Pros: Small size; efficient heating; great in both modes

Cons: Small grilling area; fussy to switch between modes

Who It’s For: Fire lovers that often camp where there are fire restrictions; people that love to grill; skiers and boarders that are serious about apres

I’m a sucker for nomadic grilling. Being deep in the forest, miles from civilization, and eating something like a hot bratwurst or grilled salmon filet just feels right. Plus, I’ve discovered that I can endure all kinds of suffering, like a hundred miles on a gravel bike, if there’s the promise of fresh fish tacos when I step off the saddle. And because I use terms like “nomadic grilling” near my iPhone and Alexa device, I get a lot of targeted ads for items that might fall under this category on the socials. My feed is essentially a litany of grills, max-cushion running shoes, and EDC knives—outdoor dad stuff. A targeted ad actually introduced me to Ignik’s new ($300), a portable fire box fed by a propane tank that doubles as a small grill—it’s basically catnip for a person like me. I ordered one immediately, and spent a couple months testing it in my backyard and out in the wild.

I’ve used a variety of open flame/portable grilling devices over the last couple of years in the name of journalism, from a cast-iron grill designed to fit over a Solo Stove, to a full-sized grill built to fit on the back of your vehicle. Cooking food over a flame is fun and each of these grills has their pros and cons, but after using the FireCan Deluxe for many meals, I’m having a hard time coming up with anything I don’t like about the grill, besides its petite size.

Plus, it doubles as a campfire because you can use it under many fire restrictions in the western U.S. (always be sure to check local regulations). Considering the prevalence of wildfires in the Western U.S. and the leave no trace ethics surrounding campfires in general, it’s a smart concept. Hook up a propane source and you have all the fun and warmth of a campfire in a contained box that requires no cleanup, just like the original Firecan.

The Deluxe is very similar to the first edition, but has a removable stainless-steel insert and grilling grate that you slide into the outer shell that lets you BBQ. It also has two propane valve connection ports: one that allows more gas into the FireCan while in firepit mode (for a whopping 38,000 BTUs), and another that throttles the gas feed down for cooking. You just connect the propane hose to whichever port coincides with the mode you want to use. The only bummer is that you can’t just buy a grilling insert for the original FireCan if you’ve already invested in that particular product.

When the Deluxe arrived, I was surprised at how small it was. It’s basically a 12- by 6- by 8-inch rectangle (like a shoe box) that weighs just 13 pounds. With a handle on top, it’s easy to carry and takes up very little space in the back of my truck, which I like, but it also severely limits the amount of grilling space on hand. It’s basically big enough for two burgers or four or five bratwursts— you’re not going to roast a whole hog on this thing. You might not even be able to fit a large filet of salmon on the grill without trimming it. And if you’re cooking for more than two people, you’ll be doing the work in batches.

But the small size helps keep the Deluxe efficient: the grill gets hot quickly (I usually let it burn on high for a few minutes before loading the grill and reducing the heat) and cooks thoroughly with no discernable hot or cold spots. You can even use the metal lid while in grill mode to help trap the heat and cook your meal even faster. Because of the small size and good design, you’re not burning through an excessive amount of gas to cook a couple of burgers like you would if you were using a full-sized grill. All good things.

A couple of other design aspects that I really like: Four legs fold out from the bottom of the FireCan, raising the heat far enough off the surface that you can safely use it on a picnic table or truck tailgate. The grilling insert helps keep the grease and rogue bits of burger away from the propane burners on the bottom of the FireCan (there’s even a removable drip tray to collect excess grease), and the fact that the insert is removable makes it very easy to clean.

One thing all users should keep in mind: the FireCan gets wicked hot. Don’t touch it until it’s had time to cool off after use. I got into the habit of turning it off immediately after I was done cooking and letting it cool while I ate. It typically takes about 10-15 minutes to cool down before you can handle it and pack it up again.

Another minor complaint I have about that two propane connection port system—it adds a level of logistical difficulty to the FireCan Deluxe if you want to use it as both a grill and fire pit in the same outing. For instance, you can’t cook then just remove the grill insert and transition seamlessly into firepit mode. You have to turn the gas off, switch the feeder hose to the other port and relight the FireCan. It’s a small detail, but it would be great to be able to move smoothly from grilling to party mode without having to mess with the propane connection.

I’m excited about using the FireCan Deluxe for post-ride tailgating sessions during the summer, and for car camping trips when I’m not bringing the entire family—it’s simply too small to accommodate a lot of hungry stomachs on big, family camping trips. I’m also stoked about the winter tailgating potential. It’s far more compact than my other portable fire pits, but it puts out a lot of heat, so the fire pit will come in handy while drinking an apres beer in the parking lot after a ski session.

While it’s not the perfect solution for every situation, it’s an efficient little grill that can add warmth and tasty grub to a lot of different scenarios. I mean, grilled fish tacos in the middle of the woods. What’s not to love?

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The kitchen at the little cabin my wife and I share with her family is very limited. Space is at a premium and the supply of energy is anything but guaranteed: there’s just tiny propane-fueled stove-oven combo that was likely sourced at a box store in the mid-1990s, and an unreliable sink. But last summer, I whipped up chicken shawarmas for two-dozen people, and didn’t break a sweat cooking or cleaning up after. How? I cooked everything outside, on a hybrid wood pellet-propane grill: the , which starts at $900, making it more affordable than most other pellet grills—and also way more versatile.

If you’re not yet familiar with pellet grills, you’re missing out. Using them is incredibly simple—just set a temperature—and they’ll take care of the rest. They use wood pellets, which are formulated to burn efficiently, while producing smoke that contains a certain amount of flavor and moisture. Using them is like applying a video game cheat code to your cooking.Ěý

You don’t need to put a 12-hour smoke on a rack of ribs to reap the benefits pellet grills offer. They function like a convection oven, meaning you can apply the same set of instructions you Google for, say, an apple pie, with similar results. Neighbors back in town who only have a single oven in their kitchen use this same Woodwind 24 as a second place to cook when they have friends over.Ěý

The one downside is pellet grills can’t get that hot. Most top out at 450 or 500 degrees, which just isn’t enough to put a real sear on a steak or bake a pizza crust to bubbly perfection.Ěý

Camp Chef’s Woodwind range—the 24 is the most affordable, smallest model, with a 24-inch wide grill—does a few things differently from most other pellet grills. It offers a sliding heat shield, which makes it easy to expose whatever you’re grilling to direct or indirect heat, and even to change course in the middle of a cook. All pellet grills produce ash, and the Woodwind provides the easiest, least messy, most intuitive ash clean-out process I’ve found. The digital controller is also unique, making room for a total of four temperature probes, and providing easy, reliable Bluetooth and WiFi smartphone connections. It even works on the abysmally slow Internet connection we have at the cabin, allowing me to move from the porch to the kitchen to socializing, while keeping an eye on dinner.Ěý

But what really sets the Woodwind apart is that, in addition to the pellet-powered main grill, it offers the ability to run a propane burner, too. The accessory adds a 20,000 BTU propane burner that mounts to its right side. That’s ready to go with both a grill grate and cast iron griddle. You can also add a Ěýor a .

That the pellet grill, complete with smartphone connectivity and multiple temperature probes can produce great pieces of meat should be obvious. Less clear may be the capabilities this thing can add to your kitchen: That propane burner is more than twice as powerful as the little burners on our cabin’s stove. So, if we need to bring a big pot of water to boil for pasta, it’s faster and easier to do it out on the porch, than it is inside.Ěý

Need to put a sear on a steak? The griddle gets as hot as any surface I’ve found. Turn the temperature to low, and it’ll fry up an industrial quantity of bacon and eggs, while catching runoff in its very own grease trap.Ěý

Want to cook veggies at 350 degrees, while ribeyes smoke at 225? Throw the grill box on top of the burner, and you have a second grill.Ěý

Pizza night? We’re about 200 miles from the nearest delivery service at the cabin, but with a stone that can reach over 700 degrees, inside an oven with an open front, we can produce better results, while watching trout rise out on the lake.Ěý

Plus, the Camp Chef Woodwind requires virtually no cleanup or care beyond brushing off the grates before throwing fresh meat on them. Heck, I can even cook a steak during one of the frequent power outages we have up here, simply by plugging the grill into one of the batteries-in-a-box I also take camping. Powering only that digital controller, a fan, and the glow plug it uses to ignite the pellets takes only about as much electricity as used by a light bulb.Ěý

Those chicken shawarmas? I just marinated some thighs overnight in , garlic, lemon juice, and spices, then grilled on Camp Chef’s competition-blend pellets at 425 degrees while baking pita bread in the grill box. Once they reached 165, I cut up the thighs, seared them until crisp on the griddle, and served them with a homemade garlic sauce. Dirty dishes were a big bowl, a pair of tongs, and a baking sheet. And the in-laws still talk about what a good cook I am.

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It’s the perennial issue that plagues us all around the holidays: not enough oven space. But, according to the latest research conducted by the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association, 70 percent of households in the United States own at least one grill or smoker—it’s time to put those appliances to use as secondary ovens for the holidays. Here, we spoke with two barbecue experts about the best strategies for using grills to help with Thanksgiving and beyond.

Determine the Best Use for Your Specific Grill

Knowing which type of grill you own—gas, charcoal, pellet-fueled, or wood-burning—will help you understand its specific benefits when using it as a backup heat source on Thanksgiving. If you have a gas or charcoal grill, consider cooking sides like broccoli and corn outside, says Steven Raichlen, and host of Project Fire and Project Smoke on PBS. These dishes benefit from the grill’s direct heat source and can stand a bit of char. For indirect grilled sides, like stuffed squash or sweet potato and marshmallow casseroles, Raichlen often uses a kettle or pellet grill.

For Consistency, Go Pellet

Some types of grills offer more temperature consistency than others, says Raichlen. “Basically, pellet grills are like outdoor ovens with an added whiff of wood smoke,” Raichen says. “So anything you would bake in an oven, from side dishes to desserts, you can cook in a pellet grill.” The benefit of a pellet grill is that you “basically set them and forget them,” Raichlen says. There are no flare-ups or issues with temperature consistencies.

This also makes them ideal for baking, where a steady and controlled temperature is necessary. “Typically, we want to cook our baked goods between 350 and 400 degrees, and that management is much more challenging in a non-pellet grill,” says , Traeger Grills Ambassador, world champion of barbecue desserts, and winner of 24 perfect 180 barbecue scores. She finds that the consistency of a pellet grill makes it ideal for baking bread, pies, and other Thanksgiving baked goods like cornbread stuffing and dinner rolls.

Consider the Smoke

Pellet grills also provide a smokey flavor to your dish, so if there are recipes in your Thanksgiving repertoire you prefer on the less-smoky side, go for a gas grill. It will impart a less smokey flavor, Raichlen says, thanks to its venting: “The smoke just spills out the back,” he says. Gas grills are also what 68 percent of Americans own, so they may be the most approachable option for those looking to find a secondary oven source. A gas grill’s side burner can also be used to make sides like mashed potatoes, gravy, and cranberry sauce, Raichlen says, which wouldn’t necessarily benefit from smoke.

If you’re going to embrace smoke, on the other hand, consider the source of the wood that you’re working with, Bennett says. “When it comes to doing recipes on a wood-fire grill, the smoke, to me, becomes one of the ingredients,” she says. But while an applewood or cherrywood may pair well, say, with an apple dessert, a mesquite—among the stronger smoking woods—may overpower the dish completely.

Take the Main Event şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř

If you’ve never cooked a turkey on the grill before, it can be a failsafe way to free up the oven.“I think it actually provides a lot of stress relief over the holidays,” Bennett says. She prepares her whole Thanksgiving meal, including the turkey, on a large Traeger grill, which is big enough to accommodate many different sides and baked goods in stages. Plus, turkey and a smoky pellet grill are a natural pairing.

Raichlen agrees that cooking the bird outside is a good way to alleviate the stress put on the indoor oven. It offers countless options for creativity, too. “Last year, I spit-roasted my turkey on a Kalamazoo Gaucho. The year before that, I smoked it on a Big Green Egg. Depends on the grill,” he says. In terms of cooking a bird that won’t disappoint, it must be cooked over indirect heat. “Otherwise, you’d burn the skin, but leave the meat raw,” he says.

Don’t Discount Charcoal

Although charcoal can be a little fickle in terms of heat reliability, it also offers up exceptional smoky flavor, and, as Raichlen notes, can be a lot of fun to cook with. Charcoal grills can be enhanced with hardwood chips and chunks, and dishes that don’t require a ton of temperature stability can easily be cooked on them. Sides that are normally baked in the oven, Raichlen says, like baked squash, scalloped potatoes, and even macaroni and cheese, can benefit from a charcoal grill’s smoke and won’t be impacted much by temperature variation.

Raichlen notes that you’re most likely going to be setting it up for indirect grilling as opposed to direct heat. This requires raking the embers to the periphery and cooking the food in the center, which helps create more precise temperatures, within about a 50-degree window. (That’s still not ideal for baking, but it can be fine for most casseroles and sides.)

Ready to move things outside? Here’s a recipe for a smokey apple raisin galette that’s baked on a grill.Ěý

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In this recipe, a beer marinade makes for a tender and juicy flank steak infused with tons of flavor. Be sure to use an amber ale, not a dark beer, for the best flavor. The marinade also includes Dijon mustard, minced onion, garlic, and soy sauce along with the beer. You can set up the marinade before you head to bed, and all you will have left to do the next day is throw it on the grill.Ěý

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All the creamy, savory, nutty flavors you love in this takeout favorite in an easy at-home version. The marinated and skewered chicken is exceptionally tender with hints of coconut, ginger, and garlic. The homemade peanut sauce is both sweet and savory with a zesty lime finish. It’s also great served over salad, with raw veggies or salad rolls—so you might want to double the recipe. The cucumber salad is a tasty side dish that allows you to control the heat level. If you’re not going to eat the cucumber salad immediately, keep the dressings and salad separate until ready to serve.

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The secret to cooking meat? A good thermometer. And, thanks to the $100 Meater Plus’ 165-foot range, surprisingly useful smartphone app, and accurate temperature readings, I’m cooking that meat easier, with more consistent results. Here are my takeaways.Ěý

Meater Plus Overview

• Cost: $100
• Compatible with Android and iPhone
• Maximum internal temperature up to 212°F
• Includes charging base
• Pros: Simple app, generous Bluetooth range, reliable and accurate readings
• Cons: Thick probe diameter, limited learning opportunities in the app, dubious suggested internal meat temperatures

What Is It?

Meater Plus is a wireless meat thermometer system consisting of three components: a five-and-quarter-inch-long stainless steel and ceramic probe, its magnetic bamboo base, and a smartphone app.Ěý

That probe contains two thermometers: One embedded in the steel portion reads internal temperatures, while another in the ceramic rear measures ambient temps. It communicates with its charging base via Bluetooth, which then amplifies the signal to give it that impressive 165-foot range. The smartphone app displays both readings, allows you to track progress over time, offers suggested target temperatures, and calculates cook time.Ěý

Who Is It For?

I’m an experienced amateur chef, meat lover, and even enjoy butchering my own wild game. Several years ago I set out to master the art of grilling a steak, and offer my friends a standing bet: if you can cook a better one, dinner and drinks are on me. Many a professional and hobbyist have tried, but thus far my wallet has remained closed.Ěý

The is adding a lot of convenience for me. It means I can leave the grill behind to focus on sides, conversations, or dogs, and it helps me give guests a more accurate estimate on when dinner’s going to be ready. I think it’ll add a similar level of convenience for virtually anyone else.Ěý

What if you’re less experienced, or worry the high-tech Meater Plus might prove too complicated? You needn’t worry. Paring the thermometer with your phone and using the Meater app are some of the easiest, most streamlined experiences I’ve had with wireless gadgets. There’s not really anything you can do wrong, and you’ll get accurate results every time you use the system.Ěý

Meater Plus Design

There’s some clever stuff going on here, underneath’s the system’s sleek, simple surface.Ěý

A single AAA battery installed in the rear of the charging base keeps the probe charged. The battery inside the probe itself can run for up to 24 hours, while that AAA will recharge it up to 100 times.Ěý

That base also serves as a Bluetooth signal repeater. Like most low power Bluetooth devices, the probe itself can transmit a signal only about 30 feet. So long as the base is located somewhere within that distance, it’ll read the signal, and then send that to your phone. The probe cannot connect with your phone on its own; you must use it with the base.Ěý

Made from open pore bamboo, the base complements the probe’s good looks. This setup should look at home anywhere from a picnic table to a fancy kitchen.Ěý

The probe is dishwasher safe, but can more quickly just be wiped clean with a sponge and rinsed under the tap. In camp, I’ve just been wiping it clean with a paper towel just after it comes out of the meat. There’s no surfaces on it that will hang onto any food residues.Ěý

And it does work outdoors. Because the system is battery powered and uses a Bluetooth connection, there’s no need for power outlets, cell signal, or WiFi.Ěý

The maximum temperature the probe can take without damage is 212 degrees internal (the temperature of boiling water), and 527 degrees ambient. There’s a visible notch on the probe’s body that marks the minimum insertion depth, so you keep that internal thermometer safe. The app will warn you if you approach dangerous temperatures.Ěý

Using the Meater Plus

I’ve owned my Meater Plus for about a month now, and have been using it both at home and on camping trips in that time.Ěý

On the first camping trip, I cooked both sirloin steaks and chicken breasts for a large group, over an open campfire. While Meater Plus doesn’t claim to be an instant read thermometer, inserting it in a new piece of meat produced stable temperature readings in under 30 seconds. And moving the very hot probe around between pieces of meat was easy using tongs, thanks to the flared head.Ěý

Cooking on a campfire is inherently inconsistent. The temperature produced by the fire will vary over time, and on different areas of the grill. But, because it measures both ambient and internal temperatures, Meater Plus produces solid ballpark estimates on total cook times. It also allowed me to move back from the fire, and enjoy a beer without the need to hover over the heat.Ěý

But the ribeye I cooked myself at home last night is probably most indicative of the system’s utility. I was tired, and didn’t feel like bothering with the two grills required by my best steak in the world method. So, I just used on my Timberline. That calls first for a smoke at 225 degrees grill temperature, while the steak comes up to 120 internal. Then you rest the meat, bring the grill up to 500, and return the steak, flipping it halfway to the 130 internal target temperature.Ěý

Using Meater Plus, I set an initial target of 120 internal, plus a 60 second warning alarm. I threw the steak on the grill, then cooked sweet potatoes and prepped asparagus in my kitchen, while chatting with my wife and wrestling with my dogs. Even one external and three internal walls, and about 100 feet away from the grill, I didn’t have to worry about anything until I heard my phone chime. I brought the steak inside without having to pull a wired probe, used the app to the change the target to 130, then repeated the process 15 minutes later. The results were perfect, and the attention I had to devote was basically nothing.Ěý

Meater’s temperature-over-time graph wasn’t super useful this time, but I think that will be handy for longer smokes. With very fatty cuts of meat like a brisket, you experience what’s known as a “stall,” when the amount of fat turning to liquid actually provides enough of a cooling effect to temporarily halt cooking progress. The key to nailing a brisket or similar is taking advantage of that stall to fill the meat with moisture and flavor, and now armed with Meater Plus, I’ll have more information about the the beginning, end, and duration of that phase, which will better enable me to employ tools like grill temperature and aluminum foil to take advantage of it.Ěý

One thing Meater Plus will not do is teach you how to cook. I’ve read other reviews that have complained that, while the system can estimate total cook time pretty well, .Ěý

Likes

• Simple app delivers information without hassle.
• Tested against other thermometers and in known ambient temperatures, readings prove accurate.
• 165-foot range is generous, and seems undiminished by internal and external walls.
• Easy to clean.
• Reliable connection. In the space of a month, it’s never dropped a connection on its own, or failed to reconnect immediately if I walked outside its range.Ěý

Dislikes

• App could provide more learning opportunities with suggested flip temperatures.Ěý
• If you plan to leave home, you’ll need to pair Meater Plus with a tablet or similar that will remain behind in order for it to connect with WiFi, so you can monitor temperatures while away.Ěý
• The probe is about twice the diameter of a normal wired thermometer. It may prove too thick for some very thin cuts of meat.Ěý
• Meater’s suggested temperatures—145 for a rib-eye—are way too high to produce edible results.

Should You Buy One?

At $100, Meater Plus is around ten times the price of simple, analog meat thermometers, and three times the price of basic digital thermometers with wired probes. The app’s estimated cooking times and suggested temperatures aren’t really enough to justify that premium, but the ability to remotely monitor temperatures from basically anywhere in your home is. If you regularly cook meat in your kitchen, on a grill, or in camp, Meater Plus will make the experience a lot more convenient.Ěý

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Why be cooped up in your kitchen when warmer days and nights are the perfect excuse to grill up a storm? But, for the sake of a more diversified palate—and, as a bonus, improved nutrition—it’s time to think outside the bun and look at your grill as an ultra-versatile cooking medium that’s ready to prepare all sorts of food, from salty cheese to fruit. Once you get bitten by the alt-food grill bug, you’ll start eyeing everything in the supermarket and farmers market in terms of Will it grill?ĚýHere are some foods that will help you get started.

Tofu

Grilling a slab of tofu is a surefire way to make the plant-based protein taste, well, more meaty. Plus, a handful of studies have linked consumption of soy foods like tofu with lower blood pressure, improved cholesterol numbers, and potentially less risk of developing certain cancers like breast and ovarian. Plant compounds in soy called isoflavones, as well as perhaps something specific about soy protein itself, are believed to be behind many of tofu’s health benefits.

Depending on the coagulant used during production, like magnesium chloride (called nigari) or calcium sulfate, tofu supplies good amounts of these minerals, too. For grilling, you want to use extra-firm tofu so it’ll hold up on the grill grates.

How to Grill Tofu

1. Slice a block of drained tofu along its width into two slabs.
2. Line a cutting board with a couple of sheets of paper towel. Top with tofu pieces and a couple more sheets of paper towel. Press gently to extract excess liquid.
3. Brush both sides with oil and season with salt and pepper. You can also season the slabs with other flavorings including curry powder or za’atar, or marinade tofu like you would meat for several hours before grilling.
4. Grill tofu over medium-high heat on greased grill grates until golden and grill marks appear, about four minutes per side. Give the tofu a 90-degree turn halfway through cooking each side to produce a nice cross-hatch pattern.

Halloumi

Also referred to as “grilling cheese,” salty and fun-to-eat halloumi is a traditional dairy in Cyprus and a popular protein in several Middle Eastern countries. Semi-hard halloumi has a high melting point and won’t ooze through the grill grates; instead, the outside becomes flecked with crispy pieces while the inside turns velvety, all the while holding its shape.

Traditionally made with a combo of sheep and goat milk, halloumi provides bone-friendly calcium and six grams of muscle-building, hunger-taming protein in each one-ounce serving, nearly the same amount you get from grilled chicken breast. Just be aware that it does contain a fair amount of saturated fat and salt, so avoid the temptation to polish off an entire block. With its delicious chewy bite, grilled halloumi is an excellent addition to summer salads, tacos, and pasta salads. You can even treat it like you would a burger and stuff it on a bun with your favorite toppings.

Typically, halloumi is the least expensive when purchased from Middle Eastern or Greek grocers.

How to Grill Halloumi

1. Upend a block of halloumi and slice lengthwise into two big slabs.
2. Brush with oil and grill until browned with grill marks on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side.

Or, you can cut the halloumi into one-inch chunks and skewer, kebab-style.

Avocado

Grilling avocado makes its flesh extra creamy with a hint of smoky flavor. Plus, the fruit provides a payload of fiber, monounsaturated fat, vitamin K, and folate to your summer menu: in a randomized trial, a team of researchers from Penn State found that participants who ate an avocado daily had better quality diets during the six-month study period and experienced improvements in cholesterol.

How to Grill Avocado

1. Slice your ripe avocado in half, remove the seed, and brush the flesh with some oil and sprinkle on a bit of salt.
2. Place flesh-side down on a hot grill for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until you get some nice grill marks.
3. Once it’s off the grill, there are many ways to use your avocado. Scoop out the flesh and mash into guacamole, cube it and add to salads, or slice it and stuff into sandwiches, burgers, and tacos. Or, fill the grilled avocado cavity with salsa and crumbled feta or queso fresco.

Kale

If you want to step up your summer salad game, look no further than the grill. Like the usual veggie suspects, hearty kale can also benefit from a touch of char.

A recent study in the journal Neurology found people who ate the greatest quantities of leafy greens per day (an average of 1.3 servings daily) had brains that showed reduced signs of aging. Dark greens like kale are extremely rich in a variety of essential micronutrients and carotenoid antioxidants, like lutein, that can help sharpen your mind.

You want to use Tuscan (dinosaur) kale when you’re firing up the grill, as its sturdy flat leaves are less likely to burn than curly kale, whose edges are prone to singeing.

How to Grill Kale

1. Trim tough ends from a bunch of Tuscan kale, place in a bowl and toss with oil.
2. In batches, place kale on the grill and cook over medium heat, turning once, until slightly crispy and darkened in a few spots, about 2 minutes.
3. Chop kale into 2-inch pieces and place in a large bowl along with other veggies and dressing.

Mussels

You’ll likely be surprised just how easy mussels are to grill since they come without the risk of the heart-breaking sticking that happens with fish like salmon. And when their brininess meets the smoke of the grill, magic happens.

Not only are these shellfish inexpensive and packed with nutrition including protein, vitamin B12, and heart-healthy omega-3 fats, but they’re also considered one of the most sustainable seafood options you can buy.

How to Grill Mussels

1. Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to medium-high.
2. Dunk mussels in a large bowl of cold water, stir them around a bit, then drain. Discard any open ones that don’t close shut when tapped.
3. Place mussels in a grill basket, close lid, and grill until the shells pop open (4 to 6 minutes). Do this in batches if grilling a couple of pounds of mussels or more.
4. Remove mussels from grill and place in a large bowl. Discard any that did not open.
5. Squeeze on a generous amount of lemon juice and scatter on a bunch of fresh herbs like parsley.

Peaches

When heated, naturally occurring sugars in fruit take on a fetching golden color and develop a deep, caramel-like flavor. When you grill peaches, the toasty, sweet, caramelized exterior of this sun-kissed stone fruit contrasts with the soft flesh inside, creating a completely new flavor profile that’s simply irresistible.

Eating more of this quintessential summer fruit helps you load up on immune-boosting vitamin C and a cache of body-benefiting antioxidants.

How to Grill Peaches

1. Slice peaches in half, remove pits, and lightly coat flesh sides with oil.
2. Grill over medium heat, turning once, until tender and a few dark marks appear, about 5 minutes total.
3. Once you’ve pulled your peaches off the grill, you can turn them into a healthy snack or dessert. Just top with dollops of Greek yogurt and chopped pistachios. Or, chop grilled peaches and add them to salsas for meats and tacos.

This story was syndicated from our partners at Clean Eating.

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