Grilled Meat - How do you keep the juice in?

[tribie]

I seem to have a preference for grilled food. The type you do using coals and not a gas grill. The only problem is, when I grill things at home, the meat becomes hard and tough unlike the grilled stuff we eat in restaurants. What could I be doing wrong?

 

[OhioTom76]

What types of meats are you having this problem with? Is it all meat or just very lean meats? The meats in restaurants are often marinated, brined, and aged which will contribute to their tenderness. There are numerous recipes online for brining meat at home, but basically it's just a mixture of salt, sugar, and water that you soak the meat in for a period of time. It will draw more moisture into the meat and change the texture of it a bit. It works particularly well with chicken and pork. I wouldn't really recommend doing it with beef though.

 

[akasha24]

I buy these little bags specifically for that. All you do is put the meat in the bag, put it in the oven and all the juice and seasoning will be kept inside and the meat
will not be hard, it will be delicious and soft.

 

[BonnieA]

In restaurants they sear the meat and then put it in the oven to cook all the way through. That keeps the meat moist. On the grill you can sear the meat close to the flames and then move it to the higher warming rack and that will accomplish the same thing. You need the high heat to make the meat look great, but you need the lower heat for moisture. If you are dealing with beef you can cook it medium or medium rare, rather than well done.