Before Extinguishing Your Charcoal, Use It To Grill Some Veggies

Anything that comes off the grates of a charcoal grill is always a bit more special. You simply couldn't get the same level of smokiness on a propane or natural gas-fired grill. But once you've cooked all the steaks, burgers, and hot dogs that you've got over the blazing hot coals... don't be so quick to douse that fire. Those glowing embers still have plenty of heat left to cook one more delicious dish before they cool to ash — some roasted veggies, to be specific!

The idea is so simple, it's surprising that it's not more commonplace. Instead of using a grate, the "cooking surface" for your bell peppers, beets, and sweet onions will be the bed of hot embers at the bottom of the grill. You can place them right on top or bury them in the pile using a pair of tongs or a metal skewer. The intense, dry heat from the coals will do all the work of giving you perfectly charred and tender veggies. Give them a quick toss every few minutes, and in about 15 to 25 minutes, they should be ready to go.

You can serve them right away by brushing off any ash and peeling the charred skin, or store them in the fridge for later use. To finish, simply drizzle all those grilled summer vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt!

Let's say you're reading this while the charcoal grill is hot and flaming — what's next? Well, we want to extinguish the active flames without fully cooling the coals, keeping them just hot enough for us to cook our veggies.

Follow the normal shutdown procedure for your charcoal grill. First, cut off the fire's oxygen supply by closing the lid and all vents to smother the flames. This will cause the coals to slowly burn out. Grab a drink and sit back, this should take about 20 to 30 minutes. Remember — we're not aiming to extinguish the charcoal completely. When you check back, you're looking for glowing red coals with a light layer of gray ash on top. No more flames or crackling sounds? Perfect! For the last part, use a piece of cardboard or a handheld fan to blow off some of the ash on top, and you've created an ideal bed of embers for roasting.

Now, grab your long-handled tongs and spread the embers into an even layer. The goal is to create consistent heat without scorching your veggies. It might take a few tries to get it right, but with some practice, you'll be roasting them up in no time.

While this technique works well for sturdy, thick-skinned vegetables like bell peppers, there are plenty of other items you can coal-roast. Wrap whole heads of garlic in foil and nestle them in the embers for a sweet, mellow spread for your just-finished grilled steak, or you can save them to add to salad, vinaigrette, or marinade later.

For an entire addition to your barbecue party rather than just sides, you can thread sliced veggies (all the classic veggies for grilling will do, from zucchinis and yellow squash to red onion and mushrooms) on sticks to make yakitori-style veggie skewers. Lay the skewers over the coals, and, in a few, you should have a bunch to go along with all the savory mains.

And lastly, if your party is short on a dip, why not make ember-roasted homemade salsa? Char tomatoes, onions, and chiles over the coals, puree them together, and voila! The possibilities are endless. So next time you fire up the charcoal grill, remember — those glowing coals have plenty left to give, even after the flames have died down.