A 2023 nationwide survey commissioned by the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) and conducted online by The Harris Poll* found that one in five Americans (20%) are not confident grilling. Americans age 18 to 25, collectively known as Gen Z, are the least confident among said Americans, with a whopping 32% saying they don’t feel comfortable preparing grilled foods.

For both groups, there’s good news: We hosted a free indoor grilling class with ICE Chef-Instructor Sue Gonsalves.

In the video, Chef Sue shares indoor grilling tips and culinary techniques that will up your grill game faster than you can say, "strip steak."

A few of those tips — all of which are part of our Culinary Arts program curriculum — are below.

Read them, and then watch the grilling video and cook along!

Grilled Steak Tips

Bring your steak to room temperature before putting it on the grill.
Blot steak dry before seasoning and placing on the grill.
“Carry over cooking” will finish your steak. Translation: Don’t cook your steak all the way to your desired doneness while it’s on the grill. Rather, cook it just shy of doneness, then let it finish off heat. Target internal temperatures for steak doneness are below — and they reflect the temperature at which you should remove the steak from the grill (versus the final temperature, which will rise off heat):
115 - 120 rare
120 - 135 medium rare
135 - 140 medium
140 - 145 medium well (“Beyond this is really overcooked,” says Chef Sue, “and you don’t want to eat that.”)

Compound Butter Tips

Compound butter (herb butter) can be used on veggies, fish, chicken and steaks.
It stays good in your freezer for six months.
The smaller thyme leaves and rosemary thistles on the upper third of the stem don’t need to be plucked from the stem before chopping. (This is because the upper stem is younger, and therefore softer.)

Grilled Vegetable Tips

Clean mushrooms with a damp towel to remove surface dirt.
Mushroom stems are edible, but remove them to the point that the mushroom cap sits flush on the grill.
For zucchini, cut in half by width then slice off a thin edge so your zucchini sits flat while you cut quarter-inch planks.

Grilled Fruit Tips

The key to slicing a whole watermelon is a firm first cut followed by the see-saw method. (See video at 25:25.)
The lighter the watermelon skin color, the riper the fruit.

Ingredients

Grilled New York Strip Steak and Compound Butter
Serves 2

1 New York strip steak (1 ½” or 2” thick)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon minced thyme
1 small shallot, finely minced
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Canola or vegetable oil as needed

Grilled Summer Vegetables
Serves 2-4

1 small zucchini, cut into planks
1 red bell pepper, cut into 2-inch squares
6 white button mushrooms, cut into quarters
2 heads of bok choy
4 pieces of scallions, trimmed

For the Marinade:

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped rosemary
Salt and black pepper to taste

Grilled Fruit Salad
Serves 6-8

1 pineapple
1 small watermelon
Juice from 2 limes
2 tablespoons olive oil for brushing
¼ cup olive oil for vinaigrette
2 tablespoons dark rum
1 tablespoon mint, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon basil, thinly sliced
Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Grilled New York Strip Steak and Compound Butter

Lightly oil and heat grill to high.
Using a paper towel, pat steak dry and season with salt and black pepper.
When grill is hot, place seasoned steak at a 90-degree angle for 2 minutes, then use tongs to move steak to a 45-degree angle additional 2 minutes.
Flip and cook steak another 3 minutes. (Check steak with a meat thermometer – the temperature should be 115F - 120F for medium rare.)
Remove steak from grill and let rest at least 5 minutes.
In the meantime, place softened butter, minced shallots and thyme in a bowl. Mix with a fork and season with salt and pepper.
Place pats of butter on steaks.
Slice steak and enjoy!

Grilled Summer Vegetables

In a large bowl, combine all marinade ingredients and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Place all cut vegetables into marinade and allow to sit 20 minutes.
Heat grill to high.
Remove vegetables from marinade and grill until cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Grilled Fruit Salad

Preheat grill to medium high.
Cut pineapple and watermelon into 1-inch planks.
Brush olive oil and dark rum onto pineapple.
When grill is hot, place pineapple and watermelon on grill at a 90-degree angle for 2 minutes. Then use tongs to move fruit at a 45-degree angle additional 2 minutes (to get cross-hatch grill marks).
Flip fruit and cook 2 minutes then remove from heat.
In the meantime, whisk lime juice and olive oil together in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add basil and mint and whisk.
Dice grilled fruit in 1-inch pieces and toss in vinaigrette.