Despite the fact that most people believe grilling is easy and that anyone can be successful on the barbeque grill, grilling is actually one of the most challenging of cooking methods. Now more than ever, savvy home cooks are looking for the best cooking tips for gas grills. As the weather starts to get nicer and the great outdoors beckons, attention starts to turn to outdoor cooking - and gas barbeque grills can't be beat for simplicity and convenience. But grilling only becomes EASY when you know the basic procedure for grilling and the important cooking tips for gas grills that ensure better results every time. The greatest challenge presented by grilling is that it is the most intense form of direct heat cooking there is. If cooking is like driving a car, grilling is like being strapped to a rocket ship! The good news is that grilling, like any basic cooking method, can be mastered. And these cooking tips for gas grills will get you started on the road to awesome grilling all year round.

Preparing Recipes for the Grill

Cooking all recipes for the grill starts with understanding how the grilling method acts differently on different types of foods. Because grilling is an intense heat form of cooking, careful product selection is extremely important. The grill will not tenderize meats so you must start with a tender product if you want to end with a tender product. Marinating meats when making recipes for the grill is the best way to apply some tenderizing properties before cooking. The product itself is also an important consideration because you want to make sure it will be able to withstand this form of direct high-heat cooking. Different products will handle this differently and some are just not the best choice for standard grilling. A very delicate fish, such as tilapia, will not perform very well on the grill because the high heat may burn the outside of the fish before the inside cooks at all. Another consideration is when grilling combinations of different foods, as in skewering vegetables. A mushroom will cook faster than a carrot or potato, for example. You will achieve far better results by par-cooking the "harder" items prior to skewering so that all vegetables are the correct done-ness at the same time. Once you have considered the differences in the types of foods you will be grilling and preparing them accordingly, the basic procedure for creating recipes for the grill is:

• Heat the grill on HIGH with the lid closed to heat up the coals and grates to as hot a temperature as possible.

• Brush the food item with the oil of your choice and place it on the hot grates - presentation side ("pretty side") down.

• For GRILLING, leave the grill cover OPEN.

• After a few minutes inspect the item. You are looking for the item to start to brown around the edges and to see pink (almost clear) moisture bubbling up to the top. This wil be your signal that the item is 75% cooked on one side and that is the time to flip it.

• Do not use a fork to flip the item and do not puncture it in any way - because that will allow precious juices to escape.

• Using an instant-read thermometer - because this is the only real way to know when something is done - remove the item 5-10 degrees BEFORE the desired final internal temperature.

A Gas Grill Cooking Twist

Why would you ever want to grill with the lid closed and turn your CONDUCTIVE cooking vehicle to a CONVECTIVE cooking one - more like your oven? Grilling's intense heat can dry foods out and some foods are too delicate to withstand this. This is a trick I use most often with delicate fish, such as tilapia to cook outdoors without grilling, which would destroy my fish. The idea is to cook the fish without it coming into direct contact with heat (which is a gentler form of cooking). So - the first thing I do is turn the heat OFF on the side of the grill on which my tilapia will cook. Then, I add a pan of liquid to the bottom of the other side of the grill on top of the heat. This liquid can be any kind of liquid you like. I use shrimp stock sometimes with fish, but you can season it with chicken broth, wine - anything that is liquid and imparts nice, complimentary flavors to the product you are cooking. Then, the fish is placed either directly on the grill (if you have a flat grate option) or you can put it in a cast iron pan and put it on the grill grates. The rest of the procedure for this type of gas grill cooking follows the normal grilling process. Remember to cook with your eyes and observations. You will flip the product when it is 75% done on one side, and use a thermometer to determine final temperature. This process will give you a product that has the flavor and appearance of gas grill cooking, but it will retain the moistness of one poached in your oven.

Gas Barbeque Grills vs Charcoal Grills

You will hear from many self-proclaimed GRILLMASTERS that the traditional charcoal grill is far superior to the gas barbeque grill, but the gas grill has many advantages that make it a great choice for any outdoor cooking situation. I will admit that the charcoal grill provides opportunity for a deep, smoky flavor that is not fully achievable with the gas barbeque grill, but after that all of the "pros" go into the gas grill's column. For starters, the gas grill is much easier and safer to start because it uses propane as fuel and starts at the press of a button. Charcoal grills can be easily started with lighter fluid, but this can be dangerous, and can impart an undesirable taste into the food. Plus, the gas grill turns OFF as easily as it turned on! No waiting for coals to cool so that you can empty and clean the grill and no messy coals to dispose of. The other nice thing about gas barbeque grills is that they allow for consistent heat throughout the cooking process. With the charcoal variety, the cook has to really control the heat by actually moving products closer and further and this takes some practice and experience.

These cooking tips for gas grills seem simple but they truly are the difference between great grilling results and disappointing meals. The next time you get ready to grill, remember that careful product selection and a basic understanding of cooking methods is all you need to master the barbeque grill, creating outdoor meals and memories for life.