Food Cooking Tips & Techniques Grilling How Long to Cook (Pretty Much) Anything on the Grill Learn how to grill chicken wings, flank steak, and more. By Sara Quessenberry and Samantha Leffler Samantha Leffler Samantha is the senior food editor at RealSimple and previously launched the US Weekly food vertical, where she wrote about the intersection of food and pop culture. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on April 19, 2024 Medically reviewed by Kristy Del Coro, MS, RDN, LDN Medically reviewed by Kristy Del Coro, MS, RDN, LDN Kristy Del Coro is a registered dietitian nutritionist, RDN, and professionally trained chef with more than 10 years of experience in the field of culinary nutrition. Her strong background in nutrition science, sustainable food systems, and culinary education makes her exceptionally qualified to write about food that is good for us and the planet—while not sacrificing flavor. Learn More Fact checked by Haley Mades Fact checked by Haley Mades Haley is a Wisconsin-based creative freelancer and recent graduate. She has worked as an editor, fact checker, and copywriter for various digital and print publications. Her most recent position was in academic publishing as a publicity and marketing assistant for the University of Wisconsin Press Our Fact-Checking Process In This Article View All In This Article Chicken and Turkey Beef Pork Lamb Seafood Sausage Vegetables Fruit Kebabs Pizza Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: PETER BOCKLANDT/Getty Images Grilling is one of those activities that looks really easy, but if you don't have a ton of experience around a grill, firing up the backyard appliance and whipping up everything from grilled chicken wings to hamburgers can be quite the intimidating feat. Luckily, we've put together this handy guide that tells you exactly how much time your favorite proteins—think beef, shrimp, veggies, and more—need on the grill grates. In addition to rough estimates of cook times, which may vary depending on the type and model of grill you are using, we've also provided a range of internal temperatures for each food so you know exactly when it's ready and safe to eat. Just note that you should 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. Happy grilling! The times listed here generally refer to cooking on direct heat. Using indirect heat can be best for thicker cuts of meat like roasts or thick steaks, allowing you to cook it thoroughly without burning the exterior. (And it also helps you keep food warm on the grill while you're cooking other items at a barbecue!) How to Grill Chicken and Turkey Irina Kozmova/Getty Images Cooking chicken and turkey on the grill is a great way to give the sometimes bland poultry a nice char and slightly smoky taste. The chicken grill time and cooking times for other poultry that follow refer to cooking without the grill cover, unless otherwise indicated. Larger pieces of chicken will require more seasoning and longer cooking times, so know what you're working with before you fire up the grill. Boneless Chicken BreastsCooking Time: Direct heat, 5 to 6 minutes per sideInternal Temperature: 160 to 165 degreesChicken and Turkey CutletsCooking Time: Direct heat, 2 to 3 minutes per sideInternal Temperature: 160 to 165 degreesChicken WingsCooking Time: Indirect heat, covered, turning occasionally, 25 to 30 minutesInternal Temperature: 165 degreesBone-in Chicken Breasts, Thighs, and DrumsticksCooking Time: Indirect heat, covered, turning occasionally, 40 to 50 minutesInternal Temperature: 160 to 165 degrees 6 Easiest Ways to Cook Chicken Breasts—Including Grilled, Fried, and More How to Grill Beef vasiliybudarin When grilled right, beef—think different cuts of steak and hamburgers—can be juicy, tender, and incredibly flavorful. The cooking times that follow refer to cooking without the grill cover, unless otherwise indicated. When grilling a hamburger, place the patties on the grill directly from the refrigerator. Keeping the patties cold will help them stay together as they cook, and will help ensure you don't overcook the meat. Cold patties cooked on the grill will also retain more of that charred flavor. 1/2- 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 degrees 1- to 1½-Inch-Thick Steaks (such as Strip and London Broil)Cooking Time: Direct heat, 5 to 6 minutes per side (for medium-rare)Internal Temperature: 130 to 145 degrees 2-Inch Thick Steaks (such as Ribeye or Porterhouse)Cooking Time: Direct (uncovered) for 3 to 5 minutes per side, then indirect (covered), for 8 to 10 minutes.Internal Temperature: 130° F for medium-rare. 1-Inch-Thick HamburgersCooking Time: Direct heat, 5 to 6 minutes per side (for medium)Internal Temperature: 155 to 160 degrees What Is the Best Cut of Steak for Grilling, the Stove, and More? How to Grill Pork Caitlin Bensel Though pork isn't cooked on the grill as often as beef or chicken is, grilled pork is lean, moist, and definitely delicious. The cooking times that follow refer to cooking without the grill cover, unless otherwise indicated. Once your grilled pork chops are done cooking, remove them from the grill, cover with aluminum foil, and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving. This will help ensure they aren't dry. TenderloinCooking Time: Indirect heat, turning once at the halfway point, 30 to 35 minutesInternal Temperature: 145 degrees ¾- to 1-Inch-Thick Pork ChopsCooking Time: Direct heat, 4 to 6 minutes per sideInternal Temperature: 145 degrees Baby-Back RibsCooking Time: Direct heat, 25 to 30 minutes, turning about once every 5 minutesInternal Temperature: 145 degrees(Note: You can also grill baby back ribs using the low and slow method, but that requires considerably more time.) Common Cuts of Pork How to Grill Lamb Greg DuPree When grilled, lamb has a tender consistency and rich flavor. The cooking times that follow refer to cooking without the grill cover, unless otherwise indicated. ½- to 1-Inch-Thick ChopsCooking Time: Direct heat, 3 to 4 minutes per side (for medium-rare)Internal Temperature: 130 to 145 degrees 1- to 1½-Inch-Thick ChopsCooking Time: Direct heat, 4 to 6 minutes per side (for medium-rare)Internal Temperature: 130 to 145 degrees 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 degrees How to Grill Seafood Malyugin/Getty Images Grilling seafood gives a perfect char to shrimp, bass, lobster, and more, while still ensuring that the fish is juicy and flavorful. The cooking times that follow refer to cooking without the grill cover, unless otherwise indicated. Shrimp and ScallopsCooking Time: Direct heat, 1 to 2 minutes per side ¾- to 1-Inch-Thick Pieces Fish Fillet or Steaks (such as Salmon, Striped Bass, and Mahi-mahi)Cooking Time: Direct heat, 3 to 5 minutes per side Lobster TailsCooking Time: Direct heat, 3 to 6 minutes per side, depending on size of tailInternal Temperature: 140 to 145 degrees How to Check the Temperature of Your Grill How to Grill Sausage Vladimir/Adobe Stock Sausages are made for grilling—whether you're a fan of Italian sausage, bratwurst, or old-fashioned hot dogs. Some types of sausage (like hot dogs) are often precooked, which complicates the question of how long you need to grill them and how hot they should be when you're done grilling. (Precooked sausages can take a much shorter time on the grill and be cooked to a lower temperature.) When you're grilling uncooked sausage, keep an eye on what types of meat are used—sausages containing pork, lamb, veal, and beef need to be cooked to 160 degrees, while turkey or chicken sausages need to be cooked to 165 degrees. When grilling brats, frequent turning is a must. You don't want those casings to split! Hot DogsCooking Time: Direct heat, 5 to 7 minutes, turning occasionallyInternal cooking temperature: 140 degrees Bratwurst and Italian SausageCooking Time: Direct heat, 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionallyInternal cooking temperature: 160 degrees How to Grill Vegetables Claudia Totir/Getty Images When grilling your veggies, opt for sturdier choices that can withstand the heat of the grill. Bell peppers, asparagus, and eggplant rounds are all good choices, as their natural sweetness is enhanced with some heat and char. The cooking times that follow refer to cooking without the grill cover, unless otherwise indicated. Since there's no need to cook vegetables to a specific temperature, feel free to remove them from the grill whenever they reach your desired level of doneness. Bell Peppers, Eggplant, Summer Squash, and Zucchini (½-Inch-Thick Slices)Cooking Time: Direct heat, 4 to 5 minutes per side Mushrooms (Whole Button and Portobello Caps)Cooking Time: Direct heat, 4 to 5 minutes per side Onions (½-Inch-Thick Pieces)Cooking Time: Direct heat, 5 to 6 minutes per side Corn on the CobCooking Time: Direct heat, 3 minutes per side if in husk or bare; 30 minutes in aluminum foil AsparagusCooking Time: Direct heat, 3 to 5 minutes, turning occasionally How to Grill Corn on the Cob Perfectly—Plus Tips on How to Buy and Shuck It How to Grill Fruit Getty Images Grilling fruit gives it a a nice, caramelized flavor as the natural sugars cook on the grill—so it's definitely worth throwing a favorite fruit or two on for dessert. Sturdier fruits like citrus, pineapples, and stone fruit work best. Like vegetables, you don't have to reach a certain temperature for safety, so take the fruit off the grill once it looks good to you. Citrus (such as Oranges, Lemons, and Limes)Cooking Time: Direct heat, 4 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally PineappleCooking Time: Direct heat, 2 to 4 minutes per side Stone Fruit (such as Plums, Peaches, and Nectarines)Cooking Time: Direct heat, 2 to 3 minutes per side Bananas (Split in Half, Peel Still on)Cooking Time: Direct heat, 5 to 6 minutes directly on the fruit, 2 to 3 minutes on peel Melon (such as Watermelon or Cantaloupe)Cooking Time: Direct heat, 3 to 5 minutes How to Grill Kebabs Victor Protasio Kebabs have been a long-time grilling favorite—but you need to make sure that you soak the skewers in water for 15 to 20 minutes before you put the ingredients on to keep them from burning. To optimize your kebabs, make sure that you choose items of similar sizes, and with similar grill times, such as shrimp with cherry tomatoes, or chicken with onions and oranges. You may want to still use a meat thermometer to ensure meat has reached a safe temperature as outlined above. Kebabs (with 1-Inch to 1 ½-Inch Cubes of Meat/Vegetables)Cooking Time: Direct heat, 4 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally How to Grill Pizza Victor Protasio When it comes to cooking pizza on the grill, don't worry about the dough falling through the grates. We promise it won't happen so long as you know a few tips and tricks. For starters, we suggest you grease the grill grates with olive oil and crank the heat up high. Once the grill is hot enough (you'll know when you can hold your hands over it for no more than two seconds) transfer the stretched and formed dough safely to the grill by placing it on a lightly floured rimless cookie sheet and carefully sliding it onto the grill grates. Make sure your sauce and toppings are ready, because the pizza cooks quickly! Resist the urge to put too many toppings on your grilled pizza. A heavy pizza is a soggy pizza! Pizza Dough (Around 12-Inches in Diameter)Cooking time: Cook dough on one side for about 2 minutes with the grill lid closed. Once the dough has browned, remove from grill with pizza peel and carefully add any sauce and toppings. Slide topped pizza back onto the grill and cook for 3 to 5 additional minutes with the lid closed. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit