Tiers of Joy

It's a new year. It's the perfect time to start using new grilling techniques and tools.

That's why today it is my pleasure to introduce you to Weber® Elevations™. Go ahead, say hello, it won't bite. The newest accessory from Weber® is the latest in a line of innovative products allowing outdoor cooks to fix a variety of food in interesting ways.

At the heart of the Weber® Elevations™ Tiered Cooking System is a stainless steel grill rack and set of 8 skewers. It's easy to assemble and you'll be up-and-grilling in no time. This product is made exclusively for your Weber® stand up gas grill (Spirit® 300 Series, Genesis® and Summit®).

In addition to skewers, Weber® also offers an Expansion Rack and a Vegetable Basket (each sold separately) to truly make this product a unique experience. Tradition would have us grill only using the cooking grate, but the Weber® Elevations™ uses the convection space within the gas grill cookbox more efficiently. The end result looks and tastes great!

Now all you need to do is figure out what food to cook. You'd be surprised how much food can fit on Weber® Elevations™!

Here are some suggestions to get you started:

1. Simple Veggie Kabobs: Cut zucchini, yellow squash, bell peppers and red onions into pieces slightly larger than 1" square. Alternate pieces as you assemble them onto a skewer. The bright colors are easy on the eyes and the finished product is delicious!

2. SautéedVegetables: Add cut broccoli, zucchini and carrots into a zip top bag with a few drizzles of extra-virgin olive oil, kosher salt and black pepper. Tightly seal the bag and shake to cover distribute the ingredients. Let the bag rest while you prepare other food. Add them to the Vegetable Basket, stir occasionally and everyone will love these tender, flavorful veggies!

3. Grilled Bread: If you are an adventurous baker, make your own bread dough. If you shy away from flour and yeast, use biscuit or bread dough from a can. Cut or separate the dough into pieces, lightly brush with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle, salt, pepper and a few fresh herbs like parsley, thyme and tarragon. Wrap each piece of dough around a skewer and cook for 5-10 minutes. Watch it carefully so it doesn't burn.

4. CitrusChickenKabobs: Marinate pieces of chicken (1-2") in a zip top bag with extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, fresh lemon juice, kosher salt and black pepper. Cut up one orange, one lemon and one lime into 4 slices each. Assemble four skewers with the chicken. Assemble the other four skewers with one piece each of orange, lemon and lime. Arrange the citrus skewers on the top tier so that each one is positioned above a chicken skewer on the middle tier. As the fruit cooks, the juices will baste the chicken below. Plus you'll have wonderfully caramelized fruit for your friends and family to drizzle over their skewer.

5. Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp: Who doesn't love shrimp on a stick? Who doesn't love bacon? Prepare the shrimp how you like, wrap each piece tightly in a half piece of bacon and slide on to the skewer. Cook 5-7 minutes to make sure the shrimp and bacon are cooked thoroughly. Brush with your favorite BBQ sauce near the end for a final touch of flavor.

As you can see the new Weber® Elevations™Tiered Cooking System is very versatile. I'm hoping you'll cry "tiers" of joy once you see that it will take your grilling skills to the next level!

Happy grilling!