Grilling is more than just knowing how to grill. There's an art to grilling, a finesse, and part of mastering the skill is knowing the requirements of different foods. Common grilled foods from grilled chicken thighs to veggies have their own grill times, minimum internal temperatures, and more that need to be met for the tasty, well-grilled meal everyone dreams of. A good grill chef can grill up a nice set of burger patties; a great one can pull together a whole meal on the grill, sides included, or switch between steaks one night and chicken breasts the next without missing a beat.
Keeping track of all of those cooking times can be a hassle, but this handy guide has them all, sorted by type of food. Click through to learn how long to grill chicken, steak grill times, and how much time vegetables should cook on the grill for best results—and food that is free of any potential illness-causing bacteria.
Memorizing how long to cook chicken on the grill and pork chop grill times isn't necessarily feasible, especially for infrequent grillers, but this guide is easy enough to pull up, and—with a little practice—any aspiring grill-master will soon get the hang of judging when grilled foods are fully cooked (though an instant-read thermometer for checking internal temperatures is always a good idea).
Beyond cooking everything correctly, taking proper care of the cooking tool—the grill—is just as important as taking care of pots and pans indoors. Learning how to clean a grill is key. Starting with a durable grill is also helpful, and picking one of the best grills is a great way to be confident that a new grill will last for several summers and cookout seasons to come.
With this guide (and a spatula) in hand, go forth and conquer the grill—just be sure to take time to enjoy the fruits (and meats and vegetables) of all that grilling labor.
How to Grill Chicken and Turkey
The chicken grill time and cooking times for other poultry that follow refer to cooking without the grill cover, unless otherwise indicated.
How Long to Grill Boneless Chicken Breasts
Cooking time: Direct heat, 5 to 6 minutes per side
Internal temperature*: 160° to 165° F
How Long to Grill Chicken and Turkey Cutlets
Cooking time: Direct heat, 2 to 3 minutes per side
Internal temperature*: 160° to 165° F
How Long to Grill Chicken Wings
Cooking time: Indirect heat, covered, turning occasionally, 25 to 30 minutes
Internal temperature*: 165° F
How Long to Grill Bone-in Chicken Breasts, Thighs, and Drumsticks
Cooking time: Indirect heat, covered, turning occasionally, 40 to 50 minutes
Internal temperature*: 160° to 165° F
RELATED: How to Quickly Thaw Meat
*Remove food from the grill when it reaches the desired internal temperature, as measured with an instant-read thermometer. Where temperatures appear as a range, the higher temperature represents the internal temperature recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for maximum food safety. The lower temperature represents the internal temperature preferred by the Real Simple test kitchen and approved as safe by many food experts.
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How to Grill Beef
The cooking times that follow refer to cooking without the grill cover, unless otherwise indicated.
How Long to Grill ½- to 1-Inch-Thick Steaks (such as Flank and Skirt)
Cooking time: Direct heat, 4 to 6 minutes per side (for medium-rare)
Internal temperature*: 130° to 145° F
How Long to Grill 1- to 1½-Inch-Thick Steaks (such as Strip and London Broil)
Cooking time: Direct heat, 4 to 5 minutes per side; then indirect heat, covered, 4 to 10 minutes (for medium-rare)
Internal temperature*: 130° to 145° F
How Long to Grill 1-Inch-Thick Hamburgers
Cooking time: Direct heat, 5 to 6 minutes per side (for medium)
Internal temperature*: 155° to 160° F
* Remove food from the grill when it reaches the desired internal temperature, as measured with an instant-read thermometer. Where temperatures appear as a range, the higher temperature represents the internal temperature recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for maximum food safety. The lower temperature represents the internal temperature preferred by the Real Simple test kitchen and approved as safe by many food experts.
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How to Grill Pork
The cooking times that follow refer to cooking without the grill cover, unless otherwise indicated.
How Long to Grill Tenderloin
Cooking time: Direct heat, turning occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes; then indirect heat, covered, 10 to 12 minutes
Internal temperature*: 145° F
How Long to Grill ¾- to 1-Inch-Thick Pork Chops
Cooking time: Direct heat, 4 to 6 minutes per side
Internal temperature*: 145° F
How Long to Grill Baby-Back Ribs
Cooking time: Direct heat, covered, 4 to 5 minutes per side; then indirect heat, covered, 15 to 20 minutes
Internal temperature*: 145° F
RELATED: Common Cuts of Pork
* Remove food from the grill when it reaches the desired internal temperature, as measured with an instant-read thermometer. Where temperatures appear as a range, the higher temperature represents the internal temperature recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for maximum food safety. The lower temperature represents the internal temperature preferred by the Real Simple test kitchen and approved as safe by many food experts.
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How to Grill Lamb
The cooking times that follow refer to cooking without the grill cover, unless otherwise indicated.
How Long to Grill ½- to 1-Inch-Thick Chops
Cooking time: Direct heat, 3 to 4 minutes per side (for medium-rare)
Internal temperature*: 130° to 145° F
How Long to Grill 1- to 1½-Inch-Thick Chops
Cooking time: Direct heat, 4 to 6 minutes per side (for medium-rare)
Internal temperature*: 130° to 145° F
How Long to Grill Butterflied Boneless Leg (1 to 1½ Inches Thick)
Cooking time: Direct heat, 4 to 5 minutes per side; then indirect heat, covered, 15 to 20 minutes (for medium-rare)
Internal temperature*: 130° to 145° F
*Remove food from the grill when it reaches the desired internal temperature, as measured with an instant-read thermometer. Where temperatures appear as a range, the higher temperature represents the internal temperature recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for maximum food safety. The lower temperature represents the internal temperature preferred by the Real Simple test kitchen and approved as safe by many food experts.
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How to Grill Seafood
The cooking times that follow refer to cooking without the grill cover, unless otherwise indicated.
How Long to Grill Shrimp and Scallops
Cooking time: Direct heat, 1 to 2 minutes per side
How Long to Grill ¾- to 1-Inch-Thick Pieces Fish Fillet or Steaks (such as Salmon, Striped Bass, and Mahimahi)
Cooking time: Direct heat, 3 to 5 minutes per side
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How to Grill Vegetables
The cooking times that follow refer to cooking without the grill cover, unless otherwise indicated.
How Long to Grill Bell Peppers, Eggplant, Summer Squash, and Zucchini (½-Inch-Thick Slices)
Cooking time: Direct heat, 4 to 5 minutes per side
How Long to Grill Mushrooms (Whole Button and Portobello Caps)
Cooking time: Direct heat, 4 to 5 minutes per side
How Long to Grill Onions (½-Inch-Thick Pieces)
Cooking time: Direct heat, 5 to 6 minutes per side
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