While the official start of summer isn’t until June 20, for many of us Memorial Day weekend is a common indicator that summer is in full swing. The weather is warm and the sunshine is bright which means our minds have shifted to outdoor cooking.
One of our favorite things to enjoy this time of year is grilling and so we thought we’d highlight how to use our wide selection of olive oils and balsamic vinegars on the grill by answering questions, offering tips and tricks, and highlighting our favorite recipes.
Is It Safe to Grill with Olive Oil?
It is absolutely safe to grill with ultra-premium olive oils from D’Olivo. Just as it is with any other oils you might be considering. Olive oils have an extremely high smoke point which means that they can be heated to extremely high temperatures before beginning to smoke. As we’ve highlighted before, olive oil is actually a perfect oil for cooking at high temperatures because it maintains all of its health benefits, even when heated.
Tips and Tricks for Grilling
Marinate Before Grilling – one of the best ways to actually use olive oil on the grill is to marinate your vegetables and meats in olive oil before tossing them on the grill. There are hundreds of delicious combinations that you can make from our selection of UP olive oils and balsamic vinegars and any of them will be the perfect addition to your summer recipe lineup.
Use a Spray Bottle – another great way to make use of our oils and vinegars is by adding them to a spray bottle before you start grilling. Rather than drizzle oil directly onto the flames or coals of the grill, try misting them several times while cooking them on the grill. One benefit is that this method with help you get an awesome glaze on your meats.
Coat Them and Wrap in Foil – if you’re not a fan of marinating or misting your grilled items, then we’d suggest placing everything onto a piece of aluminum foil, drizzling the olive oil over the top and wrapping the aluminum foil up and tossing the entire thing onto the grill. This technique won’t work well for meats, but it’s a great solution for vegetables.
Finishing Sauce – If none of these options works for your style of cooking then you can also finish your grilled meats and vegetables off by drizzling your favorite combination of oil and vinegar over the top after they come off the grill and before you place them on the table for guests to enjoy.
Great Grill Recipes
Now you’re ready for the BBQ, but you’re lacking inspiration on what to cook? Don’t worry because we’ve got you covered.
Skewers/Kabobs – Meat and vegetables skewers or kabobs are a perfect dish for the grill and extremely popular during the hot summer months. You can easily marinate the vegetables and meat ahead of time to ensure the flavors really soak in. Pair any of your favorite D’Olivo combinations or try these Chicken Kabobs or Walnut Pesto Shrimp Skewers.
Meat – This is probably the most commonly grilled item in most backyards and can be a simple option to make last minute using whatever you’ve got in the fridge. However, just because it’s easy doesn’t mean the flavors won’t still wow your friends and family. If you’re more of a planner try out this Grilled Halibut or this Pomegranate Balsamic Ribeye.
Pizza – grilling pizza isn’t anything new, but if you’ve never tried it then we highly recommend breaking away from the oven inside and opting to give this Grilled Pizza a try.
Fajitas – another typically indoor based meal is fajitas, but honestly, adding that fresh grill flavor to the meat and vegetables is going to take the dish to the next level. Try this recipe for Steak Fajitas if you don’t believe us.
Vegetables – Take your favorite combinations of vegetables and toss them onto the grill. Either drizzle them in olive oil and balsamic vinegar and place onto aluminum foil or marinate them ahead of time and toss directly onto the grill. Either way they’re going to be delicious.
Conclusion
Get out and enjoy this time of year by experimenting with lots of different flavors and recipes on the grill. If you need help picking out the perfect combinations of olive oils and vinegars stop into our downtown store and let our expert staff members walk you through a full tasting.
We’re open Monday – Thursday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Friday-Saturday from 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM, and Sundays from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
