The 2 Summer Fruits You Should Be Cooking On The Grill
Winter has its stewy comfort cuisine, and fall has its harvest feasts, but foodies everywhere know summer is the magical time of year when food is at its best. Between perusing the farmer's markets and taking tours of thriving orchards, there's exciting summer fare around every corner. Possibly the most exciting part of summertime is getting the opportunity to dust off the grill and fire it up for some appetizing goodies.
With all the appealing fodder available to grill, it's easy to get lost in the possibilities. BBQ chicken drumsticks, earthy grilled asparagus, and even a classic grilled cheeseburger can delight the palette and accent the beauty of a summery backdrop. It's no surprise that with all these inspiring meats and veggies as options, some extraordinary ingredients get slept on as grilling options. Do yourself a service, and don't forget about grilling delicious fruit like fragrant peaches and mouth-watering watermelon during your seasonal outings.
These two culinary staples aren't usually recognized as go-to grilling ingredients, but they should be. This isn't just an excuse to throw something else on the grill. It is an opportunity to let these ingredients sing in a way that may even outshine your cherished proteins. If you've never grilled these amazing common fruits, the experience will be eye-opening.
How to grill summer fruit like a pro
When you throw a slice of fruit like watermelon onto the grill, the heat begins to caramelize the natural sugars within the fruit. This adds some sweetness to the watermelon and imparts a slightly smokey taste. However, before you throw a slab of watermelon on the grill, know that it can fall apart as you handle it if it's too large. Cut the watermelon into triangle wedges so their structural integrity remains intact over the heat. Watermelon will dry out on the grill, but what it loses in juiciness, it gains in overall flavor.
The grill's going to caramelize the peaches as well, and they'll also have a slightly smokey flavor when cooked. Peaches should be quartered into wedges before grilling so the surface of the peach gets a nice char and the insides cook evenly. Keep in mind that when grilling fruit, you want to make sure that it isn't overripe. Fruit that is too ripe will break down over the heat of the grill and become a mess.
When grilling fruit, you want a lower heat than you cook your proteins at, and you want to make sure you oil your grill thoroughly so none of the fruit sticks to the grates. The high heat used to grill proteins won't give the sugars in the fruit enough time to caramelize before they burn, so with fruit, it's best to find a colder spot on the grill or wait until your proteins are resting to start your grilled summer produce.
Add some depth to your grilled fruit
If you want to go the extra mile with your grilled produce, there are simple ways to add an exciting depth of flavor to your fruit. For peaches, try giving them a bourbon marinade before tossing them onto the grill. The bourbon will enhance the rich smokey taste the peaches gain on the grill. Put a little bit of vanilla in the marinade for an extra hit of sweetness.
With watermelon, a great way to knock it up a notch is to add a seasoning rub before it hits the grill. A simple rub could consist of just salt and paprika. The salt will bring out the sugariness of the watermelon, and the paprika will contribute to the smokey aroma the grill will bestow. Give those watermelon slices a squeeze of lime juice as they finish for some extra acidity at the end.
It's easy to lose sight of something like peaches when there are so many staple grill foods available as you shop for an outdoor grilling event, but don't dismiss sweet summer fruit when you hold your next grilling session. The deep flavor in these summertime gems will astonish you and your guests. You may notice your succulent grilled meat getting overlooked as people go back for second and third helpings of your compelling grilled fruit.