Summertime, and the living’s easy—in large part thanks to your grill. It lets you whip up tasty dishes while you bask in the sunshine instead of standing in front of the stove. Plus, it cuts down on cleanup and doesn’t heat up the house. To make warm-weather cooking even easier, we present six brilliant ideas for upping your grill game. All you need is a roll of Reynolds Wrap Aluminum Foil and a willingness to get a little creative.
For crowd-pleasing, crispy-skinned grilled chicken, remove the backbone from a whole 3½- to 4-pound chicken, then press firmly on the breastbone to flatten it. Rub the chicken with vegetable oil, season it with salt and pepper, and tuck the wings slightly under the breast. Place the chicken skin side down on the grill and top with two bricks wrapped in aluminum foil. Grill until golden, about 30 minutes on each side, until chicken is cooked through. Got some extra charred bits on your grill? Bon Appétit Executive Chef Mary Nolan adds this quick cleanup tip: You can use a crumpled tennis ball–size piece of Reynolds Wrap and, holding it with tongs, rub the grates to remove burnt-on food.
For fall-off-the-bone, smoky short ribs in half the time, Chef Mary Nolan suggests coating them with a dry rub and wrapping them in foil along with two ice cubes, sealing the ends to make a packet. Grill until tender, about one and a half to two hours, then carefully cut the packets open to allow the steam to escape. Brush the ribs with barbecue sauce and continue grilling until browned and crisp, for about five minutes, turning once. Bonus: You won’t have to clean a sticky grill grate afterward.
Say you want to grill something that tends to tip over, like stuffed peppers or cored apples filled with a mixture of butter and brown sugar. To keep them standing upright, roll a piece of foil into a coil, and then wrap it into a ring shape around the base.
To steam mussels—or clams—on the grill, Chef Mary Nolan places them in a large foil pouch along with her favorite aromatics (think garlic or shallot, sprigs of parsley or oregano, and white wine). Grill for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the shellfish open, discarding any that stay closed. Serve with grilled crusty bread for dipping.
Just because you have a gas grill doesn’t mean you can’t get that wood-smoked flavor. To make your own smoker pouch, start by soaking 1 to 2 cups of wood chips in water for 30 minutes to an hour just before grilling. After you’ve drained them, wrap them in foil, making sure the chips don’t poke through. Cut a few slits across the top of the packet, place it directly over the burner but under the grate, then turn the heat to high. Once it starts to smoke, you’re ready to grill.
Nothing says summer like s’mores—and you don’t need a campfire and sticks to make them, says Chef Mary Nolan. Just place a graham cracker in the center of a square of foil, then top it with a piece of milk chocolate, a jumbo marshmallow, and another graham cracker. Seal the foil packet, leaving a little headspace for the heat to circulate. Grill for about five minutes, or until the chocolate is melted and the marshmallow is gooey.
Armed with these hacks, you're well on your way to being the ultimate grilling pro this summer.