Whether you're a seasoned pro (no pun intended) or brand new to the world of barbecue, your spring and summer nights are sure to be full of grilled meals. Besides the wonderful flavor when food is cooked outdoors, there's also the added benefit of less clean up time! Here are six secrets for successful and savory outdoor grilling.



1. Before you fire up the grill, you'll need to do some prep work. Make sure to choose your piece of meat wisely. Good grilling starts at your butcher counter. Choose cuts of meat that are fresh, good-looking and preferably large sized. Small chunks are more likely to fall through the cracks in your grill and should be left for stovetop cooking.

2. Get some nice steaks, chicken pieces or a tri tip roast. Decide whether you're going to season on the grill or marinate ahead of time. If you're trying a marinade, make sure to give the meat enough time to soak up the seasoning. Overnight is best, but if you're in a pinch for time, try to give it at least a few hours to sit.

3. After you've prepared your meat, the first step is to heat up the grill. Pre-heating your grill is absolutely essential! Charcoal grills will heat up more slowly than gas grills, so make sure to start up the grill ahead of time if you're using the former. Heating up the grill beforehand will allow you to heat the meat evenly and also help to clean your grill from the last meal.

4. Make sure you have the proper tools to get your grilling done. A lot of people use a fork or tongs to rotate the meat on the grill, but this should be avoided at all costs. Poking holes in your meat allows juices to escape and will give you a dried out meal by the time you are done. Invest in some barbecue tongs so you can rotate without poking.

5. If you're using barbecue sauce instead of a marinade, make sure that you don't put it on too early. Wait until the last few minutes of your cooking time. If you put it on too early, you'll end up losing most of it. To prevent it from sliding off into your drip tray, wait until just a few minutes before you take it off the grill. This way it will heat up but stay on your food.

6. Once you've mastered the basics of meat and chicken on the grill, try expanding your repertoire. You can find recipes for everything from pizza to dessert that can be cooked right on the grill. Barbecued veggies are an excellent side dish and can be cooked right along with your main dish.

Above all, don't be afraid to try new things. The more items you learn to cook on the grill, the more you'll use it this summer. And the more you use it, the less clean up you'll have to do in your kitchen!