Editor's note:The recipe and introductory text below are adapted from Elizabeth Karmel's Web site,girlsatthegrill.com.
Grilling asparagus miraculously transforms it from the kind of vegetable you hated as a kid to a sweet, meaty, lip-smackin' treat that you can't get enough of as an adult. Contrary to popular belief, look for the fatter stalks when buying asparagus—they are much better suited to grilling and actually have better flavor.
This is the least amount of work you will ever have to do to be considered the Queen or King of the Grill.
Ingredients
Makes 4 servings
Step 1
Trim off the tough bottom of the spear by grasping each end and bending it gently until it snaps at its natural point of tenderness—usually two-thirds of the way down the spear. If the spear is less than 6 inches long, chances are it has already been trimmed for you. Alternatively, you can cut the ends off with a knife.
Step 2
Coat each spear with olive oil by placing clean, dry spears in a resealable plastic bag, pour in the oil, and massage spears to coat each one. Sprinkle with salt and massage again. Leave the asparagus in the bag until ready to cook.
Step 3
Place on the cooking grate crosswise so it won't fall through. Grill for 10 to 15 minutes (depending on the size and thickness of the stalks), turning occasionally to expose all sides to the heat. Asparagus should begin to brown in spots (indicating that its natural sugars are caramelizing) but should not be allowed to char.
Step 4
Remove from grill and serve immediately—eating spears with your fingers enhances the experience.
Look for fat, firm stalks with deep-green or purplish tips. Also check the bottom of the spears. If they are dried up, chances are they have been sitting around for too long.
Leave a Review
Reviews (12)
Back to TopGreat way to do asparagus! Sometimes I wrap two spears with pancetta and toothpick them. Sometimes not....When doing with chicken or beef, it is great to take the main dish off the grill and put the asparagus on the grill while the meat rests. This should be served just after taking off grill. Yum!
wflaan
SF Bay area
8/31/2012
Could someone please tell me how to skewer the asparagus on the thick, bottom part? The top one worked fine, but the spears all broke when I tried to insert the second skewer near the bottom. I have no idea what went wrong, especially since none of the other reviewers mentioned this.
tuva
West Vancouver
6/22/2011
This is excellent. My husband, who thinks he needs aioli or plain mayo to eat any vegetable, said "This is so good it doesn't even need mayo!" If you use a grill wok, you will need to add a minute or two to the cooking time, especially if you don't let the wok sit on the grill to preheat before adding the asparagus.
ashms
sherborn, ma
5/29/2011
I am not big on anything green,but I am trying and this dish was simple but absolutely delicious!! Makes me want to try something else that's healthy and green. ;)
tessa5228
bowie, MD
4/13/2011
I had at least 3 people asking me for this recipe. They loved it. It's so healthy.
tazzychu
Singapore
11/1/2010
简单的芦笋,烟雾和最佳方法y BBQ flavour is awesome. Throw them in some oil and parmesan with pasta and it is delish!!
w1q65701
Montreal Canada
6/27/2010
This is almost exactly like the recipe I've been using for ages - except that you first blanch the asparagus to keep it looking pretty and green. Also, you can use skewers to make asparagus "rafts" so that the spears are a little more manageable on the grill.
caramcb
California
3/26/2010
OMG who knew that all you need is salt and olive to make the perfect asparagus??? i even added garlic and lemon juice, what isn't good with garlic or lemon juice??? WRONG, just plain salt and olive oil is perfect!!!!!!!
estaah
Carmel, CA
9/5/2009
Such a simple recipe, but so much better than sauteed or boiled asparagus! The char marks give so much flavor and the asparagus almost taste sweet because the juices aren't lost in the pan. One note about this recipe which is probably common sense to many people: skip the plastic bag step - it's both wasteful and unnecessary. Just lay out the asparagus on a big baking sheet and drizzle olive oil on them, rolling them around with your hand if you need to. The asparagus come out perfectly every time, just don't overcook them.
ninisas
9/4/2009
I started grilling asparagus several months ago and my wife and I love it. I don't use as much oil as you recommend and also use ground black pepper along with salt. I've being using 5 minutes grilling time which seems to be enough for the crispy results we like. I'll use your recipe next time, I'm sure it will be great.
rojahn7
Tucson, AZ
9/2/2009
I've been doing this on the grill for years and loving it.
tcl2811
Tanya/Caldwell, TX
9/2/2009
My husband and I loved this! It was very easy to make and a simple side for grilled salmon. The flavor was smokey and deep, and the asparagus were very forgiving--not too picky!!
jensine449
Norfolk, VA
7/31/2008
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