Who doesn’t love the intoxicating scent of food sizzling on a hot grill? No matter your dietary preferences, it’s hard not to appreciate the wonderful flavors an open flame can bring out in pretty much any kind of food from meat and fish to veggies and fruit. Whether you’re grilling up a big steak, a nice salmon filet, vegetable kebabs, potato packages, or something unusual like a BBQ pizza, grilling is a fine art that requires a few essential skills to get the best results.

If you’re just starting to sharpen your grilling chops, we’ve got a few tips to help you make the most of it.

Grilling Meat 

With the right grilling techniques, you can end up with tender, juicy, perfectly seared deliciousness. Grill your meat the wrong way and you could be left with a tough, overcooked waste of money, which is especially depressing when you’ve forked out extra dough for a premium cut.

The key to grilling meat is to have two zones on the grill: a high heat area for some hot searing action that locks in juiciness, and a lower heat area to finish the cooking process. Do your searing with the lid open, and finish cooking in the lower heat zone with the lid closed.

Grilling techniques vary according to the type of meat you’re cooking, but some general rules always apply:

• Since the timing of your grilling is of the utmost importance, be sure to have your side dishes prepared and ready ahead of time so you can focus on your grill
• For best results, bring steaks and pork to room temperature before grilling, and keep chicken refrigerated until you’re ready to start cooking
• Season your meat with salt and pepper on both sides
• You can marinate your meat to tenderize it and add extra flavor, or let its natural flavor shine through and keep your sauces for dipping later
• Keep the flipping to a minimum to maximize juiciness and to get those beautiful grill marks (unless you need to move it due to excessive flames)
• Always let your meat rest for a few minutes after cooking

Grilling Fish 

BBQ salmon is one of my favorite things to eat. There’s nothing quite like digging into a freshly grilled, flaky, tender filet that’s been kissed with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. No matter what kind of fish you are grilling, follow these general tips:

• Rinse your piece of fish and pat it dry
• You can marinate your fish beforehand to enhance flavor, but be careful not to marinate it too long because marinades that contain acids like vinegar can actually start to cook the fish (think ceviche), causing it to break down and potentially fall through the cracks
• Cook thicker fish steaks directly on the grill
• Sear it first over high heat to seal in juiciness and prevent it from sticking to the grill
• For more delicate filets, your best bet is to grill them in a foil package or grill basket to prevent them from slipping through the grate
• You know your fish is done cooking when flakes easily with a fork
• As a general rule, you should grill your fish for 8 minutes per inch of thickness 

Grilling Vegetables 

You can grill almost any veggies your heart desires. Toss them in a little oil (not too much), sprinkle with seasonings and place them directly on the grill. You can also cut them up and cook them inside foil packages. General vegetable grilling tips:

• Season your vegetables with salt and pepper before grilling to enhance their natural flavors
• If you’re grilling kebabs, soak your wooden skewers ahead of time to prevent them from burning
• Just like you would with a piece of meat, sear the vegetables first over high heat, then move them over to the lower heat area of the grill to finish cooking
• If you’re worried about smaller veggies falling through the cracks, try using a grill basket
• For foil packages, cut your vegetables into pieces that are the same size, otherwise you could end up with charred pieces of onion and undercooked potatoes­–not ideal!
• Keep in mind that different vegetables have different cooking times according to their thickness and density (here’s a great recipe for reference: Grilled Vegetables)

Do you have any pro tips for grilling? Share them in the comments or over on Twitter at @luvoinc.