Lets chat about burgers shall we?
Beef
Ground Chuck is going to give you a juicer, moister, more flavorful burger. If you want to go the healthier route, ground round or ground sirloin is going to be a higher lean %. Ground sirloin is 85% lean and ground round is 90% lean. During grilling, a lot of the fat drips off the burger and gives you a juicy burger that is not too much more unhealthy than the leaner cuts. When I have burgers (which isn't very often) I like to make it count. Burger seasoning? What else do you need other than some kosher salt and some fresh ground pepper!
Bun: it makes or breaks the burger
Next lets talk about the bun. This is what makes or breaks a burger. Don't go for those soggy bagged buns you get in the sliced bread section. They fall apart, are a tad sweet, and just don't hold together. Instead, go for the buns that your grocery bakes themselves! They are fresher, chewier, hold together better, and in some cases cost less than their counterparts.
Toppings
Then we come to the toppings. Oh the toppings. Fresh greens? Juicy tomatoes? Crisp sweet onions? make sure you have everyone's favorite burger toppings even if it isn't your favorite. Make sure you get the best looking, most colorful vegetables in the store. Don't skimp. There is nothing worse than an unripe tomato.
Chicken is very easy and many people like to make it way more difficult than it needs to be. Cut the chicken in half so that it is only 1/2 an inch thick (cooks better) and so the marinade is able to seep through the meat without marinating it for days. I like to use Italian dressing. 1 bottle of Italian dressing will marinate 6 pieces of chicken or more. You have to make sure the chicken is in a covered container and placed in the refrigerator for 2 or more hours.
Once you are ready to grill, place the chicken directly on the grill and cook until you obtain some nice grill marks and the chicken is no longer pink in the middle (completely opaque). Cut into one of the thicker pieces to check.
Sides? looking for a healthy alternative to french fries?
Zucchini and yellow squash is the answer! They will sure to be a hit. Great finger food and you can watch as everyone attempts to eat the piping hot squash slices without burning every part of their mouth. It is a funny scene.
Just slather some Olive Oil on some zucchini and yellow squash slices along with some salt and pepper and literally throw onto the grill. Cook until tender and have gorgeous grill marks!
Pineapple
How should we compliment these dishes with something sweet and healthy at the same time? Grilled pineapple I think is the answer. Slice up some FRESH pineapple and place it on the grill until each side is laden with grill marks. The flavors from the grill will rub off onto the fruit while caramelizing the sugars on the pineapple's surface. When you bite into a slice, it is juicy, warm, grilled and delicious!
Lastly, get some good music going, activities, good friends, and beautiful weather, and you have yourself a springtime grill out!
Special thanks to my photographers Jessi and Crew. They deserve all of the credit.
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