Rock the Grill
Traits That Make Great Grillers Stand Out

If you want to wow your barbecue guests, then you’ll be interested in the new survey by the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association. HPBA conducts several polls per year and always has some interesting questions and interesting barbecue findings.

For the fall 2008 barbecue survey, HPBA wanted to know what guests look for in the barbecue chef or grill master.

Versatile Barbecue Chefs are Popular

The most popular barbecue masters play to the audience. They grill a variety of foods including meat, fish, and vegetables. While it can be a little tricky to juggle a variety of foods, you’ll rank high with your guests if you are flexible and can tickle a variety of taste buds.

Keeping it Clean Counts for a Lot

The second most important trait those surveyed noted as being important was that the griller keep the grill and grill space clean.

Cleanliness might have ranked first, but a lot of people take that for granted. Guests who stay inside or don’t pay much attention may not be aware of the hygiene (or lack of) involved with outdoor cooking.

I went to one barbecue and the young grill guy didn’t have tongs. He was turning the hot dogs with his fingers – rather quickly given the hot dogs were indeed hot. He dropped a couple of wieners on the ground, picked them up, brushed them off, and put them back on the grill. “Two second rule,” he said and laughed.

After that party (where most of the guests were inside and weren’t aware of the outdoor disasters), I’d have to rank cleanliness as next to Godliness and put that on the top of my own personal list of important qualities for grillers. It was rather difficult to choke down a hot dog while wondering if the griller had washed his hands that day (doubtful) and if I’d score the dog that rolled around on the ground.

Getting the Meat Perfect

Cooking the meat to the perfect temperature (and perhaps doneness?) ranked third with a 22%. That should actually be comforting. If you aren’t perfect on the grill, most guests are fine. If the burgers are a little pink or if the steak if a tad charred, your guests will just overlook that and have a good time anyway.

It’s All in the Details for Some

A little less than 20% of all guests check out the grill maestros sauces, spices and marinades and rank the details as very important. These are probably your great home cooks or fellow barbecue grillers. It’s always fun to see what others are doing to the food especially when you play with foods too.

Are You the Master Grill Chef?

Your friends and family will love and appreciate you even if you can’t cook worth a hoot on the grill. Of course, if you’re here at Yes You Can Grill, then you should find lots of easy grill recipes and ideas and be able to pull off a great barbecue.  

Of course, anyone who takes the time to break out the grill and make a meal hopes to rock the barbecue. Based on the survey results, it doesn’t take a whole lot to be a hit of the party. If someone doesn’t appreciate your efforts, they can always stay home or even host the next backyard cookout. So, hang loose and keep that grill crackling.