Why You Should Use Two Skewers When Grilling

With grilling season nearly upon us, everyone is stocking up on grilling essentials. You know the ones: hot dogs, hamburgers, and vegetables for cooking; tongs, spatulas, forks, skewers, and thermometers to help you along the way; and marinades, seasonings, and condiments to make your food tasty. Oh, and the grill itself, along with propane and charcoal. These are kind of important.

Grilling may seem fairly straightforward, but in reality, there are countless tricks that can turn an amateur griller into a master, and a master into... well, an even better master. For example, many people flip their burger patties when grilling, but Food Network actually recommends limiting how many times you flip a piece of meat to ensure it remains juicy and doesn't get too tough. 

Another common grilling mistake is to flatten a piece of meat with your spatula. This squeezes out its tasty juices, increasing the likelihood that your meat will be dried out and flavorless. Many people also don't realize that it's important you let meat rest after it's cooked in order to retain its fats and juices. And when it comes to skewers, you should be using two, not just one. 

Consider the last time you used a skewer while grilling. When you try to flip your meat over, it just spins around, answering the calls of gravity rather than your cooking wishes. Extremely annoying, right? How on earth do you get that big, unwieldy steak to cooperate?

Get this: If you use two skewers, your meat can no longer spin around as it pleases (via Real Simple). This method is much more stable and allows you to maneuver your grilled food as necessary to get it evenly cooked. Now, you can say goodbye to the skewer spin.

If you aren't a fan of the classic wooden skewers or you want something more sustainable, there are brands that also sell stainless steel, double-pronged skewers. These skewers are made to keep your steaks steady, but you can also use them to grill veggies as well. With your skewer problem resolved, you can worry about avoiding other common mistakes people make when grilling vegetables and various other foods.