Grilled zucchini is a staple summer food, especially if you have a garden. The problem is that zucchini is about 95% water, and that can lead to a floppy piece of squash. Grilling helps, since the heat from the grill causes much of the zucchini’s moisture to evaporate, but there are some other tricks to get a firm piece of zucca.

Here is our collection of tips for perfectly grilled zucchini this summer.

Two tips for firm grilled zucchini:

Probably too big. You want to pick the zucchini when the flower is still fresh and large. The small zuccha on the top left is a good size.

1. Pick early, pick often. Smaller zucchini are more flavorful and less watery. They also have fewer seeds.  If you’re growing them, pick them before they reach eight ounces (eight ounces is a medium-sized zucchini). A larger zucchini may look impressive, but it is going to taste flat.

2. Grill zucchini over medium-high heat. The moisture will drip harmlessly down on the coals (or the gas burner). Some people salt their zucchini for 30 to 60 minutes before cooking to draw off moisture – this works especially well if you are sautéing the zucchini, but so much evaporation occurs during grilling that pre-salting is not really necessary. 

You will want to season your zucchini with salt, but you don’t need to dehydrate it. Save yourself some time and take your zucchini right to the grill.

Quick, Easy and Delicious grilled zucchini recipe:

Ingredients:

• 4 medium zucchini
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Coarse Salt
• Ground Black Pepper

Grilled Zucchini Preparation

Trim the end of the zucchini and slice them lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick strips.

Lay the zucchini slices on a large baking sheet and brush both sides with the olive oil. Season the slices generously with salt and pepper to taste.

Heat your grill to medium-hot (How do you know how hot it is? You should be able to hold your hand five inches over the fire for 3 – 4 seconds)

Place the zucchini on the grill. Check for grill marks after 3-4 minutes and turn after the grilled zucchini are well-marked.

Cook the other side of the zucchini for another 3-4 minutes. Remove when well-marked.

Drizzle a little balsamic vinegar over the grilled zucchini just before service for a bit of extra tang.

Optional: Grate fresh parmesan on the grilled zucchini while it’s still hot. Yum.

This grilled zucchini recipe was brought to you by the Pit Boss BBQ Tool Belt. The Pit Boss holds everything you need while you are grilling zucchini and all other sorts for delicious foods.