It’s irritating when you have done all your grilling preparation for the sunny afternoon but Mother Nature has other plans. If your BBQ party has witnessed an unwelcome rain shower, it’s better to see it as an addition than a setback.
The art of grilling and barbecuing in the rain isn’t a difficult one. If postal workers could deliver all the mail despite the rainy weather, you could also cook a great outdoor lunch. All you require is some planning and creativity!
Rainy grills are as good as sunny ones! So, as you shift tables and chairs, and your guests inside, wear your raincoat and get ready as we explain how to grill in the rain.
Ensure You grill in the rain, not a Hurricane
Before your favorite grill day, check the weather forecast in your area.
From a safety perspective, you should never be grilling in extremely rough weather. But if a drizzle of rain is expected, there is nothing to worry about. A patio umbrella would do the job.
But in case your location expects to see heavy rain showers, you will need some heavy equipment.
Remember that rain is a friend, but the wind is not! You can cook easily in a drizzle or a shower but if the rain brings wind with itself, you would face more challenges.
You would face problems in lighting the charcoal or the gas grill, or the water may seep into the firebox. Not only this, but the wind could also blow the umbrella or the setup away and would make maintaining the temperature in the fire grill a challenge.
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Benefits of Grilling in the Rain
Up until now, you might think that grilling in the rain is too difficult but believe us, it’s worth a try. And the results are tastier. Here are some benefits of grilling in the rain:
- Different foods taste best when cooked on high heat and in high humidity. If you grill meat in rainy weather, it will be juicy, moist, and delicious.
- Since you would be keeping the lid covered, the food will absorb more flavor from the combustion materials such as charcoal and wood in the grill.
- Since it will be water raining all around, there are fewer chances of an accidental fire.
- Ceramic and insulated grills tend to be overheated. So, It will be easier to maintain temperatures for the food that cooks at low temperatures.
- You will earn the title of a barbeque pitmaster!
Important Items You Must Have
Before proceeding to the tips and tricks related to grilling in the rain, here are the important items you must wear while grilling:
A Raincoat:
This seems obvious but you must wear a raincoat so that you remain comfortable and dry.
Non-slip Shoes:
Slipping while shifting supplies and moving around will be the last thing you would want to experience during the grilling process.
To prevent this type of situation, you must have a pair of good non-slip shoes on while moving around the grill.
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Tips and Tricks
Which Grill to Use?
Don’t use an electric grill in rainy weather. Use a propane gas grill or charcoal grill instead of an electric grill. Propane grills are lighter but barbeque perfectionists lend importance to charcoal grills. This is because charcoal infuses distinguished flavors and aromas into the meat.
Just make sure to position your grill in such a way that the rain doesn’t extinguish the fire.
Where to Place the Grill?
As mentioned above, place your grill in the area or part of the patio where it is not directly exposed to rain. High-quality grills can withstand small amounts of moisture. But if they are exposed for longer, they start rusting. So, placing your grill in a covered area is important.
Moreover, you will better maintain the cooking temperature as well. When the grill is in the rain, the temperature will fall and there is a chance of fire going out as well.
The temperature will indeed lower even if you place it in a covered environment, but here you will have greater control.
What should be the covered environment then? If your patio has a roof or a canopy, it will be the ideal grilling environment in the rain. Just ensure that the canopy or the roof is at least 9 feet high because the heat from the grill may hinge or burn it if its height is lower.
Another good placement option will be a large tree. If you place the grill under the shade of it, some rain may make its way to the grill but it won’t affect the grilling process much.
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Use Dry Charcoal
Nearly everyone who plans to grill will purchase coal and put it outside where it will be used. It is not a problem except when clouds cover the sky. If you place charcoal outside and it starts raining, the charcoal could get wet – and then it becomes impossible to burn and work with wet charcoal.
Whatever fuel you choose, you must store it in a dry environment. Moreover, even if you place wood or charcoal on your patio, you shouldn’t do this because the environment will still be humid.
Maintain the Temperature
The only way to do this is to make the fire as hot as possible. When the grill reaches 1000 F, it is when the meat gets the iconic crisp exterior and juicy inside.
To make the fire as hot as possible,
- Use lump charcoal.
- If you use wood, use kiln-dried firewood.
- Use a pile of charcoal or firewood, dry your grill if it is wet before the process,
- Set the fire in the middle of the charcoal,
- Use dampers to ensure the flow of air.
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Conclusion
Rain should double the grilling fun, not destroy it.