Recipe: Grilled Artichokes

Jun 12, 2012 by The Bald Gourmet    4 Comments    Posted under: Appetizer Recipes, Recipes, Side Dish Recipes

Grilled Artichokes

My goodness, this recipe is freaking delicious!  It’s ridiculously simple, and most surely worth cooking several days in a row.  It’s time to use your barbeque grill for more than burgers.  Say hello to some tasty healthy grilled artichokes!

The artichokes are steamed first, so that they are nice and tender, then put on the grill to get a touch of smoke flavor and some charred grill lines.  The cavities are filled with butter and lemon, which permeates throughout the artichoke petals so that each bite is perfectly “dipped” in lemon butter.  Awesome.

Ingredients for Making Grilled Artichokes

• 2 medium large globe artichokes
• 1/2 large lemon
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• salt and pepper to taste

How to Steam Artichokes Prior to Grilling

Before doing anything, make sure that you clean and prepare your artichokes, as covered in my post, “How to Clean and Prepare Artichokes to Cook.”  Once prepped, cut the artichokes in half and place in a steamer to cook.  Steam for 20-minutes, then remove from the heat.

Cleaned and Halved Artichokes

Artichokes in Steamer

You can take the steamed artichokes straight out to the grill, or you can allow them to cool to room temperature and then place them in the refrigerator to cook later.

Steamed Artichokes

How to Barbeque Grill Artichokes

Get your grill nice and hot, as in 500-600°, and make sure your grates are clean.  Place the artichokes, cut side down, on the grill and cook without moving them for about 5 minutes.

Artichokes on the Grill

After 5-minutes, flip one artichoke over.  If it has some good grill lines on it, turn the rest over as well.

Add Butter and Lemon to Grilled Artichokes

Place a thin pad of butter, about 1/2 tablespoon worth, into each artichoke cavity.  Squeeze fresh lemon juice over each artichoke, covering all areas but with the highest concentration in the cavity.  Season with salt and pepper, then close the lid to the grill and cook for a minimum of 5-minutes, preferably closer to 10-minutes.

Apply Butter and Lemon Juice to Grilling Artichokes

Season Artichokes with Salt and Pepper on the Grill

The Best Way to Eat Artichokes

Once grilled, remove the artichokes from the grill, being careful not to spill the melted butter.  Being that the butter permeates the artichoke petals so well, dipping butter or mayonnaise is not needed.  Simply plate and serve the artichokes “as is” to your guests.  A little grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese over the top is a nice touch, but is completely unnecessary for flavor.

Grilled Artichokes on Plate

 Recipe by Jothan Yeager, June 2012

The Bald Gourmet’s simple summer-time grill recipes are delicious and healthy, like grilled artichokes with lemon and butter.

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