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Learn how a little grill know-how can save time and add big flavor on busy nights.

Key Points

• Preheating and cleaning your grill helps food cook evenly and release easily.
• Quick marinades, dry rubs and store-bought sauces add big flavor fast.
• Grilling extra produce makes easy leftovers for the next day.

Summer is one of the busiest times of the year. The days are longer, but we’re also trying to pack more in, which means there’s little time to spend making complicated dinners. That’s where grilling comes in: it saves time and cuts down on cleanup while keeping the heat outside and imparting the smoky flavor that makes summer meals so satisfying.

For many of us, grilling can feel like a special-occasion cooking method rather than a realistic option for a busy weeknight. But with a little know-how, it can actually make mealtime a breeze.

To learn how to make weeknight grilling easier, we spoke with a handful of chefs who shared their best tips.

The Case for Grilling

The biggest benefit of grilling is that you don’t need to turn on your stove or oven. Sure, no-cook dinners accomplish the same goal of a cool kitchen, but grilling also comes with the advantage of a smoky, charred flavor you can’t replicate without an actual grill.

If grilling feels unfamiliar and intimidating, keep it simple and learn some very basic techniques. You’ll soon have the confidence to fire up the grill on even your busiest nights.

Preheat and Clean Before Cooking

Start with the basics. Be sure to preheat your grill—whether gas or charcoal—before cooking. Gas grills ignite instantly but still need some time to get nice and hot. Charcoal grills take a bit longer. Using a chimney can make the process faster and more efficient, but factor in at least 15 to 20 minutes for preheating.

“Before anything hits the grates, I preheat for at least 15 minutes,” says Adrianne Calvochef and cookbook author. “That heat does double duty. It burns off residue from last time and primes the surface so food releases cleanly.”

Once the grill is nice and hot, you’ll want to thoroughly clean off any leftover food debris. “I use a wire brush or grill stone while the grates are still hot, followed by a half-onion run across the grates with tongs. It sounds old school because it is, and it works every time,” Calvo says.

How you set up your grill is also important. Lawrence Weekschef and owner of Murray’s Creole Pub in Louisville, Kentucky, says using “hot zones” can help you control the heat. Don’t just spread the coals on the bottom of a charcoal grill or turn on all the burners on a gas grill; instead, put the coals on only one half of the grill or light only half the burners. “If you want a crust or grill marks, cook directly above the coals,” Weeks says. “If you want a smoky flavor without too much heat, place your vegetables (or proteins) on the outskirts.”

For efficiency, while the grill is heating, you can use that time to prepare the rest of the meal—make a salad, slice bread, prep vegetables or even whip up a sauce.

Use a Quick Marinade for Bold Flavor

Before you get to the grill, the chefs recommend making a marinade. It’s one of the lowest-effort ways to make a flavorful grilled meal. You can even have it play a dual role as a sauce (but be sure to separate what you want to use for the marinade from your serving sauce to avoid cross-contamination).

Even a quick marinade can add lots of flavor to proteins. “My rule: marinate in the morning; grill at night,” Calvo says. But if you didn’t plan ahead, Calvo adds, “Even 20 minutes in a simple acid-oil-herb marinade transforms everything.”

A fast marinade (or a dry rub) works particularly well on thinner proteins like skirt steak, chicken thighs, chicken cutlets or fish fillets. These thinner proteins also cook through quickly, making them ideal for weeknight grilling.

Keep the marinades, dry rubs and seasonings simple. Consider a store-bought sauce, like pesto or peanut sauce, if time is particularly tight. The goal is to make the grill do most of the work and provide that quintessential smoky flavor.

Grill Your Sides, Too

Grilling vegetables or fruits alongside your main is an easy way to round out the meal. Deborah Mullindirector of culinary at Little Saint in Healdsburg, California, says she keeps an eye out for vegetables that can shine over an open flame, as well as juicy stone fruits. Think of summer classics like zucchini, bell peppers, corn and eggplant. For fruit, consider peaches, nectarines and plums. But don’t stop there; try grilling cabbage, carrots, shishito peppers and even potatoes.

Masatomo “Masa” Hamayachef and partner at Shokudô in Charleston, South Carolina, recommends oiling vegetables before they hit the grill. “Use canola, grapeseed or regular olive oil. Save the EVOO for finishing. And don’t use sesame oil because it burns too fast,” he advises.

Also be aware that the high sugar content in many vegetables and fruits makes them prone to burning, so it’s best to either cook them over indirect heat or char them over direct heat and then move them to the cooler side of the grill.

To simplify future meals, consider cooking extra produce while the grill is hot. It doesn’t take much additional time to grill a larger quantity of fruits and vegetables, so the chefs recommend doubling the amount of produce you grill and using leftovers the next day.

Stock the Right Equipment

Keeping things simple also means having the right tools on hand. The chefs recommend using an instant-read thermometer. “A thermometer is a great tool, and it eliminates the guessing game,” says Martin Morelliexecutive chef at Riva Terrace at the Four Seasons Hotel in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

You should also have long tongs, a fish spatula, a basting brush and a small spray bottle with water for any flare-ups. “You don’t need a cart full of gadgets. The grill is the tool,” Calvo says.

Joe Nierstedtchef and owner of Katsubo in Charleston, South Carolina, agrees. “The most important tip is to stop moving your food,” he says. “Put it down; walk away; let the grill do its job.”

The Bottom Line

Grilling doesn’t have to be reserved for weekends, holidays or backyard cookouts. In fact, cooking on a hot grill can keep your kitchen cool throughout the dog days of summer. Don’t feel intimidated. With a little planning and some basic techniques, you’ll find that grilling is the answer to easy weeknight dinners. Just remember: let the grill preheat, clean the grates well and set up some hot zones. Marinate proteins for bold flavor, and use downtime to prep fruit or vegetables for your side. Before long, you’ll be turning out tasty meals like grilled chicken tacos and salmon with stone fruit—even on busy weeknights.