20 Ingenious Grilling Hacks, Recipes, And Camping Tips

We all love the outdoors – there's so much to see and do, and everywhere you look you'll find something new. That's why we've come up with these 20 grilling hacks, recipes, and camping tips that will make your time outside worthwhile. Whether its unconventional fire starters, easy ways to clean your grill, or tips to keep your campsite organized, there's something here for everyone!

1. Pretzel Fire Starter

If you forgot to buy fire starters, there's no need to rush back to the store – as long as you have pretzels on hand, you're good to go! The tasty snack works amazingly well as an alternative to the traditional fire starter. Just break some pretzels into small pieces, scatter them over the coals, light up the grill, and you're done!

2. Shovel Grilling

Don't feel like cleaning a dirty grill? Then just use a (clean) shovel! Remove the handle from the shovel, throw on a pair of heat-resistant oven mitts or wrap a dish towel around the metal shaft, and hold it over the hot coals. Throw on some meat, and you've got yourself a meal!

By the way, grilling with a shovel isn't just for people who don't want to clean – it's also a lifesaver for people who can't wait to get their hands on a perfectly cooked steak! If you want a juicy piece of beef in no time at all, give the shovel a try: 15 seconds on both sides, and you've got a tasty medium-rare steak ready to go.

3. Watermelon Grill

You're allowed to have a cookout in a lot of public parks, but who wants to drag a grill all the way out there? Try out this cool hack and all you'll need is a watermelon!

You'll Need:

• watermelon
• 2 cucumbers
• aluminum foil
• charcoal
• long metal skewers
• Bunsen burner

Here's How:

3.1 Cut the watermelon in half and remove the flesh from one half – this will be the body of the grill.

3.2 Flip the watermelon half over and cut out 3 cucumber-sized holes. Cut the cucumbers in half and stick one half in each hole. Now the melon grill has 3 legs to stand on!

3.3 Put aluminum foil inside the carved-out melon and add some charcoal. 

3.4 Stick the metal skewers through the top of the melon so they form a grate. Cut a hole on the side of the melon so that a Bunsen burner can fit through, and then use the burner to light up the coals.

Congrats! You've got a portable grill that does the job, and does it well. It's cheap, can be assembled on-site, and you can eat the leftovers! What's not to love?

4. DIY Smoker

Unless you've really invested, it's unlikely you have a smoker in your backyard. But what if you could get real smoked flavor without a huge amount of effort? We'll show you how easy it is!

You'll Need:

• oak wood chips
• aluminum foil
• loaf pan
• aluminum cans
• small grilling grate

Here's How:

4.1 Soak the wood chips in water for 2 hours.

4.2 Start up some charcoal in the grill, place the wood chips in the loaf pan, cover with aluminum foil, and poke holes in the top.

4.3 Place the small grate on top of aluminum cans on the grill, and lay the meat you want to smoke on top of the small grate.

4.4 Add the loaf pan with the wood chips to the grill, cover the grill with a lid, and your meat will be cooked and have an unbeatable smoky flavor in just 13 minutes!

5. Orange Brownies

Are you bored with the traditional grilled desserts, like campfire banana boats or skillet apple crisp? Then try out this chocolatey, fruity treat!

You'll Need (per orange):

• 1 orange
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp cocoa powder
• 1 pinch baking powder
• 1 tsp Nutella
• 1 tsp milk
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• powdered sugar

Here's How:

5.1 Cut off the tops of 2 oranges and remove the flesh.

5.2 Fill each orange with flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, Nutella, milk, and vegetable oil, and mix well.

5.3 Cover each orange in aluminum foil and grill for 10 minutes. When they're done and covered with a bit of powdered sugar, they'll look and taste amazing!

6. Flip Food Flawlessly

Skewered food is delicious, sure, but it can be super annoying to flip when it comes time. But with this easy hack, you'll never have to worry about that again! It's as simple as 1, 2... there is no 3, because all you need are 2 skewers! Instead of using one skewer, use 2 and you'll never flip out again. 

7. Clean Your Grill Easily

Were you too tired to clean your grill last night? We've all been there, but it's annoying to go out the next day to find that all those tasty drippings have turned into an unappetizing and hard-to-clean mess. Hopeless, right? Wrong! Spray some old newspaper with water and lay the wet pages on both sides of the grill grate.

After 2 hours, remove the newspaper, clump a piece of aluminum foil into a ball, and scrape the grate with it – you'll be shocked at how quick and easy it is to clean!

8. Shish Kabob Hack

Thomas Edison said that genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration, but in the case of this recipe and the brilliant prep method involved, we're going to have to disagree with ol' Tommy boy and say it's the other way around! If you want to impress all your friends with some tasty grilled skewers, this clever hack and delicious recipe is the way to go. Get the instructions for the Shish Kabob Hack.

9.–13. Simple Grilling Hacks

Even though fall is fast approaching, there's still time for a few more cookouts! When the sun is shining, there's nothing better than enjoying a cozy BBQ at home in the garden. To make sure everything runs smoothly, check out these helpful tips for grilling, just in case you hit a snag along the way. Get the instructions for the 5 Simple Grilling Hacks.

14.–20. Camping Hacks

Camping is one of the most popular things to do in the summer months, and if you've never spent a night or weekend in the great outdoors, take the the time while the weather's still warm! Whether you're a complete novice and have no idea what you're doing or a wilderness master who thought they had done and seen it all, these genius camping tips and tricks will take the experience to a whole new level! Get the instructions for the 7 Camping Hacks. 

Delicious kabobs, sweet desserts, alternative grilling methods, and the best camping hacks you'll find anywhere – now you're a real grill master, so get out there and start grilling!