Grilling, Charring and Barbecue
Cooking Skills: Vegetables 2
Chapter 4 · Grilling, Charring and Barbecue
Skill goal
Grill and char vegetables over direct heat for smoky flavour and good marks, without burning them.
Shopping list for this chapter
The basics
Grilling, charring and barbecuing cook food by direct, intense heat, which browns the surface quickly and adds a smoky flavour that you can't get from an oven. Vegetables are ideal: they cook fast, they love char and they don't need much else.
Grill pan, grill or barbecue?
| Griddle (grill) pan | Oven grill | Barbecue | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat | From below, ridged pan gives stripes | From above | From below, with smoke |
| Smoke | Little; ventilate the room | Little | Plenty: the main flavour |
| Good for | Slices, planks, corn | Peppers, halloumi, tomatoes | Everything, especially charred whole vegetables |
| Watch for | Smoky kitchen | Burning under the element | Flare-ups, and safety (see the box) |
The rules
- Heat first. A hot pan or barbecue (coals gone grey and glowing) marks food instantly; a cool one makes it stick and stew.
- Oil the food, not the pan. Brush vegetables lightly with oil so they don't stick, and the oil doesn't smoke on the surface.
- Cut for the heat: planks about 1 cm thick, large chunks on skewers, or whole (aubergines and peppers).
- Don't move it. Leave it for 2 to 3 minutes until it releases easily and has marks. If it sticks, it isn't ready.
- Two zones: sear hot, finish cooler. Move food to the cooler side if it is burning before it is tender.
- Pre-cook dense vegetables (corn, potatoes, carrots) briefly in water so they are tender when they come off.
- Rest and dress at the end: lemon, herbs and oil lift the smoky flavour.
Marinades
A quick marinade is oil, acid (lemon juice, vinegar), garlic, herbs and salt. 20 to 30 minutes is enough for vegetables, as they absorb flavour fast. Sugary marinades (honey, ketchup) burn, so add them near the end.
What is char?
A few dark marks on the surface are flavour. Black, brittle, burnt areas taste bitter and are best removed. Charred skin on peppers and aubergines is peeled off, not eaten.
Try it
Level 1 · Start here
Griddled courgettes and corn
The classic starter: courgette planks marked with stripes of char, and corn blistered on the cob. Heat the grill pan or barbecue until very hot.
Ingredients (2 portions)
- 2 courgettes, sliced lengthways into 1 cm planks
- 1 corn on the cob, husks removed
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp chopped mint or parsley
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
- 10 g butter, for the corn (optional)
- Boil the corn in water for 5 minutes so it is nearly cooked, then drain and dry it.
- Brush the courgette planks and corn lightly with oil (not the pan) and season.
- Lay the courgettes on the hot pan and leave them alone for 2 to 3 minutes until they release easily and have dark stripes. Turn and cook for 2 minutes. Turn the corn every minute or two for 6 to 8 minutes, until blistered and golden in places.
- Dress the courgettes with lemon juice and herbs, and brush the corn with butter.
Hot surfaces
Grill pans and hot surfaces: a griddle or grill pan gets very hot and smoky, so open a window or use the extractor. Use dry oven gloves, long tongs and a heatproof surface, and don't lean over the pan.
Level 2 · Peel
Charred peppers
Charred, peeled peppers are soft, sweet and smoky, and keep in the fridge for days in oil. Use a barbecue, a gas flame (with tongs) or the oven grill on its hottest setting.
Ingredients (3 portions)
- 3 red or yellow peppers
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, finely sliced
- 1 tsp red or white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 pinch salt
- Put the whole peppers directly on the heat (or under the hot grill) and turn them every few minutes for 12 to 15 minutes, until blackened all over.
- Put them in a bowl, cover tightly with a plate or cling film (or put them in a lidded box) for 15 minutes. The steam loosens the skin.
- Peel off the blackened skin with your fingers (don't rinse them, as that washes the flavour away). Remove the stalk and seeds and tear into strips.
- Toss with the oil, garlic, vinegar, parsley and salt. Serve at room temperature.
Char and storage
Char, not carbon: light browning and a few dark marks give flavour. Blackened, burnt areas taste bitter and are best removed. Peel off the blackened skin of peppers and aubergines, and avoid eating heavily burnt food regularly.If you keep them, refrigerate in a covered container and eat within 2 days. Don't leave garlic sitting in oil at room temperature, because it can grow the bacteria that cause botulism.
Level 2 · Smoke
Smoky aubergine dip (baba ganoush)
Aubergines charred whole over a flame or in a very hot oven collapse into a smoky, silky pulp. Prick the skin all over first so it doesn't burst. Tahini is sesame, so check for allergies.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 2 large aubergines
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp plain yoghurt (optional)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- Prick the aubergines in several places. Char them directly on the flame or barbecue for 15 to 20 minutes, turning often, until the skin is black and the flesh has collapsed. (Oven: 240°C, 220°C fan, for 40 minutes.)
- Rest in a covered bowl for 10 minutes. Slit open, scoop out the soft flesh and discard the skin and any bitter seeds near the stalk. Drain for 5 minutes in a sieve.
- Chop the flesh roughly and mix with the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, oil, yoghurt and salt. Taste and adjust.
- Serve with parsley and oil, with bread or raw vegetables. Eat within 2 days, kept covered in the fridge.
Hot and allergens
Grill pans and hot surfaces: a griddle or grill pan gets very hot and smoky, so open a window or use the extractor. Use dry oven gloves, long tongs and a heatproof surface, and don't lean over the pan.Allergens: tahini is made from sesame, and yoghurt is dairy.
Level 3 · Platter
Mixed grill platter with a marinade
Different vegetables need different times, so use the two zones: sear on the hot side, finish on the cooler side.
Ingredients (3 portions)
- 1 red onion, in thick wedges
- 1 pepper, in thick strips
- 1 courgette, in 1 cm planks
- 150 g mushrooms (large), stalks removed
- 1 corn on the cob, halved
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar
- 1 tsp dried oregano or smoked paprika
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
- 100 g halloumi, sliced (optional)
- Mix the oil, lemon juice, herbs, garlic, salt and pepper. Toss the vegetables in it and leave for 20 to 30 minutes (up to 2 hours, covered in the fridge). Boil the corn for 5 minutes first.
- Heat the grill. Put the onion, pepper, corn and mushrooms on the hot side to mark, then move to the cooler side to finish (about 10 to 12 minutes in all).
- Grill the courgettes for 2 to 3 minutes a side, and the halloumi for 1 to 2 minutes a side until golden.
- Pile on a platter, spoon over any remaining vegetable-only marinade, and serve.
Marinade and barbecue
Marinade: if a marinade only ever held vegetables, you can spoon what is left over the cooked food. Never reuse one that has had raw meat or fish in it.Barbecue safety: use a barbecue outdoors only, never indoors, in a tent or in a garage, because charcoal gives off carbon monoxide, which is odourless and can kill. Light it with proper firelighters, never petrol or other flammable liquid, keep children and pets away, and never leave it unattended. Let the coals go cold completely before disposing of them, and keep a bucket of water or sand nearby. Keep raw meat and fish on a separate board from vegetables.
Experiments
Experiment
Oil the food or the pan
Sticking and smoke.
- Griddle courgette planks, oiling the pan for one batch and brushing the courgettes for the other.
Look for: Oil on the pan smokes and burns before the food goes on; oil on the food gives a cleaner mark and less smoke.
Experiment
Hot or cooler zone
Direct and indirect.
- Cook peppers on the hot side only, and on the hot side for 3 minutes and then the cooler side for 10.
Look for: The hot-only peppers blacken outside and stay firm inside; the two-zone peppers are soft and sweet with a good mark.
Experiment
Whole or sliced aubergine
Char the dip two ways.
- Char one aubergine whole, and another cut in half lengthways, cut-side down.
Look for: The whole aubergine is smokier and silkier; the halves are quicker but less smoky.
Experiment
Marinade time
None, 30 minutes, 2 hours.
- Marinate three small batches of courgette for 0 minutes, 30 minutes and 2 hours (covered, in the fridge). Grill them the same way.
Look for: Vegetables take up flavour quickly. Longer often gives a soggy, over-sour result: note where the sweet spot is.
Tasting notes
| What I tried | Method or amount | What I saw | What I thought | Will I do it again? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Griddled courgettes and corn | ||||
| Charred peppers | ||||
| Smoky aubergine dip | ||||
| Mixed grill platter | ||||
| Oil on food vs pan | ||||
| Hot vs cooler zone | ||||
| Whole vs sliced aubergine | ||||
| Marinade time |
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Sticking | Pan or grill not hot enough, or moved too soon | Preheat; wait until it releases |
| Burnt outside, raw inside | Too hot or pieces too thick | Move to the cooler side; cut thinner; pre-cook |
| No marks | Pan cool or food wet | Preheat and pat dry |
| Bitter | Burnt or blackened | Cut away burnt parts; peel pepper skin |
| Flare-ups | Dripping oil | Use less oil; move food away; never use water on a fat fire |
| Soggy peppers | Peeled under water | Peel dry; don't rinse |
Barbecue, heat and leftovers
Barbecue safety: use a barbecue outdoors only, never indoors, in a tent or in a garage, because charcoal gives off carbon monoxide, which is odourless and can kill. Light it with proper firelighters, never petrol or other flammable liquid, keep children and pets away, and never leave it unattended. Let the coals go cold completely before disposing of them, and keep a bucket of water or sand nearby. Keep raw meat and fish on a separate board from vegetables.Grill pans and hot surfaces: a griddle or grill pan gets very hot and smoky, so open a window or use the extractor. Use dry oven gloves, long tongs and a heatproof surface, and don't lean over the pan.
Char, not carbon: light browning and a few dark marks give flavour. Blackened, burnt areas taste bitter and are best removed. Peel off the blackened skin of peppers and aubergines, and avoid eating heavily burnt food regularly.
Leftovers: cool cooked vegetables quickly (within 1 to 2 hours), keep them covered in the fridge, and eat within 2 days. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through, and only once.
Checkpoint: can you do this now?
- I can heat a grill properly and oil the food, not the pan.
- I can use a hot zone and a cooler zone.
- I can char and peel peppers and aubergines.
- I know the barbecue safety rules.
- I can tell char from burnt.
Next chapter
Cooking Skills: Vegetables 2, chapter 5 is Fritters, Tempura and Crisps: batters, frying and crisp textures.