What You Need To Know Before Grilling Frozen Veggies

We have all been there: the grill is out of off-season storage, but when you go to make some appetizing kabobs, you realize the only vegetables in the house are in the freezer. Although grilling straight from frozen is not generally recommended, there are some exceptions. For instance, you can technically grill chicken from a frozen state (with a lot of caveats), so you may optimistically think that maybe veggies with a hard chill would work out alright. However, according to Christie Vanover, contestant on Season 4 of Food Network's "BBQ Brawl", it's not quite so easy.

As the owner and pitmaster of Girls Can Grill and a grand champion of multiple competitions, Vanover is no stranger to whipping up exquisite BBQ, and she has a firm stance on grilling frozen vegetables. "I've never grilled frozen veggies. I don't recommend it because they have too much water in them," she said. One of the key benchmarks of enticing barbecued veggies is the appealing crust they get from the heat, but this is hard to make happen with frozen veg. "When they hit the grill, they are more likely to steam instead of getting a good char," Vanover explained.

This doesn't only apply to frozen vegetables, either. Other types of produce are saturated with water, making them subpar choices for the grill even if they've never seen a freezer. For instance, "celery and cucumbers just don't turn out that great on the grill," Vanover said. Still, if all you've got is frozen, you might just be able to make it work if you have the right vegetable and remove as much water as you reasonably can beforehand.

Fresh vegetables are your best choice for grilling, but if that's not an option, there are some ways to make the most out of produce from the freezer. First, Vanover said, "If you want to use frozen veggies, you should definitely thaw them first." Still, simply thawing them doesn't eliminate the water that will cause them to steam, so Vanover noted that next you should "use a paper towel to gently press out as much moisture as possible."

You can also assist the charring process by doctoring the veg a bit. "Drizzle them with some vegetable oil before grilling," Vanover urged. "I would follow the same technique for frozen meat." For heartier veggies, like butternut squash and carrots, we suggest you also look into creating a two-zone fire on the grill. That will allow them to cook through over lower heat without burning once they have those grill marks.

Speaking of meat, proteins situated between veggies on a kabob create an appealing visual and textural contrast. As Vanover noted, they should be completely thawed for best results, but she also mentioned that some work out better than others on the grill. "When it comes to meats, it's best to use cuts that cook quickly," she said. "Think steaks, chicken, seafood." Other cuts, like brisket or pork shoulder, are tricky "unless you shave them into very thin slices and marinate them. If you try to cube them and grill them, they'll end up being really chewy."