The Only Way You Should Be Smoking Peaches

Peach season is over throughout most of the United States, but don't let it get you in the pits. Now is the perfect time to learn new techniques so you'll be ready for a better-than-ever season next year.

If you've never tried grilling peaches before, it's time to start. Fruit is a great way to get creative with your grill, but it can be hard to get right — especially with delicate fruits like peaches, which fall apart if you're not careful. For advice, The Takeout turned to Brazilian Grill Master Silvio Correa.

Correa has plenty of experience: he started grilling at the age of 14. Soon, he was working as a private chef throughout his native São Paulo. After moving to Los Angeles, Correa helped found Silvio's Brazilian Barbecue Catering Company, which became one of the biggest catering companies in L.A. Now, he's gone back to his roots as a personal chef. While steaks, sausages, and seafood are central to Correa's menu, he has plenty of advice on grilling fruit, too.

Correa recommends a quick grill — but avoids smoking peaches. "I prefer not to smoke the peaches," he advised. "It is better to quickly grill the peaches over high heat to caramelize the sugars and maintain their texture."

If you know a thing or two about food science, you'll know that there are different types of heat — each with its own purpose. Grilling is considered conduction, which transfers heat directly from a hot surface to the food. Generally, conduction works well when you want to cook food quickly. Smoking is considered convection. Convection heats food by surrounding it with moving currents of hot air or steam. It's a slower process.

Slower cooking methods like smoking are great for big, tough cuts of meat, since slow cooking breaks down foods. It's not necessary for small, tender foods like peaches, though. As Correa explains, "Smoking for too long can make them mushy and overpower their sweetness." However, he does have advice if you're desperate for that smoky flavor. "A quick cold smoke followed by grilling can add a touch of smoke flavor without compromising the peach's texture," he added.

Looking for more advice? Look for nice, firm freestone peaches. It's better to grill slightly under-ripe peaches than overripe ones: overripe fruit is prone to burning and falling apart. Grill your peaches halved, not sliced. Larger halves keep the peaches from falling apart and give you plenty of surface area for the perfect char.

If you want to go the sweet and savory route, grill peaches with zucchini for a stunning summer side. Want to keep it simple with a classic dessert? Serve them with ice cream.