Part of the beauty of the RV lifestyle is the sheer accessibility of the outdoors. Many find that they can extend the time they spend enjoying the beauties of nature by using outdoor grills attached to their fifth wheel trailers when preparing meals. Some RVers feel very comfortable grilling, but there are those who are new to the experience. If grilling isn’t part of the RVer’s cooking repertoire, helpful hints and tips and recommended tried and true recipes should be considered to increase the chances of success. That way the learning process is enjoyable and will result in an RVing future filled with grilling success and tasty meals both prepared and enjoyed in the great outdoors. 

 

Useful Grilling Hints and Tips: 

 

1. Testing steak “doneness” can be tricky, but there’s one surefire way to easily pinpoint it by touch. When the hand is held out palm up and all fingers are relaxed, the pad of the thumb will feel similar to the “rare” steak. Placing the thumb and Index finger together provides an example of how to identify a “medium rare” steak by touch. The same spot indicates a “medium” steak when the thumb and middle finger are touching. Medium-well is indicated when the thumb and ring finger are touching and Well-done is indicated when the thumb and pinky are touching. It’s one of the easiest methods of identifying the “doneness” of a steak and any griller can successfully utilize the technique. 
2. Leaner meats generate less smoke and decrease the risk of burning burgers on the grill. When the grill tends to flare up and burn dinner, it may help to purchase leaner meat. Fat in the meat melts during grilling, dripping down where it causes quick bursts of flame that can result in a drastically overcooked meal. 
3. Grilling isn’t limited to steaks and burgers. Many expert and beginning grillers alike find that they can easily prepare an entire meal on the grill including: entrée, side vegetable, fruit dishes, desserts, etc. 

 

The best thing to do is to purchase a grilling cookbook to keep in the fifth wheel trailer or to compile an array of seemingly easy grilling recipes from online sources prior to departing on the next trip. For now, we recommend the following recipe for beginning grillers: 

 

Grilled Tri-Tip

 

Ingredients: 

 

2 tbsp. garlic powder

1½ tbsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp. dried parsley

1 beef tri-tip (2 to 2½ lbs.), preferably with some fat on one side

 

Mix garlic powder, salt, pepper and parsley together in a small bowl before rubbing it into the meat. After rubbing it in, let it sit for 30 minutes. While it is sitting, prepare the grill (charcoal or gas). The recipe requires medium-high heat (indirect). If necessary, add chips. Once it is prepared, set the tri-tip over direct heat with the fat side up. Sear it until it is browned. With a gas grill, the lid will need to be closed. This should take between 3 and 5 minutes. Once browned, turn tri-tip over and sear the other side. Move the tri-tip to indirect heat area and continue to grill. Turn the meat every 10 minutes until cooked through as desired; recommended 25 to 35 minutes.  Move the tri-tip to a cutting board and let it sit for 15 minutes. The grill can be left on if garlic bread or vegetables are going to be grilled to go along with the tri-tip. Slice the meat across the grain and serve. It goes well with garlic bread, steamed (or grilled vegetables) and potato based dishes. 

 

Becoming comfortable grilling meals can increase the amount of time spent enjoying the outdoors, maximizing the purpose of fifth wheel trailers. Many also find that they enjoy the fact that they haven’t made a mess in the kitchen. Grilling isn’t the only way to create tasty meals while on the road, but it is one of the most popular for obvious reasons. Grilling allows for a wide variety of dishes from simple to complex making it the perfect solution for any number of meal choices and situations. Start with the basics, and get your grill on during your next road trip.