10 Things You Never Thought of Grilling, But Should

Spring has officially sprung here in the South, although we are still getting a few cold and gray days. On days like today, where it’s just chilly and drizzly enough that you don’t want to go anywhere, I often find myself daydreaming about the wonderful things I could cook if it weren’t so darn dreary outside. So while I wait for the rain to pass, I put together a list of 10 things you never thought of grilling. I thought I would share some of my favorite and slightly unorthodox things to grill with you. It’s also a great moment to remind you that you can get tons of fun accessories to make your grilling easier and better right here.

 1. Pineapple and Mangoes

I know some of you are looking at me like I’m crazy right about now, but trust me on this. Cut a fresh mango into medium sized chunks. Do the same with your pineapple, or use canned pineapple chunks. Slide these on a shish kebab, alternating mango with pineapple. Grapes are nice with this too—pretty much any fruit can be used. Grill on low to medium heat for about ten minutes with your grill cover open. The fruit should start to crisp up on the outside, but remain tender on the inside. These are great for dessert or a special treat!

2. Pound cake

One of the great things about grilling is finding new ways to spice up old recipes. For a new take on an old favorite, toss a few slices of pound cake on a grill heated to high heat and cook for five minutes per side. Keep the lid down. Serve warm with fresh berries, vanilla ice cream, and drizzled with honey. For a great pound cake recipe check out this grilled pound cake with pineapple salsa and tequila whipped cream on Epicurious.

3. Peaches

Some fruits take to grilling better than others. Peaches are a fool-proof grilling fruit. For the most basic grilled peaches, cut four or five peaches in half and remove the pits. Brush each side with melted butter. Grill them on medium heat for about five minutes on each side. They should become soft and nicely charred. Grilled peaches go great with pork and can be easily spiced up and modified. Try sprinkling them with cinnamon or brushing with your favorite BBQ sauce instead of butter. The possibilities are endless! They make a great side dish to any summer meal, but go especially well with BBQ ribs.

4. Meatloaf

I’ll admit I’m not the biggest fan of leftovers. It just feels so…desolate. But when you can take a leftover and make it into a whole new meal, I’m game. Enter a grilled meatloaf sandwich.  Warm up a slice of leftover meatloaf on the grill. Toast a few slices of sourdough bread alongside it, add some lettuce, tomato, and red onion, and you’ve got yourself a grilled meatloaf sandwich to please even the pickiest of eaters. If you don’t have a stand by meatloaf recipe, try this one from Food.com.

5. S’mores

This is great if you’ve got little ones who you may not want gallivanting around a fire. Kids can help assemble the s’mores before handing them off to a grown up to grill. Just sandwich a marshmallow and piece of chocolate between two graham crackers and wrap in tinfoil. Grill the tinfoil bundles four to five minutes on medium heat, or until the marshmallows have melted. In fact, we highlighted this in our Facebook Page.

6. Clams

One of my favorite parts of visiting my grandparents was going clam digging with my grandfather. We would spend all day at the beach, and when the sun set go home and grill up everything we found. Grilling clams is simple and easy, even if you decide to go with store bought clams instead of fresh caught. This recipe from Bonappetit.com is delicious, and definitely worth a try for anyone who enjoys seafood.

7. Pizza

A homemade grilled pizza is a world away from your classic delivery not-super-healthy options. Start out using a pita bread as your pizza crust. Brush each side of the pita with olive oil. Grill one side for three to four minutes on medium-high heat, then flip it over. Top this side with tomato sauce, shredded cheese, pineapple, or any topping of your choice! Cook until the cheese has melted, and enjoy!

8. Nachos

I love nachos. You can do so much with them! There’s something really exciting about taking a basic junk food and making it into a delicious, healthy meal. Grilling nachos gives them a smoky deliciousness that oven-made nachos can’t even come close to. My favorite recipe is this one from Bobby Flay for The Food Network. It’s a little more effort than you usually expect to put into nachos, but it is well worth every moment.

9. Green Tomatoes

I live in Georgia, and for better or worse this means everyone and their grandmother will be munching on fried green tomatoes for most of the spring and summer. They’re a decent little snack, but everything needs a little variety. It’s easy to grill tomatoes, and they’re much healthier grilled than fried. If you want to take your tomatoes beyond simply grilling and munching try this recipe from Good Housekeeping.

10. Artichokes

This recipe from CarolinesCooking.com requires a little more than just tossing artichokes on the grill, but the effort is worth it. Grilling artichokes in the final step locks in flavor that would be lost simply boiling the artichokes, and gives them a unique texture. They go great with grilled chicken of any kind, or with fettuccine alfredo.

So, are you inspired to fire up your grill and try something new? I hope so. What was your favorite on the list of 10 things you never thought of grilling? I’m currently looking over the above and doing an inventory of the ingredients in my fridge/pantry…

I think I have stuff to makes s’mores…

Enjoy!!

-GG