Top 5 Mistakes People Make When Grilling (and How to Avoid Them!)

Grilling is one of life's simple pleasures — nothing beats the sizzle of a juicy steak or the smoky aroma of BBQ chicken on a warm afternoon. 🍔🔥 But even the best backyard chefs sometimes fall into a few easy-to-make mistakes that can seriously mess with their grilling game.

Let’s break down the top 5 common grilling mistakes — and, of course, how you can avoid them like a true BBQ pro.

1. Skipping the Preheat

The Mistake: It’s tempting to toss your food on the grill the second you fire it up, but starting too soon means uneven cooking, sad grill marks, and meat that sticks like glue.

How to Avoid It: Always preheat your grill for at least 10–15 minutes. You want those grates hot enough to sear meat instantly. A good rule of thumb? You should only be able to hold your hand about five inches above the grill for 2–3 seconds before it feels too hot.

Pro Tip: A quality instant-read thermometer can help you nail the perfect temp every time.

2. Using the Wrong Fuel

The Mistake:Different types of grilling call for different types of fuel. Using the wrong charcoal, wood chips, or gas setting can throw off your flavor, burn your food, or leave you with uneven heat.

How to Avoid It:

• For low-and-slow BBQ? Go with lump charcoal or wood chunks.

• For quick burgers and steaks? Briquettes or a high-heat gas grill are your best friends.

• For serious smoke flavor? Hickory, mesquite, or applewood chips work wonders.

  
  

Need help choosing? We've got a full lineup of charcoal, wood chips, and accessories to get you set up right.

3. Constantly Flipping the Meat

The Mistake:You want to keep an eye on your food, but flipping too often actually makes it tougher — and ruins those gorgeous grill marks everyone loves.

How to Avoid It:Be patient! Let the meat sear properly before flipping. A good rule: flip once, maybe twice. Resist the urge to poke, prod, or squish the food — it releases juices you want to keep inside!

4. Forgetting to Oil the Grates

The Mistake:If you skip this step, you’re basically inviting your food to stick like crazy — and lose all that delicious caramelized flavor when you try to peel it off.

How to Avoid It:Before you put anything down, brush your grill grates with a high-smoke-point oil like canola or avocado oil. An oiling brush or grill spray can make this job quick and easy (and way less messy).

5. Guessing When the Meat is Done

The Mistake: Color alone isn’t enough to know when your food is cooked safely and perfectly. Guessing can leave you with undercooked chicken or overcooked burgers — a lose-lose situation.

How to Avoid It:Use a meat thermometer every time. Different meats have different safe temperatures:

• Chicken: 165°F

• Beef (medium-rare): 135°F

• Pork: 145°F

• Fish: 145°F

Bonus: Mastering this step seriously levels up your grilling confidence — and your guests will notice.

Ready to Grill Like a Pro?

Avoiding these easy mistakes can turn any backyard BBQ from “meh” to mouthwatering. 🎯 And when you’re ready to upgrade your grill gear, we’ve got you covered with high-quality BBQ tools, thermometers, fuels, and accessories that make grilling easier (and way more fun).

👉 Browse our BBQ supplies now!

Here’s to perfect grill marks, juicy meats, and the kind of BBQ memories that everyone talks about all summer long. 🍖❤️