Grill expert names top vegetable picks for the barbecue

Danish public broadcaster DR reports that chef and cookbook author Linus Kanfall recommends grilling vegetables to achieve deep, caramelised flavours that rival meat.

Kanfall, author of Grønt på grillen (Vegetables on the Grill), highlights asparagus-broccoli (also called broccolini or bimi) as a quick and easy option, requiring just four to six minutes on high heat. He advises testing doneness with a meat skewer to ensure proper texture.

For pointed cabbage, now in season in Denmark, Kanfall suggests pre-baking for 15 minutes in the oven before grilling for five minutes to avoid undercooking or burning. He recommends serving it with lemon, salt, and pepper, or a green salsa or oil-vinegar dressing.

Corn on the cob can be elevated by cutting slits in the husks, marinating in a homemade barbecue sauce (made with ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and crushed garlic), then grilling for 15–20 minutes until the husks are fully charred.

Mushrooms, particularly oyster mushrooms, are another strong choice. Kanfall advises skewering them, brushing with rapeseed oil, and grilling at medium to high heat, finishing with a barbecue glaze in the last two minutes.

Kanfall, who has worked at Copenhagen restaurants including Kadeau, Manfreds, and Relæ, notes that Danes consume more than double the recommended weekly meat intake of 350 grams, averaging 805 grams per week, according to DTU Food Institute data.