Veggie Grilling Tips for my Vegetarian Friends

In response to a question I received from a vegetarian reader, I will address a great and common question regarding veggies on the grill.  Here's the question:

"Aaron, can you pass on some tips for veggie grilling so that I can in turn pass them on to my hubby? :) He's usually in charge of the grilling but has been known to over char and turn all my veggies (also vegetarian) into a blackened crisp. Is it best to wrap most in tin foil or put them straight on the grill? Upper or lower racks? What herbs are your favorite? We tend to grill a lot of eggplant, zuc, yellow squash, mushrooms, asparagus and potatoes."

I find that if I can grill it, I will inevitably burn it at some point, so my advice is based on tons of failure. When I grill veggies I take out a big 'insurance policy' by using one or more of three things.

1. Grill Basket: This isn't always what the store calls a "grill basket" because those are usually just wire mesh that is almost the exact same thing as putting it on the grate itself. I guess it's technically a steam basket, but I use one of these (pictured right) . I got mine at IKEA for about 13 Euros. I have also gone as far as drilling holes in a metal mixing bowl (the wife was not very happy about that one). When you use this method, it allows the smokey flavors in, but keeps the scorching flames out. The high heat of the aluminum/steel sears the veggies a little too so they brown nicely.
2. Oil. I use a lot of olive oil when cooking veggies. This especially works when using the aforementioned grill basket.  Oils speed up the cooking process by taking on a higher level of controlled, consistent heat. As where air circulates, changes temp rapidly and is just downright unpredictable. Bottom line, lubricate with whatever you'd like. EVOO for great flavor but not all the fat. Butter for a lot of fat and a lot of flavor, and canola or vegetable oil if you like your grill to smoke really bad, cause a grease fire and smell like old fish. :)
3. Aluminum Foil: This is a griller's best friend. You can use it to protect your veggies from high heat/flame (as seen in the stuffed jalapeno recipe), or you can use it to wrap your corn (as seen in the pictures of the Thai Chili Burger recipe). I like using foil packs for veggies like corn on the cob and mushroom packs. I load the packet up with a quarter stick of butter (EVOO will work too), salt, pepper and garlic powder.--it comes out amazingly! It's also acceptable to just smack the cob right down on the grill! Pay close attention to the charring and keep it rolling to help it cook evenly. Corn is good at speaking for itself but is also easily enhanced. 

When experienced grill cooks cook meat, they often use the "DON'T TOUCH IT!" method.  Well, veggies are almost the exact opposite. Vegetables aren't made to me grilled, they're perfect as-is. So you have to treat them a little differently from meat. Take a tip from Japanese steakhouse chefs and use the "KEEP IT MOVING!" method. If you're using the grill basket method, keep stirring the veggies with a fork, tongs, etc. If you're making corn in foil or in the raw, keep it rolling. If you're using bare veggies like sliced eggplant, pay attention to your heat and keep it flipping. You want it firm, but not raw. It is possible to replace a beef patty completely with a well cooked, thick slice of eggplant. 

As far as using the upper or lower racks, I assume you're talking about a gas grill. I don't own a gas grill, but I am moderately experienced at using them at work and at friends' houses. The upper rack of a gas grill is a great place for veggies, but not the fastest way to get the job done. As opposed to the bottom grates, you'll probably double your cooking time. Just use the methods above and you should just have to use your top shelf as a warming shelf.

My little sweet basil leaves poking out of
the dirt. I'll be eating them soon!

Oh herbs...I love 'em all, really. But if I had to pick a favorite for grilling, I'd pick basil. Basil is one of those herbs that is good even if you mess it up. I have completely charred basil before and the aroma and smoke from the leaves added a lot to the dish.  I don't recommend burning it, but if you do, you're safe. My favorite way to use basil is to cut up an entire grill basket of zucchini, yellow squash, onion, button mushrooms, cherry/grape tomatoes and russet reds. Add about 1/4 cup of olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Take about 5 leaves of basil and bruise them (roll them in your hands a few times). toss them in and stir until everything is coated. Place full basket on the grill and let them cook until the potatoes are about 80% done. All other veggies will be perfect and the the potatoes will continue to cook on their own until done. The basil makes everything taste awesome. 

I hope this helps everyone in grilling some amazing vegetables. Just have fun with it and experiment!