Many people never even consider barbequing vegetables – but once you’ve had barbequed vegetables, you will never barbeque again without throwing some vegetables on the grill.
Here are some tips for great results with various vegetables:
Vegetable Kabobs
Any vegetable that you want to include on a vegetable kabob will be fine, although larger vegetables that must be sliced and are naturally crisp work best. Because the vegetables on the kabob are thinly sliced, they don’t take long at all to cook. Lay them down on the grate, and turn them after about ten minutes. Allow them to cook for an additional five minutes, and they are ready to eat.
Potatoes
Once you’ve had a baked potato, cooked on the barbeque, you will throw sticks at those baked in the oven. Wash the potatoes well, dry them, rub with cooking oil lightly, poke several holes in them, and then wrap the potatoes in foil, and place them on top of the coals. They should be perfectly done in about 45 minutes.
Corn on the Cob
There are two ways to cook corn on the cob on the barbeque. If the corn still has its husk, pull the husk back, but don’t break it away. Instead, remove the silk, cut the tip off of the cob, wash the corn, or allow it to soak for about half an hour (soaking is best, as it makes removing the silk easier). Dry the corn and brush it with butter. Simply enclose the corn in its husk, and use a twist tie to seal the end (don’t use a rubber band – they melt). If you’ve soaked the corn for 30 minutes, it only takes about ten minutes to cook it on the grill.
If the corn doesn’t have its husk, repeat this process, but wrap it in foil. This may require additional cook time – about fifteen minutes. Either way, the corn is placed on the grate, not on the coals.
Asparagus
Season the asparagus however you wish. Slice it however you like. Cover the grate of the grill with foil, and place the asparagus on the grill. It doesn’t take long for asparagus to cook. When it is done, it will be a slightly brighter shade of green than it was when it was raw – if it turns more of a gray color, it has cooked too long.
Onions
Peel the onion and cut it in half or in quarters. Onions will stick to the grill, so use a non-stick cooking spray on the grate before you get it hot. Place the onions directly on the grill for about four minutes. If you don’t want to spray the grill, you can coat the onions with oil as well to prevent sticking. Many people prefer to spray the grate because onions need no added flavors, and the oil can detract from the natural flavor of the onion. You can choose red onions, yellow onions, or white onions.
Garlic
Use whole bulbs of garlic. Cut he root from the end, and peel away the paper covering of the bulb. Brush the bulb with your favorite oil (olive oil is great). Place the bulb on the grill, with the cut portion facing the fire. Grill for about ten minutes – expect the outer portion of the bulb to turn a light brown.
Mushrooms
Wash the mushrooms well. Brush with your favorite oil, and place on the grill for four to five minutes. If the mushrooms are large, they may require a longer cook time – up to about eight minutes. If the mushrooms are too small, you can place small chicken wire or metal type mesh over the grate to keep them from falling through.
Eggplant
You can slice the eggplant anyway you like. Some barbeque masters slice them in circles. Do not peel the eggplant! You can coat the eggplant with your favorite cooking oil or salad oil and season them however you like. Eggplant should be grilled for four to five minutes.
Bell Peppers
Red peppers, yellow peppers, orange peppers, and green peppers are very easy to barbeque. Cut the pepper in half and remove the stem and the core. Wash away all of the seeds. You can leave the peppers in halves, or cut them in quarters, but if the pieces are too small, you will need chicken wire or metal type mesh to keep the pieces from falling through the grate.
Lightly brush some olive oil over the peppers and sprinkle with a hint of Thyme and grill for 2 to 3 minutes.
Chili Peppers are smaller and should be cooked whole for two or three minutes on each side. You can leave them as they are, or coat them with your favorite cooking or salad oil before grilling as well.
Squash and Zucchini
Cut the Squash or Zucchini in half from the top to the bottom. Coat it with olive oil, and season it to taste. You can use any seasons that you like. It should be cooked for about two minutes on each side, but you will have to really watch it when the open side – or the side that has the seeds showing – is facing the fire, as it will burn easily.
Tomatoes
You can grill regular tomatoes and cherry tomatoes. For regular tomatoes, cut the tomato in half from the top. Coat the tomato with your favorite cooking oil. Place on the grill with the cut side facing down, and allow it to cook for two or three minutes.
For cherry tomatoes, you may need to use some chicken wire or small metal type mesh to keep them from falling through. Another option is a skewer. You can coat these with your choice of cooking oil or salad oil, and season them to taste, or grill them without oil or seasoning. Two to three minutes of cook time is fine – but it will be closer to two minutes, because they are so small.
