Cold Weather Grilling

We all love some nice, charred meat, no matter what season it is! But for dads (and awesome moms) all across the country, this means, braving the cold just to get some delicious grilled meat to your family.

Here are some tips for how to grill smart when you’ve got 4 feet of snow and a hankering for some steaks and chops.

1. Clean that puppy before temperatures drop
   After a long summer season of warm-weather grilling and chilling with the family, your grill deserves a deep clean! Make sure to get in all the cracks and crevices that you don’t normally see too.
2. Find a really good spot for your grill
   Place your grill perpendicular to the wind, preferably in a protected area, that is well-ventilated. You never want to grill inside your garage, under a porch, or another enclosed area due to the fire hazard as well as the potential carbon monoxide risks.
3. Keep your grill snow-free
   You could grab your snow broom, or car scraper with broom attachment every time you are going to grill to keep it free of ice and snow, OR, you could invest in a grill cover. Grill covers not only make your job as a grill master that much easier, but they also prolong the life of your grill by protecting against water damage and rusting. Remember — cold snow doesn’t keep your hot grill insulated 😉
4. Preheat your grill before throwing the meat on
   Make sure to get your grill up to temp before you put your meat on. Remember, preheating is going to take longer in the colder seasons! We recommend waiting at least 20 minutes before getting your meats-terpiece started.
5. Allow for extra cooking time
   With colder starting temps, you’ll need to allow for more time for your meats to grill to perfection. So, things that take 30 minutes in the summertime, may need 50 in the winter. This is very important if you’ve got hungry kids asking “is it ready yet?” every 5 minutes.
6. Install extra lighting before snow and ice make it a treacherous task
   Winter days are short. If you’re a later eater, like I am, make sure you’ve got all the extra lighting you may need to see if your steaks gorgeous crust is as perfect as you’ve been imagining all day.
7. Keep the lid shut!
   As tempting as it can be to sneak a peek of that steaming hot, scrumptious meat, you have to resist. Each time the grill lid is lifted, heat rapidly escapes. Both of our grill options come equipped with a handsfree thermometer either on the outside of the grill, and the Louisiana grills pair with an app to monitor the temperature from your phone.
8. Choose no-fuss foods
   Save your high-maintenance recipes that require constant attention for those summer barbeques where you’ve got time (and body heat) to spare. For these short and cold winter nights consider lower-maintenance options that allow you to just “set it and forget it”.
9. Dress warm, but keep safety in mind
   Winter jacket, hat, and socks are great options for winter grilling, but winter gloves? Not so much. Ski gloves aren’t going to protect your hands from the heat of your grill or the steaming hot splattering meat juices. Consider buying some silicone grill/oven mitts, they’re better than cloth since they don’t break down as easily and you can even throw them in the dishwasher.
10. Keep your serving plate inside until you’re ready to eat
    We’re all addicted to convenience right? But, keeping your plate right next to the grill while your cooking like you usually do in the summer will turn it into an ice block in the colder months. Flash freezing your meat after being grilled to perfection, isn’t going to make your steaks taste better!