Amp Up Your Grilling Flavor

By Sarah Kagan

OK, you've got your grilling basics down. You're familiar with the various types of barbecue fuel, when to use direct versus indirect heat, how to arrange the grill for each method, and when to take the food off. (For a complete guide to these techniques and more, see our grilling primer.)

According to Elizabeth Karmel, author of Soaked, Slathered, and Seasoned: A Complete Guide to Flavoring Food for the Grill, the answer lies in what she calls "flavor accessories." You see, she explains, great grilling is only half about how you actually cook the ingredients. Once you've got that part down, the key to making it your own is learning how to add flavor in different ways. There are various options to accomplish this: The most common are marinades, rubs, mop sauces, and barbecue sauces. Once you understand how to use these building blocks, you can mix and match them to take the same type of grilled meat in dozens of different directions.

Karmel walked us through each of these four methods, and shared her recipes for each. Check out the slideshow above for her side-by-side comparison, and click on the links for recipes and more in-depth explanations.

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