The Foil Packet Method For Grilling Perfect Asparagus On A Gas Grill

Gas grills were made for the speed of summer, and nowhere does this fact become more apparent than when you try out your newly discovered asparagus-in-a-foil-packet grilling trick. This asparagus grilling strategy allows you to take advantage of the efficiency of gas grills while still giving your tastebuds the essence of charcoal-smoked goodness. 

The grilling method is fairly straightforward. Preheat your grill to 400 F. While that heats up, start your food prep. First, cut a piece of foil. The foil should have a large border, enough to completely cover the asparagus in foil with room to spare. Dress the foil with your favorite cooking oil of choice. Olive oil tastes great. Avocado oil also works here because it's a heat-stable oil. Spread the oil on the foil with your hands to create a thin, even coat all over the aluminum.

For the perfect asparagus, start with thick stalks. They work better on the grill than their thin counterparts. Trim the woody ends off and place them on the foil. Season the veggies after that. You can find made-for-the-grill seasonings at the store, but if you're a well-stocked foodie, your best bet might just be to raid your own spice cupboard. Garlic and onion powders, pink Himalayan salt, grated black pepper — they count among the bomb-iest, most savory flavors you can have on grilled food. However, there's one more spice you'll want to add to your asparagus: smoked paprika. 

Unlike the charcoal grill, which takes 30 to 40 minutes to really get going, the gas grill works like the outdoor barbecue equivalent of the InstantPot. However, what it has in speed, it lacks in one of the charcoal grill's chief talents — the ability to make your grilled asparagus taste like flavorful smoke.  

The smoked paprika counts as your first line of defense against bland-tasting grilled asparagus. The seasoning tastes smoky because it is smoked. To ensure that the barbecue-y flavor gets deeply infused into the vegetables, add a smidge more oil — and maybe more paprika for extra smoky flavor — to the asparagus and rub the oil and the seasonings all over the veggie spears. Then, fold the pouch closed so that no juice can escape. Finally, put the packet of asparagus on the grill for 15 to 20 minutes, flipping it over once. Once you take it from the grill, add a squeeze of lemon or a sprinkle of fresh grated Parmesan cheese like the grill master you are and dive in.

While the smoked paprika adds a great deal of smoky flavor to your grilled asparagus packet, you do have other options. Grill purists don't care much for liquid smoke, but it does power up the smoky flavor of your asparagus without a charcoal grill. To use it to mimic the charcoal grill's flavor, you'll create a marinade that you'll soak the asparagus in. This requires more prep than the previous method, but if you have time, you'll add some smoky richness to your barbecued asparagus without a lot of effort.

First, combine liquid smoke, avocado or olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and any other grill seasonings you like into a mixing bowl. It needs to be large enough to accommodate all the trimmed asparagus you have. Drop the asparagus into the marinade and allow it to soak for at least 30 minutes. Once your veggies are done marinating, wrap them in foil, allowing a bit of the marinade to remain on the asparagus and grill. 

Finally, you do have one more option — adding wood chips sealed in a foil packet to the grill. Poke holes in the top of the bag and lay on the grill over the flame. Allow 15 to 20 minutes to pass before you put the foil-packet veggies on the grill because the wood pack needs time to start smoking. Serve foil-packed grilled asparagus with a show-stopping piece of grilled fish or your favorite steak.