Surely it’s a sign of summer to pop open a cold one and temporarily plant yourself in front of a hot grill. In fact, many of us have become accustomed to babysitting the fire—but what if you could actually graze the guac before it’s gone or sit down to watch (part of) the game, without worrying about overdone skewers or (gasp) not enough gas in the tank?
With the Weber Genesis EX-335 Smart Grill, you can monitor everything—from the food you’re cooking to the fuel in your tank—with ease, from anywhere on your phone. (Bonus: Weber Connect Technology provides in-app recipes complete with step-by-step instructions, for free.) When it comes to all things grilling-related, the seven common mistakes below are the bane of seasoned grill masters and barbecue newbies alike. Read on for how to sidestep them—with, optionally, some game-changing help from a Genesis grill—all summer long.
A disorderly grilling station
With temperatures screaming up to 550ºF, keeping your cooking area (and yourself) neat and tidy can become an unfortunate afterthought. Before things heat up, remember to tie up loose ends—that goes for long hair and apron strings. Make sure heat resistant gloves, a mitt, or a kitchen towel are handy so you can grab any pans or grill baskets that might get too hot.
Low (or empty) fuel in the tank
There’s nothing worse than starting to change out the tank in the middle of a slow-cooking brisket—until you realize you don’t have a spare and have to run to the hardware store! This Genesis smart gas grill has a fuel display on the front (it’s also visible in the Weber Connect app) to ensure you have enough gas to last you the day.
Incomplete food prepping
Practice mise en place, the French term for “everything in its place,” and prep everything you need (that goes for ingredients and tools) before you get grilling. If you’re seeking perfectly done salmon, you don’t have time to run inside for a spatula.
The Weber Connect app has recipes you can review ahead of time to make sure you have everything on hand and prepped—which frees you up to enjoy your guests.
Improper preheating
Recipe cook times are based on the assumption that you’ve preheated your grill to a precise temperature. When you throw food on too early (or too late), you can kiss your carefully curated cook schedule goodbye. The great thing about Weber’s new grill is you can set the temperature needed and then an audible alert will ping you (via the app) when it’s go time—no hand hovering and guess work required.
Under (or over) cooking proteins
Speaking of guess work, the only way to know the internal temperature of your food is to accurately measure it. Now, you can do that (passively!)—simply insert probe, place meat on grill, and view progress on the Weber Connect app, which shares real-time temperature readouts and doneness alerts directly on your phone (or tablet) while you casually sip on a fresh marg or lob water balloons at the kids.
Over-flipping ’n’ fiddling
Are you an anxious burger flipper? (It’s more common than you think!) The constant contact can cause breakage and dried out meat. Plus, it interrupts the glorious Maillard reaction that creates a beautiful crust and grill marks. The temptation to turn foods prematurely can be a challenge to walk away from, unless you literally walk away. (Thank the app for step-by-step assistance so you know exactly when to return to the grill and flip.)
Don’t forget to give meats—like a lamb rack or flank steak—a rest before slicing to redistribute those precious juices.
Frequent lid lifting
Whenever you open the grill to check on food, you lose heat, which can mess with cook time. Keep the lid on it and view the temperate of the grill and food from the LCD screen on the grill (or in the Weber Connect app). You’ll know when it’s time to lift off.
Are you ready to put your skills to the grill? With your newfound intel and a fancy new Weber Genesis EX-335 Smart Grill, the time has come to go from winging it to nailing it. So fasten your apron strings, invite some family and friends over, and get your barbecue on.
