Here’s What You Need to Know About Grilled Fast Food

Many fast food restaurants step up their grilled menu offerings for summer. But are the grill marks you see on the food really from sizzling on a grate over an open flame? It’s no secret that stylists utilize tricks of the trade to make food appear more appetizing in commercials, but what about in real life? Turns out, you might not be getting grilled meat at all—here’s why.

Psst! Ensure this summer season is your best yet with these grilling hacks.

Faking the char:

For consumers, it’s often about visual perception over the actual taste when it comes to grilled fast food. Food stylist Claudia Ficca shared with Thrillist that: “It’s important to see the grill marks [on food products] because that is what makes it ‘grilled.’ Even if the brand uses a smoke flavor and doesn’t actually grill the meat, in advertising and on packaging the grill marks work as a visual cue for the consumer.”

A lot of the frozen meat that ends up in chain restaurants goes through a branding machine that applies near-perfect grill marks onto the product before it’s frozen and packaged. These pre-made grill marks save time for line cooks in the kitchen, but give the same visual appearance to customers. (But did you know that grill marks aren’t all they’re hyped up to be? Here’s why.)

This philosophy extends past fast food menus to the frozen section of the grocery store, too. Many frozen foods are treated by the same branding process.

Next time you’re hitting the drive-thru, try these healthy alternatives.

The real grillers:

Not all fast food restaurants use grill stamps on their patties. Burger King, for example, is one of the largest chains that flame-grills their beef—and has been doing so since 1954.

As for chicken, in a report by Fast Company, the only restaurant found to actually grill their poultry in-house was Chick-fil-A for their Grilled Chicken Sandwich. (This is why the Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich is so dang good.)

Grilled Recipes Ready in 30 Minutes

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Grilled Honey-Lime Chicken

Make-ahead marinade is your best friend when feeding a crowd. This one for grilled chicken is good to know and very easy to memorize. —Marybeth Wright, Maitland, Florida

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Quick Barbecued Beans

Baked beans are a simple, classic recipe, and cooking them on the grill adds great smoky flavor. —Millie Vickery, Lena, Illinois

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Honey Grilled Shrimp

My husband was given this super-simple recipe by a man who sold shrimp at the fish market. It's now become our family's absolute favorite shrimp recipe. We've even served it to company often, with great success. Enjoy! —Lisa Blackwell, Henderson, North Carolina

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Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus

My husband and I grill dinner almost every night, and I love grilling veggies for a side dish. I serve this grilled bacon wrapped asparagus recipe with meat and sliced fresh tomatoes for a wonderful meal. —Trisha Kitts, Dickinson, Texas

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Herb & Cheese-Stuffed Burgers

Tired of the same old ground beef burgers? This quick-fix alternative, with its creamy cheese filling, will wake up your taste buds. —Sherri Cox, Lucasville, Ohio

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Corn with Cilantro-Lime Butter

I created a lime butter especially for grilled corn and love to add fresh cilantro from my garden. —Andrea Reynolds, Westlake, Ohio

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Grilled Huli Huli Chicken

I got this grilled chicken recipe from a friend while living in Hawaii. It sizzles with the flavors of brown sugar, ginger and soy sauce. Huli means "turn" in Hawaiian. This sweet and savory glaze is fantastic on pork chops, too. —Sharon Boling, San Diego, California

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Grilled Vegetable Platter

The best of summer in one dish! These pretty grilled vegetables are meant for entertaining. Grilling brings out their natural sweetness, and the easy marinade really kicks up the flavor. —Heidi Hall, North St. Paul, Minnesota

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Lemon Grilled Salmon

This tender and flaky fish is wonderful to serve to family and friends. A savory marinade that includes dill gives the salmon mouthwatering flavor and since it can be grilled or broiled, you can enjoy it all year round! —Aelita Kivirist, Glenview, Illinois

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Contest-Winning Grilled Mushrooms

Mushrooms cooked over hot coals always taste good, but this easy recipe makes the mushrooms taste fantastic. As the mother of two children, I love to cook entire meals on the grill. It's fun spending time outdoors with the kids. —Melanie Knoll, Marshalltown, Iowa

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Grilled Fajitas

A special marinade gives the steak in these fajitas outstanding flavor that's always a hit with my family. It's a fun and satisfying summer main dish using garden-fresh peppers and onions. —Cheryl Smith, The Dalles, Oregon

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Grilled Potato Skins

It's easy to love these delicious appetizers. They're nice to serve outside when you invite friends over for a grilled meal. They remind me of the potato skins I have had in restaurants—only better! —Mitzi Sentiff, Annapolis, Maryland

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Zesty Grilled Chops

These pork chops make a quick company dish. Our family enjoys them on the grill, as the summer weather in our part of the country is hot and muggy. In the wintertime, they're wonderful prepared in the broiler. —Blanche Babinski, Minto, North Dakota

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Rice on the Grill

My husband loves to barbecue, so when it's hot outside, we do entire meals on the grill. Since our kids love rice, we often include this tangy side dish as part of the menu. —Shirley Hopkins, Olds, Alberta

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Balsamic-Glazed Beef Skewers

With only five easy-to-double ingredients, these mouthwatering kabobs are one of our favorite recipes. We like them with hot cooked rice and a tossed salad. To prevent wooden skewers from burning, soak them in water for 30 minutes before threading on the meat. —Carole Fraser, Toronto, Ontario

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Hot Quick Banana Boats

These delicious, warm bananas are great on camp-outs or in the backyard. You can eat them right out of the foil bowl. Cleanup is easy, too. —Sheila Parker, Reno, Nevada

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Spinach and Mushroom Smothered Chicken

Chicken breasts stay nice and moist tucked under a blanket of melted cheese. It's extra special to serve but is not tricky to make. —Katrina Wagner, Grain Valley, Missouri

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Mushroom Cheese Bread

This savory grilled bread is delightful with barbecued steak, baked potatoes and corn on the cob. For variation, we sometimes use half cheddar cheese and half mozzarella. —Dolly McDonald, Edmonton, Alberta

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BBQ Hot Dog & Potato Packs

For these nifty foil packs, small hands make quick work of topping potato wedges with a hot dog, onions and cheese. — Kelly Westphal, Wind Lake, Wisconsin

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Grilled Tilapia Piccata

We aren’t big fish eaters, but a friend made this for us, and we couldn’t believe how wonderful it was! Now we eat it regularly. I love making it for guests because it’s simple, looks lovely and tastes restaurant-worthy. —Beth Cooper, Columbus, Ohio

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Bruschetta from the Grill

Dijon mustard, mayonnaise and oregano make a savory spread for chopped tomatoes, garlic and fresh basil in this fun twist on a favorite appetizer. This grilled bruschetta gets rave reviews every time I serve it. —Mary Nafis, Chino, California

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Ultimate Grilled Pork Chops

A little brining and a special dry rub go a long way to making the perfect pork chop. Once you've mastered the techniques, you'll be enjoying them all summer long. —Matthew Hass, Franklin, Wisconsin

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Blue Cheese & Bacon Stuffed Peppers

Whenever I put out a plate of these cute little appetizers, people come flocking. Good thing there are lots of peppers in each bag. —Tara Cruz, Kersey, Colorado

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Summer Steak Kabobs

These steak kabobs not only satisfy my love of outdoor cooking, they feature a mouthwatering marinade, too. It's terrific with chicken and pork, but I prefer it with beef because it tenderizes remarkably well. —Christi Ross, Guthrie, Texas

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Grilled Potatoes with Bacon-Ranch Sauce

These potatoes are tender and good all by themselves, but pairing them with the sauce creates a perfect combination—a side dish compatible with any entree cooked on the grill. —Craig Carpenter, Coraopolis, Pennsylvania

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Flank Steak with Cilantro & Blue Cheese Butter

I love the combination of the sweet citrus marinade and the strong tang of the blue cheese butter. And my kids just love flank steak. —Gwen Wedel, Augusta, Michigan

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Grilled Jalapenos

When barbecuing for friends at home, I also use the grill to serve up hot appetizers. These crowd-pleasing stuffed peppers have a bit of bite. They were concocted by my son. —Catherine Hollie, Cleveland, Texas

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Grilled Pork Tenderloins

We do a lot of outdoor cooking during the summer months, and this grilled pork tenderloin recipe is one my entire family loves. —Betsy Carrington, Lawrenceburg, Tennessee

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Triple Tomato Flatbread

Tomatoes are the reason I have a vegetable garden, and I developed this recipe as a way to show off my plum, sun-dried and cherry tomatoes. It's so easy, and will absolutely impress. —Rachel Kimbrow, Portland, Oregon

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Italian Sausage and Provolone Skewers

My husband made sausage and veggie kabobs when we didn't have buns to make classic sausage bombers. Grill ‘em up, then add cheese cubes. —Cindy Hilliard, Kenosha, Wisconsin

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The post Here’s What You Need to Know About Grilled Fast Food appeared first on Taste of Home.

Jacqueline Weiss