Learning how to grill artichokes is easy, and will make this somewhat daunting vegetable one you'll love to cook.
Whenever I add the words smoky or grilled to a recipe title, it automatically sounds delicious.
Though these words aren't necessarily interchangeable, but they often go hand in hand. When you grill food it adds a nice char, and with the char, comes smoky flavors.
Using a grill, is almost like adding another ingredient.
It's one of my favorite things about summer is entertaining outside. Grilling becomes social -- I love when everyone's hanging out and talking with me while I'm doing my thing at the grill.
Artichokes might be one of those foods that are daunting for you to think about grilling, or maybe cooking in any fashion.
Cooking with Artichokes
When I first worked with artichokes I didn't know what was going on with them. They're a flower, they have a heart, there's a spiny part you can't eat, you have to "trim" them -- what is going on!?
Before we get into all of that, take a moment to simply admire the beauty of this unopened flower bud (which is what an artichoke is).
Grilling Artichokes
- Cut off about an inch from the top of each artichoke, and the bottom stems. Remove any especially tough outer leaves and discard them. Then use scissors to cut off the sharp tips of the leaves.
- Cut each artichoke in half, vertically. Use a spoon to remove the chokes. Rinse, squeeze lemon juice all over them, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Fill a large pot with a few inches of water, and place a steamer basket on top. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil. Turn the heat to low and let it simmer.
- Place the artichokes in the steamer, cover, and steam until they're tender.
- Preheat a grill, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until they're nicely marked.
(More detailed instructions are below.)
What to Serve with Grilled Artichokes
Grilled artichokes are delicious with a variety of sauces . . .
- hollandaise
- melted butter
- mayonnaise
- aioli
- all sorts of vinaigrettes
I hope you love grilled artichokes as much as I do!
Recipes with artichokes:
Grilled Artichokes
Learning how to grill artichokes is easy, and will make this somewhat daunting vegetable one you'll love to cook.
- stove-top grill
- 2 large artichokes
- 1 medium-sized lemon
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
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Prep artichokes. Use a Chef's knife to cut off about 1 inch from the top of each artichoke, and the bottom stems. Remove any especially tough outer leaves and discard them. Then use kitchen scissors to cut off the sharp tips of the leaves.
Cut each artichoke in half, vertically. Use a spoon to remove the furry, inedible choke. Then rinse the artichoke halves and squeeze lemon juice all over them.
-
Prep steamer pot. Fill a steamer pot with a few inches of water, and place a steamer basket on top. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil. Turn the heat to low and let it simmer.
-
Steam. Place the artichokes in the steamer basket, cover, and steam until they're tender, about 30 minutes, depending on their size. Check for doneness by pulling off an outer leaf — it should come off fairly easily. Set them aside to cool.
-
Grill. Preheat a stove top grill (or BBQ). Drizzle the flat side of each artichoke half with olive oil and generously sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place artichokes, flat side down, on the the hot grill. (If you don't hear a sizzling sound, it's not hot enough yet!) Grill until they have nice grill marks, about 4 minutes.
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Serve!
Calorie count is only an estimate.
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Judy at Two Broads Abroad
Great pictures, great recipes, Thanks so much.
valentina
Thank YOU, Judy! xo
Sue/the view from great island
Oh boy do these look incredible---what gorgeous grill marks!
valentina
Thanks so much, Sue! 🙂
Deb
Our local artichoke season is in full swing! This recipe would be a perfect addition to our grilling this holiday weekend!
valentina
I love seeing artichokes everywhere these days! 🙂
Frank
What a great tutorial, Valentina. I love grilling and I love artichokes, but I've never actually grilled an artichoke! Now that I know how, I may give it a try. And I've got three artichokes in the fridge at the moment..
Jeff the Chef @ Make It Like a Man!
I've never made artichokes, certainly never on the grill. I love to eat them, though - so I can't explain to you why I've never made them!
David @ Spiced
You make an excellent point about the grill practically being another ingredient - I love that description! We grill out all the time during the warmer months, but I can't recall ever grilling artichokes. I need to try that sometime soon!!
valentina
Thanks so much, David! Enjoy grilling season. 🙂 ~Valentina