Here are the biggest grilling sins, mistakes, and rules people make

Key Points:

• A survey of 5,000 Americans revealed common grilling mistakes, including touching someone else’s grill (32%), skipping the meat resting period (31%), and frequently lifting the grill lid (30%).
• Grilling remains a key social activity, with 48% citing food as the main reason people gather at summer cookouts, surpassing music, conversation, and being outdoors.
• Nearly half of respondents (47%) consider themselves regular grillers, with Wyoming residents grilling most frequently at an average of 17 days per year, while 18% are rare grillers, especially in Hawaii, Mississippi, and Vermont.
• Many Americans find grilling intimidating, particularly chicken, with 49% feeling nervous and 49% avoiding grilling whole chicken due to perceived difficulty and past grilling mishaps like dropping meat or running out of propane.
• Despite fears and challenges, 84% of Americans would grill more if given more opportunities, and 47% agree that grilled food tastes better, highlighting a desire to improve grilling skills and confidence.