It’s grilling season! So, we have tips from grilling masters to help you step up your grilling game for this summer:
- Don’t set it and forget it
- Baste with herbs
- Wrap or pan meat to smoke it faster
- Pay attention to your meat’s proximity to heat
- Always watch the temperature
- Start your fire extra early for optimal grilling
- Reverse sear thick steaks
- Let your meat rest before you dig in
- Keep it clean and use quality charcoal
- Take time to get to know your gear
- Skip the sauce and go with a dry rub
- Choose your wood wisely

Photo by: Jason Hoffman / Thrillist
Every proud owner of a grill has their own way of barbecuing, and most don’t take kindly to backseat grilling advice. But exceptions should be made when that advice comes from pitmasters who’ve devoted their entire lives to the pursuit of meaty perfection.
These tips come from some of the world’s most obsessive barbecue cooks, ranging from world-champion competition-circuit legends to the pitmasters behind some of the best 33 BBQ joints in the country. Heed their advice, and may your charcoal burn forever brightly.