Want to learn how to grill steak to perfection? Few things beat a juicy, tender steak with a light, smoky crust.

Look no further — we have a few easy cooking tips to churn out fast, drool-worthy grilled steaks.

Step 1: Choose a Beef Cut with Marbling

According to Brittany Crump, M.P.H., R.D. at Savor Nutrition, “The best cut of beef for grilled steak should be tender with lots of marbling, which are the white fat flecks found throughout the meat. Marbled fat melts while your steak grills, infusing the meat with flavor while keeping it juicy and tender.”

If you’re watching your fat intake, Holly McKee-Clark, culinary specialist for Beachbody, says, “Top sirloin makes a tasty but still lean choice cut for grilling.”

Other beef cuts with adequate marbling for grilled steak include:

• Strip steak (e.g., New York or Kansas City strip)
• Ribeye steak
• Top sirloin steak
• Filet mignon or tenderloin
• Skirt or flank steak

Your steak piece should be approximately one to two inches thick to produce a good char without overcooking the meat inside.

The exception is flank or skirt steaks, which should be sliced thin and against the grain after cooking to break up the tougher muscle fibers.

These steaks are best served on tacos, fajitas, sandwiches, or salads.

Step 2: Prep & Season Steak

Before seasoning, blot your steaks with a paper towel to create a dry surface for the seasoning to stick.

“To help the flavors seep into the meat better, score your steaks in a crisscross pattern across both sides before adding your rub or marinade,” McKee-Clark recommends.

For flavor, you can simply season the steak with salt and pepper.

Or, pick up premade steak seasoning at the grocery store. You can also make your own by blending a mix of the following:

• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic or onion powder
• Paprika
• Cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
• Oregano
• Parsley flakes
• Cumin
• Coriander

For the tougher flank or skirt steaks, we recommend using a wet marinade — usually made with oil and acid — to make the steak more tender than a dry rub.

Let your steaks marinate for at least 30 minutes to soak in the flavor.

Your basic steak marinade typically includes:

• Oil
• Lemon juice or vinegar
• Soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce
• Minced garlic or onions
• Your favorite herbs and spices

Step 3: Let Steaks Come to Room Temperature

Take your marinating steaks out of the fridge and let them sit covered, on the counter, for 20 to 30 minutes to come closer to room temperature.

Grilling a steak while it’s cold means that the steak’s interior will need to cook longer, potentially resulting in an overcooked exterior.

Step 4: Grill Steak Over Hot, Clean Grates

Now that you’ve prepped, it’s time to learn how to grill steak. Starting with a clean grill gives your grilled steak pretty, distinct char marks.

“Brush some oil on the grill to keep the steak from sticking to your grates. Steak is quick-cooking meat, which will require a hot, preheated grill at 450-500° F,” Crump advises.

How long should you cook steak on a grill? What about on each side?

It’s hard to give a specific cook time for steak since this depends on your steak size, thickness, and desired doneness.

• You can start by searing your steaks on the grill for 2-3 minutes and repeat on the other side.
• A thicker steak needs to cook longer, but it’s better to undercook it, check doneness, and keep cooking as needed.

Do you close the grill when cooking steak?

“If your steak is thicker than about ¾ of an inch, close the lid to create a convection oven. If it’s a thin flank or skirt steak, leave the grill open; otherwise, you won’t get that good sear on both sides before the steak is done,” says McKee-Clark.

To check doneness, you could cut into the steak but risk losing some juiciness.

“A meat thermometer is a grill master’s best friend,” says McKee-Clark, “Check your meat before you think it’s done and then every minute or two after that. Take your meat off the grill when it’s 5° F less than your desired cook temperature, then tent it with foil for 10 minutes. The meat will continue to cook as it rests.”

If you have a meat thermometer, use the chart below to gauge doneness and keep cooking your steak until it’s how you like it.

Special note for how to grill flank or skirt steak: “Beware that these cuts are thinner than regular steaks, and they’ll require less time to reach your desired doneness,” says McKee-Clark.

So keep a close eye on that grill!

Step 5: Rest Your Steak Before Cutting

If you cut the steak right after it’s done, the juices will drain out, leaving you with a less juicy piece of steak.

Instead, tent your steak with aluminum foil and let it rest for 10 minutes so that the juices can settle.

As noted above, this also enables the steak to finish cooking.

We recommend cutting against the grain since it breaks up the muscle into smaller pieces, making your steak less chewy — this step is a must for tougher cuts like flank steak!

For all other cuts, enjoy the steak however you’d like.

Looking for more expert nutrition information? Head over to BODNutrition.com and learn how to eat healthy with the help of our two nutrition programs, 2B Mindset and Portion Fix.

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This year, give yourself a new challenge. Learn to master a charcoal grill instead of using your old gas model.

While there’s plenty to love about learning how to charcoal grill properly, there are some things you’ll need to know to get started safely.

Read on and learn the ins and outs of using a charcoal grill, how to cook everything from steak and burgers to veggies, and some common mistakes to avoid.

Be sure to combine this guide with our helpful grilling tips for a summer cookout that will make your guests think you’ve been doing this for years.

1. Use the chimney method to light it

This is the method of grill lighting that Michael Haas, R.D., and co-founder of Angry BBQ, prefers because of how easy it is.

You’ll need to pick up a chimney starter, and then you’re just a couple of steps away from having the grill lit:

• Load your chimney starter with your favorite charcoal.
• Place some paper under the chimney in the bottom of your grill.
• Light the paper.

And that’s it. The heat from the paper rises, lighting the charcoal all the way up.

Haas recommends giving the charcoal 10-15 minutes to ignite fully.

Then, once they turn white, you’re ready to dump your charcoal into the grill.

2. Heat up your grill quickly

You need to allow a little more time when working with a charcoal grill. That’s where learning how to work your vents comes in.

“The more air there is, the hotter the fire,” explains Jeanette Kimszal, RDN, of The Radiant Root. “Be sure to open the vents on the grill to keep the air flowing into the fire.”

“Most charcoal grills contain a bottom vent and a top vent,” Haas adds.

He explains that the bottom one is the vent that controls most of the airflow, so he keeps his “bottom vent fully open and the top vent half open when I want my grill to heat up quickly.”

3. Maintain a steady temperature

You want consistent heat for the best grilling results, and that also comes down to your vents.

“Once I get to the desired temperature, I start closing my bottom vent slightly, so my grilling temp stays consistent,” says Haas.

4. Take note of the elements

“Wind and outdoor ambient temperature will also reduce the heat output of your coals, which can make the cook take even longer,” Haas explains.

“I always plan an extra 30 minutes in my grilling schedule if I’m using the charcoal grill,” he adds.

5. Use two-zone cooking

This sounds complicated, but you’ll master it quickly: Put your lit charcoal on one side of the grill so that “one side of the grill is searing hot while the other side is at a lower temperature,” says Haas.

Kimszal says, “foods that cook quickly should be placed right on top of the coals.” This would include pork chops or our Ginger Soy Flank Steak.

Whereas “foods that cook longer can be placed to the side of the coals, so they get indirect heat,” she adds. Try this method with our Grilled Romaine and Walnut Salad.

Charcoal Grilling Mistakes to Avoid

These mistakes are common but easy to avoid. Make sure to avoid them for a better grilling experience.

6. Don’t Open the Lid Too Much

“Only open the lid to add your food or to check how the cook is going,” warns Haas. If you keep lifting it, “you will lose a lot of heat when opening the grill lid, and it will take time to get your grill back to temperature.”

7. Rushing the process

Remember, you’ll need extra time for a charcoal grill — but the result will be worth it!

If you’ve already lifted the lid a couple of times, go ahead and add more minutes to your cook time.

8. Skimping on charcoal

Haas says you can easily use the vents to raise or lower the temperature of your charcoal grill — as long as you have enough charcoal.

Just because you’re aiming for a low-and-slow method doesn’t mean you can use less charcoal.

9. Leaving old ashes in your grill

You’ll want to clear out old ashes before you try to light new charcoal briquettes or lumps. There can be “too many ashes in the grill for the charcoal to be lit,” Kimszal explains.

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There are plenty of opportunities to show off your grilling prowess with burgers, brats, and hotdogs, but we suggest branching out and learning how to grill salmon this year.

There’s plenty to love about grilled salmon.

Salmon is a meatier fish, which means it holds up well to the higher temperatures of the grill than more delicate white fish.

It’s also easy to infuse flavor into salmon fillets with various methods (we’ll get to those in a minute).

No matter what flavor you choose, you need to have the steps down.

Here’s your guide to how to grill salmon that’s perfectly moist and flaky.

1. Choose the right salmon

Ashley Nader, R.D.N., founder of Be Well by Ashley Noelle, suggests trying to find a wild-caught salmon, ideally from a local fish market.

Wild salmon fillets tend to have less fat than farm-raised salmon.

Although farm-raised salmon has slightly higher heart-healthy omega-3 content than wild salmon, it also has significantly more omega-6, a less healthy fat.

2. Decide how you’re going to cook it

Specific salmon recipes require some planning.

If you want to cook your salmon on planks, don’t forget to soak them in water for at least an hour before placing the plank on the grill,  says Holly McKee-Clark, Culinary Specialist at Beachbody.

If you’re curious about using planks, try our Cedar Plank Salmon with Maple Glaze.

If your salmon filets don’t have skin, and you’re not using a plank, use foil so you’re not placing the fish directly on the grill.

3. Clean your salmon and pat dry

When you’re ready to start prepping your salmon, Nader recommends rinsing it in the sink and patting completely dry before marinating or seasoning.

It’s not a step you want to skip, either, if you’re working with salmon with the skin.

The filets have to be completely dry to get a nice crispy skin, she says.

4. Clean your grill

Scrape down your grill before placing your salmon, even if you’re using foil packets.

It’s better to do the work upfront than to lose a crispy salmon skin or fight with a foil packet because it sticks to the grill.

5. Flavor your salmon

If you’re going for a marinade, you’ll need to add more prep time.

Nader suggests adding the marinade to the fish and place it in the fridge for a few hours before grilling.

Her preferred marinade combines coconut aminos (a gluten-free soy sauce substitute) and honey to balance the aminos’ tanginess.

But you can also sprinkle the salmon with salt and spray with oil, then let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling, says McKee-Clark.

This prep helps ensure the salmon cooks evenly.

6. Preheat and oil your grill

You should set a gas grill between 450-500° F for salmon.

If you’re working with charcoal, let the grill preheat for about 20 minutes before placing your salmon.

Oiling your grill reduces the risk of your fish sticking to the slats.

7. Grill your salmon

Finally, this is where the magic happens. If you’re using salmon fillets with the skin, there’s no need to flip, says McKee-Clark.

You will need to choose the Goldilocks location on your grill for the best results, though.

“Choose a spot on the grill that’s equidistant from the hottest and coolest part of the coals,” she suggests.

You’ll need to flip fillets with the skin removed, but that means you have the opportunity to brush a flavorful marinade on both sides.

(We love the citrus and spice in our Grilled Salmon with Orange Marinade recipe.)

The cooking time depends on how thick your fillets are, but you don’t need a timer.

You can also cook it until the filet flakes off with a fork, explains Nader.

8. Let your salmon rest

However you like your fish cooked, McKee-Clark suggests tenting it with aluminum foil after you’ve removed it from the grill.

Tenting helps ensure that the meat has a chance to rest and ensures even doneness.

Once it has reached a level of doneness with which you’re happy, you can add additional flavorings.

McKee-Clark likes to use “either a combo of fresh dill and lemon juice, or miso paste, soy sauce, and fresh ginger,” which she adds just before serving.

Looking for more expert cooking tips and nutrition information?

Head over to BODNutrition.com and learn how to eat healthy for the long term with the help of our two nutrition programs, 2B Mindset and Portion Fix.

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When you know how to grill vegetables the right way, they can be a healthy and tasty part of a balanced diet — and, dare we say, just as crave-worthy as a juicy burger or shrimp skewer.

Why grill your veggies?

Not only does it help mix up your vegetable cooking methods, but vegetables cooked on the grill take on new flavor dimensions that can’t be achieved through boiling, steaming, or baking, explains Carrie Gabriel, M.S., R.D.N.

“Grilling vegetables allows their natural sugars to become caramelized, creating a sweet, smoky finish,” Gabriel says.

Before you fire up the grill, here are our top tips for making veggies part of your barbecue repertoire.

1. Choose the Best Vegetables for Grilling

Vegetables are not all equal when it comes to grill-ability, so be sure to choose veggies that are hearty enough to stand up to the flame and the flipping, Gabriel says.

“Some of the best vegetables for grilling are bell peppers, eggplant, zucchini, onions, and yellow squash,” she adds.

Delicate vegetables like tomatoes, mushrooms, and scallions can handle the heat but may require special tools or techniques to get the best results.

2. Get the Right Grilling Tools

Want to ensure your veggies actually make it to your table — not the bottom of your barbecue?

Invest in a set of metal skewers to keep smaller veggies like bell pepper chunks and mushrooms from falling through the grates.

Metal skewers are flame-proof, and because they’re reusable, they’re better for the earth.

If you only have wood skewers available, soak them for at least 30 minutes before putting them on the grill to avoid igniting.

Another option: pick up a grill basket, suggests Lisa Richards, CNC, a nutritionist and the creator of the Candida Diet.

Baskets help to free up some grill space and make it easy to cook veggies like carrots, asparagus, and chopped potatoes easily and evenly (without having to flip each individual chunk).

3. Utilize Cooking Zones

Whether your grill is gas or charcoal, remember that you can adjust the flame to create different cooking zones — so your bell peppers get blistered in one area while your sweet potatoes slow-cook in another.

Use the burners on a gas grill to create different temperature zones, or move coals around the base of a charcoal grill to create char spots and lower-heat cooking zones.

4. Go Beyond the Basics

“Get creative!” says Holly McKee-Clark, culinary specialist for Beachbody. “I haven’t met a veggie I couldn’t grill — including lettuce!”

Don’t be afraid to experiment with different cooking methods.

If you always make veggie kebabs, for example, try grilling whole veggies like bell peppers or corn on the cob instead.

Or grill foil packets with wrapped-up sliced potatoes, herbs, and olive oil. The next grilled vegetable recipe you try could be your favorite!

5. Grill Your Salad

Amp up your salad’s complexity by throwing sturdy greens like romaine hearts, bok choy, or iceberg wedges onto the grill for a brief charring, McKee-Clark suggests.

Be sure to lightly oil your greens and eat immediately after grilling to avoid them going limp. Just avoid any greens with tender leaves, as they tend to wilt or burn on the grill.

6. Pay Attention to Cook Times

Just like indoor cooking, grilling times will vary based on the vegetable density and cut size.

Sturdier vegetables like cauliflower and onions will take longer to cook than tender mushrooms and tomatoes. Denser vegetables like potatoes or corn often do best when wrapped in foil before going on the grill to allow them to steam.

Check out the recommended grilling times from The Barbecue Bible to know how long to keep your portobellos or parsnips on the heat.

7. Season and Marinate After Grilling

Grilling adds smoky flavor, but you can make your veggies even tastier with a seasoning or marinade — anything from a simple sprinkle of sea salt or fresh herbs to a healthy vinaigrette.

Unlike meats and seafood, however, vegetables are best seasoned after you remove them from heat.

“Marinating vegetables after grilling them will allow them to absorb more flavor when they are hot,” Gabriel says.

8. Rethink Your Kebab Strategy

Mixed kebabs can be a colorful, Instagram-worthy meal, but what are the chances that your chicken chunks will cook at the same speed as your zucchini slices? Not likely.

Instead, consider keeping each kebab consistent — chicken on one skewer, onions and peppers on another, and so on — to ensure your veggies don’t burn while you’re waiting for meat to cook through.

9. Let Veggies Rule the Grill

Don’t relegate veggies to a tiny corner of the grill.

“Approach your grill with the 2B Mindset’s ‘Plate It!’ system in mind,” McKee-Clark says.

“If you’re making lunch, 25% of the grill space should be for protein, 25% for FFCs (fiber-filled carbohydrates), and 50% for veggies,” McKee-Clark adds. “For dinner, aim for 25% protein and 75% veggies.”

If you’re following a portion control plan like Portion Fix, McKee-Clark suggests letting the Portion Food List inspire your BBQ picks.

Choose a veggie from the list with a whole measure — like 10 spears of asparagus, half a medium eggplant, or one medium turnip, McKee-Clark says.

For smaller veggies, like chopped broccoli or snow peas, measure out your portions first, then use a grill basket.

10. Use Your Grill for Meal Prep

After you’re done cooking dinner, consider loading up the grill with a batch of veggies for meal prep throughout the week.

“Once you’ve gone to the trouble of getting the grill going, take full advantage!” McKee-Clark says. “Throw some extra veggies on and close the cover while you’re eating your meal.”

You’ll have a healthy collection of grilled vegetables to mix into scrambled eggs, top salads, or adorn grain bowls throughout the week.

11. Grill for Healthy Swaps

Looking for ways to get more vegetables into your daily diet?

McKee-Clark suggests these fun and fast ways to use your grill for extra-credit veggies:

• Grill portobello mushroom caps instead of hamburger buns.
• Slice turnips and place them in a tin foil packet with a little oil, garlic, and salt, then grill those instead of a typical potato side.
• Slice a bell pepper in half, crack an egg inside, and grill breakfast.

12. Grill Without the Grill

Don’t have an outdoor grill? You can still enjoy the flavor and versatility of grilled vegetables with a stove-top solution.

“I personally live in an apartment and don’t have an actual grill, but I do own a reversible grill pan,” Gabriel says.

While you won’t have an actual flame to work with, a cast-iron grill pan can work as a barbecue dupe to get you a bit of that grilled flavor, a hint of char, and — of course — those coveted grill marks!

Want more expert nutrition tips and advice? Head over to BODNutrition.com to learn how Beachbody nutrition programs and products can help you lead a healthier lifestyle.

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Want to learn how to grill corn? It’s an easy way to serve this summer veggie.

Whether you steam it for a seafood feast or serve grilled corn with chili, cheese, and lime, corn is super tasty in summer.

When the temperatures rise and you can’t bear turning on the stove, look to your trusty barbecue grill.

It will add the perfect smokiness and depth of flavor to this favorite summer veggie.

Grilled corn is a good way to liven up dinner and “makes for a simple swap, replacing a different carbohydrate, such as rice or potatoes,” says Adrien Paczosa, R.D., L.D., CEDRD-S, founder of ILiveWell Nutrition.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to grill corn so it’s perfectly done every time.

1. Start with super fresh corn

This step is critical: You want the freshest, juiciest, sweetest corn available.

After even a couple of days, corn can taste starchy and bland.

To find the freshest cobs, “feel the corn through the husk and make sure it feels firm; it should not feel soft or mushy,” says Harland Adkins, R.D.N., a registered dietitian nutritionist.

“You should be able to feel plump, firm kernels almost all the way from the bottom of the ear to the top. The husk should be green and tight. Dried-out or brown husks means the corn is old,” Adkin adds.

2. Prep your corn

For lightly smoky corn, grill it with the husk on. To prep your corn, pull down the husks, remove the silk, then pull them back up.

Soak the cobs in water for 20 minutes to avoid burning the husks on the grill.

If you want a deeper, smokier flavor, you can remove the husk and lightly coat with cooking spray to keep it from sticking to the grates of the grill.

3. Grill it up

Paczosa suggests grilling each side for about 3 minutes over medium heat. Keep a close eye on the corn.

When you start to see char marks, rotate them using tongs.

If you don’t have an outdoor grill, you could also use a cast-iron grill pan on the stove.

4. Test it

Not sure your corn is ready? Pull back the husk and give it a peek. It should be brighter yellow and more tender.

If it’s not done, pull the husk back up and continue cooking.

For corn that’s already husked, slice off a few kernels and see if they’re at your desired consistency.

5. Husk and serve

After you’ve removed your ears of corn from the grill, let them cool off slightly. Then it’s time to remove the husks and serve.

Grab a section of husk at the end of the corn. Pull down and back, and snap off that section. Continue doing this until you’ve removed all the husks.

Place the ears on a platter and serve them topped with a teaspoon of butter each, along with fresh minced herbs or roasted garlic!

You can also slice the kernels off the cobs for our Grilled Corn Salad With Jalapeño.

And that’s how to grill corn — easy, right?

Want more expert nutrition tips and advice? Head over to BODNutrition.com to learn how Beachbody nutrition programs and products can help you lead a healthier lifestyle.

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Perfectly grilled chicken — crusty on the outside, and moist and juicy on the inside — is a great addition to any picnic, barbecue, or summertime meal plan.

It’s also an easy way to boost your protein intake.

And using grilled chicken in your meal prep can help you save time in the kitchen — just grill a batch on Sunday and use it throughout the week in a wide variety of delicious chicken recipes, including soups, salads, pastas, pizzas.

So how long should you cook chicken on the grill — and how can you keep it from drying out? Here’s what you need to know.

How to Grill Chicken Breast

Follow these simple steps to get evenly-cooked, juicy chicken with plenty of flavor.

Prep it

An hour before grilling, take your chicken out of the fridge and allow it to come up to room temperature, which helps it cook more evenly, says Holly McKee-Clark, culinary specialist for Beachbody.

Even it out