It’s easy to think of grilling as a summer thing — the temps are warm, the evenings are long and you’ve got a pool party’s worth of people to feed.
But grilling in the autumn might be even better.
Imagine: The leaves above are shades of red and gold, there’s a refreshing chill in the air and, finally, no mosquitoes to bother you. You’re in your favorite fleece, tending to crackling chicken legs on a hot grill, tongs in one hand, a glass of red wine in the other. Those chicken legs, by the way, aren’t for a big gathering but instead for filling your desk lunches throughout the week.
Nice, right?
Of course, that’s assuming the weather cooperates. If not? You’ll just need the right gear.
A seriously good raincoat, a pair of easy-to-slip-on boots (purchased with a discount code; more on that below) and a bright headlamp for those 5 p.m. sunsets can go a long way.
And if the weather’s really bad, how about firing up a pellet grill? Think of it like a smoky, self-contained outdoor oven that mostly takes care of itself. You could have tender, moist brisket in a snowstorm with very little time spent babysitting the grill outside.
But first: It’s probably time to clean your grill
To keep a grill well maintained, you should be scraping the grates, cleaning the grease trap and dumping the ash every time you cook.
But to make sure it performs its best for years to come — and in all seasons — you have to periodically get in there and really scrub. Which sounds more intimidating than it is. We’ll walk you through it.
Our ultimate guide to cleaning your grill →
10/10 grilling 365
What to grill when there’s a chill
Meal-prep for the week with Moroccan kefta and marinated vegetables for sandwiches and grain bowls. Lean into a lazy Sunday in the crisp fall air with cedar plank salmon or mole negro. And when those holidays come around, let your grill do the heavy lifting with a smoked prime rib or a gorgeous porchetta (so your oven and stove are free for all the other stuff you want to cook).
Just like the recipes in week one, week two and week three, these are all free. Consider them our (very early) holiday gift to you.
One last (on-sale!) thing: Our favorite rain boots
Over the past five years, Wirecutter’s experts have researched hundreds of rain boots, ultimately testing 31 styles. Our favorites had the most slip-resistant outsole of any boot we tested. And we found them super easy to slip on and off — perfect for leaving by the door so you can dash in and out for your all-weather grilling. From now until Aug. 30, use promo code WIRECUTTER to save $30.
Thanks for reading. You can get all the Wirecutter and Cooking content you want (and need) with an All Access subscription to The New York Times.
You can reach the Wirecutter Newsletters team at [email protected]. We can’t always respond, but we do love to hear from you.
Was this email kindly forwarded to you? Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox.
The post How to Turn August Grilling Into Autumn Grilling appeared first on New York Times.