Utah Grilling Preferences? Not That Unusual!

You know how Utah sometimes has the rap of being an unusual state with odd traditions, weird drinking laws, and an un-natural affinity for green jello? Well, hang on there a second, seems we are not the only state with a few oddities.

The folks at Eat This, Not That compiled a list of online searches for “how to grill” from each of the states. Turns out, Utah was pretty much in the norm.

Before we get to the most searched “how to grill” in Utah, let me point out some of the more unique state searches.

Alabama, right out of the gate alphabetically, leads out with “how to grill squash.” Squash? Really? Arkansas and Colorado and six other states were looking for tips on how to grill corn, and that seems more legit to me. Alaska, Montana, and Kentucky were big at putting pineapple on the grill. Iowa likes grilled asparagus.

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Whatever you like, grilling is certainly a big part of our summertime activities. There’s a primal joy in grilling that turns even the most refined urbanite into a smoke-smeared caveman. You could be a high-powered attorney or an astrophysicist, but put a grill in front of you and suddenly you’re chanting, “Me make fire!” It’s deeply ingrained in our DNA, like the urge to poke a campfire with a stick or laugh at videos of people slipping on banana peels.

Grilling, for some reason, is often considered a manly endeavor. Women may spend hours in the kitchen crafting delicate pastries and gourmet meals, but when it comes to grilling, the men take over as if they were born holding tongs. They stand around the grill, swapping stories about how they once fixed a carburetor with duct tape and a paper clip, while secretly hoping they won’t burn the burgers. There’s also a lot of grunting involved. No one knows why.

Grilling is also a competitive sport. There's always that one guy who insists his secret marinade is the best. It's a closely guarded recipe passed down from generation to generation, consisting of ingredients like “a splash of this” and “a dash of that,” but the real secret is a bottle of store-bought sauce he hides in the garage. I, of course, wouldn't know anything about that.

And then there’s the cleanup, which involves scraping charred remnants off the grill with a tool that looks like it belongs in a medieval torture chamber. But despite the mess and the occasional flare-up that singes your eyebrows, grilling remains an act of culinary magic. It’s about the camaraderie, the outdoors, and the deliciously smoky aroma that wafts through the neighborhood, making your neighbors envious.

So, with all of our peculiar habits here in the Beehive state, what is our primary “how to grill” search? Turns out it's steak, which is the same as many other states, including California. Hmmm. Maybe I will go throw some asparagus on the grill.....