To prepare grilled asparagus, start with fresh, well-cut asparagus. Preheat the grill, oil the asparagus to prevent sticking, and season it. Arrange it on the grill and rotate it until cooked through.
For many, grilled asparagus is a staple of spring and summer meals. Some tips can simplify the preparation of grilled asparagus. First of all, it’s important to start with fresh and well-cut asparagus. The grill should be clean and preheated, and the asparagus should be oiled to prevent sticking. Finally, the asparagus should be properly arranged on the grill and should be rotated as needed until cooked through.
Two of the most important steps in preparing grilled asparagus are done before the cooking process even begins. First off, for the best taste, it’s important to choose the freshest asparagus available. Look for tips that are tightly capped and avoid bunches with ends that are visibly dry and shriveled. The hard end of an asparagus stalk is usually inedible. To make the vegetable easy to eat, it is therefore helpful to trim off these ends before cooking.
After cutting, the next step in preparing grilled asparagus is heating up the grill. Gas grills should be preheated about 5 to 10 minutes before cooking begins, while charcoal grills can take up to 30 minutes to preheat. To keep the asparagus stalks from sticking during cooking, it’s also helpful to clean the grate with a grill brush at this time.
While the grill is preheating, the asparagus needs to be oiled and seasoned. Applying olive oil to asparagus before broiling can discourage sticking, add flavor and help the stems retain moisture. Sprinkling the stems with salt, pepper, or other simple seasonings can enhance the taste. To oil and season the asparagus, arrange them in a single layer on a platter. Apply a drizzle of oil and a dash of seasoning, then turn the stems until coated.
Once you have your asparagus and grill ready, it’s time to start cooking. Using tongs, the asparagus should be arranged so that it is perpendicular to the grill grates. This technique prevents the asparagus from falling through the grates and also creates visually pleasing grate marks on the stems.
The last step in preparing grilled asparagus is to turn the stems until they are properly cooked on all sides. Typically, asparagus takes about five minutes to broil. For the best results, many professional cooks recommend using tongs to rotate the stems about a quarter turn every minute. Ideally, grilled asparagus should have grill marks that are brown, not black.
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