9.5 tips to scientifically enhance your grill game

Burgers: check. Hotdogs: check. Beers: check. Fresca: sure, why not? You’ve got everything ready for your big BBQ. But are YOU ready? No pressure, but you can’t blame the steak if it comes out tasting like a hockey puck. Better read up a little, and make sure you’re getting the best possible food out of that grill. We got you:

1. Dry your meat

Whether you’re cooking steaks, chops, chicken, or fish, the drier your meat’s surface, the better it will crisp up. “Until all the water on your meat’s surface is evaporated, you can’t brown it,” says Chef Lord of the Internet J. Kenji Lopez-Alt. That’s because in order to activate the Maillard reaction (which causes that delicious nutty brownness) you need to raise the surface temperature of the meat—and