The Best Way to Grill Asparagus Skewers

Asparagus on the grill is a staple of early summer grilling, but it can also be one of the more frustrating items to barbecue. Tending to a couple dozen individual spears of asparagus requires serious reflexes, and their long, pencil-like shape makes them prone to rolling around and slipping through the cooking grates into the nether regions of the grill.
If you don’t have a vegetable basket, one the easiest ways to cook asparagus on the barbecue is to thread several spears on to a couple of skewers like a raft. This prevents the asparagus from slipping through the cooking grates and also makes it easy to maneuver.
Grilled Asparagus Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- 20 spears of asparagus
Materials:
- 4 bamboo skewers (pre-soaked)
Directions:
- Preheat the grill on medium-high.
- Trim off the tough ends of the asparagus.
- If the spears are large in diameter, we recommend peeling the asparagus with a Y-Peeler. The asparagus will cook more quickly and be more tender (optional).
- Perpendicular to the asparagus, thread the skewer through five spears at roughly the mid-point. Repeat for the remaining spears of asparagus.
- Using a pastry brush, apply a thin coating of olive oil to both sides of the asparagus and season with salt.
- Place the asparagus skewers on the hot grill and cook to desired tenderness, flipping at the halfway mark (about 2 minutes give or take). Large spears may take longer.
Check out our even more infographic guide to grilling vegetables to learn how to grill perfect veggies every time.