Ditch Marinating for Delicious (and Faster) Summer Grilling

Quickly cook main ingredients over direct heat, then flavor them with bright, fresh seasonings.

Fire is a mighty ingredient all on its own, adding an alluring smokiness to meat, seafood, cheese and vegetables. So skip the marinade: Grill your ingredients with only oil and salt, and over unrelenting direct heat for a crisp char. Then season them hot off the grill. This style of cooking takes little time and less planning — and can simplify and shake up dinnertime. For a good time grilling, heed these tips: Prep your ingredients, and get the grill super hot. Choose something slender and sturdy (like asparagus or scallions) or lean and marbled (like skirt steak or shrimp) that can cook in less than 20 minutes. As the grill heats up, pat your ingredients dry with paper towels, then let them air-dry until you’re ready to cook. You want the grill hot, but only on one side, so that there’s a cool zone where you can move ingredients if you need to pause and regroup. This is called two-zone grilling. Make sure to clean the grates with a grill brush, then lightly grease the ingredients and the hot grates to prevent sticking and encourage browning.