Full Meal Deal – Make It All Right On Your Grill

Grilled meals are usually pieced together with only a portion of the meal made on the grill while the rest is cooked indoors and then served together. But who wants to be the one stuck in the kitchen while the fun is happening outside around the grill?

Today, we have so many gadgets and gizmos on our grills there is no reason we are not able to fix all of our meal on the grill itself. Let's take a look at four complete meals that are made on the grill in the same amount of time, or less, than you would make indoors.

Grilled Stir Fry

(Photo credit: batigolix)

Stir-fry is usually made in a wok or a deep pan on the stove. Been there, done that. You add a bunch of spices and liquids to season it up. Why not develop flavor while you are cooking the vegetables and meat instead of at the end?  By grilling the vegetables, you bring out the hidden sweetness trapped inside as the outside is caramelized over the fire. The meat also takes on the flavors of the grill, so when they are all combined, all you need to add is a little soy sauce at the most and dinner is ready to enjoy. Pick a protein and a few veggies or even fruit and give it a shot tonight.

Grilled Picnic

Picnics were made so you can enjoy the outdoors. Why coop yourself up in the house to cook for the great outdoors? Grilling is a perfect option for picnics. Think about grilled potato salad, or perhaps a hot grilled cabbage salad with spicy vinaigrette dressing. And grilled sandwiches are a no-brainer.  So, why not invite your grill to the picnic?

Grilled Pot Pie

One great benefit of the grill is that it has a cover. This cover can be lowered or raised to adjust the temperature. When the cover is closed, a grill acts a lot like an oven, which means that pot pies are fair game. A pot pie cooked on the grill not only has all the delicious ingredients that you are used to, but if you cook it on a charcoal grill with a little cherry or oak wood thrown in for kindling, you get a flavor you never would have expected. If you want to take pot pies to a new level, cook them on the grill.

Grill packet ready to cook.(Photo credit: sporkist)

Grilled Packets

One of the easiest ways to make a full meal on a grill is to enclose it in a foil packet. Just about anything goes with this kind of technique. The trick is to combine ingredients that taste good together as well as cooks at the same rate. Fish is an easy choice. Take a nice salmon fillet, put it over a bed of kale, top it with a big wedge of lemon and some sweet onion, and you have one amazing dinner. Cut up a sweet Italian sausage and combine with parboiled potato wedges and bell pepper strips.  Seal the packets well and you can even add a little butter or olive oil.  Be sure to cook with the cover closed and turn the packets around a few times during the cooking time.  This is the perfect way to make individual servings at the same time.  You can even customize each individual packet to suit your guests.

Your grill is a great place to create easy meals.  Don't limit your grilling experience to hamburgers and hotdogs, or even steak and chicken.  Imagine full meals coming off your grill so you can grill more frequently, preparing delicious treats for your family. Why not try something new tonight and take your whole meal outdoors!