You Need To Start Grilling Your Pickles

If you think pickles have already peaked, you couldn't be more wrong. Turns out, the classic pickle has a few more tricks up its sleeve — and no, it's not being put atop Oreos. Rather, we're talking about something way more satisfying (and sane): grilling. Of course, pickle purists might argue that you shouldn't meddle with perfection, but trust us — grilled pickles bring out flavors you never knew you were missing. The heat tones down the sharpness, and the brine's sugars get to work caramelizing. The result? Smokey, savory, slightly sweet spears that'll make you wonder why you've never tried this before.

Grilling regular vegetables is...well, fine. It gets the job done, but no one at the cookout is going to be calling the press over your grilled squash and zucchini. But pickling first, and then grilling? Now you're onto something. And the best part besides how these bad boys taste? It's quick and easy to pull off. Honestly, the hardest part is opening the jar.

The whole process is almost too simple to even be called a recipe. First, take your pickles out of the jar, blot them dry to make sure you get plenty of grill marks, and lightly coat them with a neutral oil like vegetable, canola, or sunflower. Once your grill is blazing hot — preferably while you're already fixing something else up, like grilled watermelon if you're really trying to impress — place the pickles on the grates. Grill for about three minutes, just long enough for the skin to start blistering and those mouth-watering grill marks to start showing.

Let them cool, and boom! That's it. Eat them as is, or chop them up and throw them into anything that could use a little smoky punch, like potato or chicken salad. You can even make a sandwich out of them if you're feeling ultra creative. If you do manage to save a few, you can always toss them back in the brine for later. But let's be honest: that's unlikely.