Foods You'd Never Think to Grill

Meats and vegetables are just scratching the surface of your grill's capabilities. You can throw nearly anything on the grill, from fruits to desserts. Use these offbeat cooking ideas to really up your grilling game this summer.

Donuts

How can you enhance a nearly perfect dessert? Caramelize the sugar glaze to add a hint of smokey flavor. Grilling a donut on medium heat (giving each side about a minute) will make it warm on the outside and soft on the inside. Drizzle fudge sauce on top for a delectable gooey mess.

Popcorn

Sure, it may take longer to make popcorn on a grill over a microwave. But it'll be hard to beat that fresh grilled taste. Pour popcorn kernels on the bottom of an aluminum baking pan, cover them with vegetable oil, then cover the pan with aluminum foil. Close the grill lid and cook on medium heat. Once the popcorn starts popping, use grill tongs to lightly shake the pan until it stops popping.

Clams

This slippery seafood makes a perfect grilled summer meal. Simply place the clams over direct heat and cover for two minutes. They will pop open once they are done. Carefully remove them to avoid spilling the juice and losing some of the flavor.

A Handful of Berries

Create a gooey melted mess perfect for ice cream or shortbread. Place a handful of berries in a foil packet, along with a bit of sugar, and grill for about five minutes.

Ice Cream Cones

Replace the cool sensation of ice cream with a hot melted soup of sugar. Fill ice cream cones with a smorgasbord of marshmallows, chocolate candies, nuts, and syrups. Wrap the cone up in aluminum foil and place on the grill. After about a minute, they should be ready to enjoy.

A Head of Lettuce

Add extra flavor to your salads by grilling the lettuce first. Lightly brush the head of lettuce with olive oil and place directly on the grill. When you start to see grill marks, you know it is done.

Apples

Make a melted mess of a dessert by grilling a stuffed apple. Cut out the apple's core without cutting all the way through the bottom (otherwise, your fillers will escape out in a dripping mess). Stuff the apple with caramels or chocolate and marshmallows. Set on your grill with a medium heat and close the grill dome. Check back in a few minutes. It's done when the inside is melted into an applesauce type concoction.

French Toast

Whip up a perfect breakfast (or breakfast for dinner) by using your grill to make French Toast. Make a batter of eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and half-and-half. Soak the bread in this batter for about two minutes before grilling it on medium heat. Grill each side for about two minutes. Serve with butter and maple syrup.

Meatballs

You will never be able to make meatballs as good as an Italian grandmother, but grilling them sure can improve the taste. Make your meatballs as normal then brush them with olive oil. Cook on the grill for around eight minutes (cooking two minutes for each side). Let them cool for five minutes before adding to your dish.This summer, spice up your grill routine by trying out these uncommonly grilled foods. Bring them to barbecues or serve them as sides during Fourth of July to impress your guests and establish yourself as the one true grillmaster.