inside and push up on the bottom of the bag to reveal the chips. Simple.

11. Clean the grill with some foil.

If you don’t have any onions on you, try cleaning your grill grate with aluminum foil. Scrunch it, tong it, scrub it. Good as new and not a hint of dirt on you.

12. Cook your food on top of lemons for a nonstick meal.

No onions hanging around? Throw some sliced lemons or another citrus onto the grill and plop your fish on top. Not only will you have extra flavors, but you won’t have to worry about your food sticking.

13. Add charcoal to an egg carton for easy travel and clean up.

Going camping or just don’t want to get dirty? Try out this hack. Place your charcoal inside an egg carton, light it on fire, and the charcoal will do its job. You’re welcome.

Here are EVEN MORE grilling hacks…if you think you can handle them.