Grate Grill Marks

The first step to getting “grate” grill marks is having a clean and oiled grill. Nasty, crumbly residue left on your grill grate is not only gross and can affect the way your meat is cooked but will also definitely interfere with your beautiful crosshatches.

Once you’ve triple checked that your grill is clean and oiled, preheat the grill on high. Once the grill is heated adjust it to the appropriate cooking temperature for your food and place the items on the grill.

Make sure the best looking side of the meat is facing down since this is the side that will be on display with the grill marks. For chicken, grill with the skin side down.

The trick to grate grill marks is making sure your meat is seared just long enough to get good lines. Then rotate it 90 degrees (DO NOT FLIP) and continue searing until you’ve got a second set of grill marks creating a beautiful crosshatched diamond.

For a great look and a great taste, it is recommend to only go for diamond marks on one side of your meat because trying to accomplish it on both sides usually results in overcooking and drying out your food. Your goal is to get a great looking steak that still tastes great. So once one side is nicely marked, flip it over and move your food to a cooler area of the grill to finish cooking

Photo Credit: flickr.com/photos/firsttubedotcom/2902502579/