How to Cook Broccoli on the Grill in foil: The Ultimate Guide

It’s not just meat that we cook on the grill, we need our greens too. Creating a perfect side dish to complement our barbecue is just as important as slow cooking the perfect cut of beef. But if you’re like me, the thought of steaming it or throwing it in a stir-fry doesn’t exactly make your mouth water. Luckily, grilling up this veggie can result in delicious, smoky-flavored results! The easiest way to do this is by wrapping your Broccoli in foil and placing it on the grill over medium heat for a few minutes. Let’s find out more about Grilling Broccoli.

Why you’ll like Grilling Broccoli in foil

There are several reasons you’ll love grilling Broccoli. Among them include;

– Tender texture

– Quick and effortless to make

– Smoky and earthy grilled flavor

– Easy to season and add other flavors.

– Healthy ingredients

– Simple method

How long do you Cook Broccoli on the grill in foil

When grilling Broccoli, most people fall into one of two camps. Some folks like their Broccoli just cooked through with a little bit of char around the edges, while others want to achieve that quintessential bacon flavor and leave it a deep brown color. There are plenty of opinions, but which do you think yields the best results?

– Fresh Broccoli in foil takes about 10-20 minutes
– Frozen Broccoli in foil takes about 15-25 minutes

Methods to Cook Broccoli On the Grill

1. Aluminum Foil

Good quality foil makes making a foil packet much easier. It’s it easier to fold and scrunch into a little broccoli flavor bomb.

2. Grill Basket

You can use a grill basket to keep together large florets so you don’t have to put them directly on the grill grates. This makes it much easier to turn and remove from the heat quickly.

3. Cast Iron Grill Pan

Another simple method that is easy to control. It’s also a great way to add another level of flavor by adding spices or marinades before cooking the vegetables on the grill pan. It can be used alone for vegetables such as green beans or carrots but works best with root vegetables like sweet potatoes or potatoes because they have a higher fat content, providing better caramelization when cooked over high heat without added oils. We love cooking with cast iron and this is always a good option.

Tips to Achieve the Best Easy Grilled Broccoli

Here are the tips I employ for making delicious and crispy grilled Broccoli, I have done this over a charcoal grill or for really a really simple method using an electric Blackstone grill is even easier.

1. Consider large broccoli florets

Before grilling Broccoli on foil, you’ll need to ensure you have enough room in your foil packet. When sealing it up, you should have at least an inch around each side of the broccoli stalk. Large broccoli florets also help keep the individual pieces from sticking together. If you’re using smaller pieces or little crowns, lay them down in rows, so they’re not overlapping one another as much.

2. Make sure the Broccoli marinates faster

The next tip is to line the inside of your foil packet with oil before adding the Broccoli. Use either canola oil or vegetable oil and just brush it lightly over both sides of the foil. Allowing your Broccoli to marinate helps give it a better flavor while grilling. Just brush both sides of the Broccoli with a light oil coating before putting them into the foil packets; this will allow more flavors to seep into your dish.

3. Consider favorite spices

You should also use favorite spices, like garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and thyme. Avoid strong spice combinations like sage and oregano because they might overwhelm the delicate taste of Broccoli. Using the right spices will ensure you get all the flavors out of your broccoli on the grill.

4. Use grilling baskets for smaller pieces

If you want smaller pieces of Broccoli, it’s better to cook them with a grilling basket. You may also want to use foil if you don’t want to hassle with the cleaning process afterward. The reason for using smaller pieces is that cooking times vary based on the size of the pieces. For example, whole heads of Broccoli might take 20 minutes or longer to finish cooking through and become crisp-tender (or whatever your desired level of done-ness is). Meanwhile, smaller heads could be done after 10 minutes–sometimes even less than 5 minutes, depending on how hot your grill gets.

Hot tip: Fresh Broccoli on the grill takes about 8-10 minutes

5. Poke for doneness

If you don’t have a grilling basket, you’ll need to test for done-ness by poking each stalk with a fork or toothpick. Then, check it every few minutes until it reaches your desired tenderness. You could also cut off one of its florets to taste it before pulling them all off and serving them. Remember to remove the floret from the stem before testing for doneness.

Simple Foil Packet Brocolli Recipe

With one large broccoli floret, cut and remove the stalks and place in the center of a piece of foil large than a dinner plate. A tablespoon of olive oil or butter and some salt and pepper.

Some additional seasoning options are:

Lemon juice – for a some tangy freshness

Chilli flakes – for a little kick

Parmesan cheese – who doesn’t like cheese and broccoli

Honey – for a little bit of sweet

Soy – For the umami flavouring.

Final Word

In a nutshell, using your grill for cooking vegetables is a great way to add some variety and flavor to your cooking. You can experiment with different vegetables and cooking times to find out what you like best. Give it a try.