Grilled Eggplant

The first time David and I ever grilled eggplant it was nasty and tasted like liquid smoke. It was horrible!

I’m here to tell you if you ever try something and find it almost inedible, then more than likely it was not cooked correctly. Always try again! This doesn’t happen often, but I am so glad David and I d not give up on foods that we know should taste good.

We learned two valuable tips about grilling eggplant, salting, and oiling.

Our first, mistake when grilling the eggplant was that we did not salt the slices prior to grilling. Salting eggplant draws out juices, and it is is a major benefit particularly for older eggplants, which can be bitter. The salt tightens and firms up the flesh, making the eggplant less likely to soak up as much oil and of course, salt adds flavor. 

The other tip we have learned about grilling eggplant slices is that we did not put any oil on the slices. The oil acts as a barrier to keep them eggplant from drying out and sticking to the grate. Not using oil made those eggplant slices turn into soggy mush that had absorbed the smoke from the grill, making the eggplant slices bitter and taste disgusting!

A great summer side dish or Meatless Monday meal, these grilled eggplant slices are salted prior to grilling to eliminate the bitterness, then brushed with garlic, olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper before grilling them to perfection.

Here is the way we grill eggplant now:

Salting the Eggplant (optional) –  Although some professional chefs disagree with this step, I choose to salt my eggplant before cooking. (Click HERE to decide for yourself whether you will skip this step or not.)

To salt the eggplant, trim the ends of the eggplant. Cut the eggplant lengthwise into ⅛ to ¼-inch slices from end to stem. Generously sprinkle both sides of the eggplant slices with salt. Place in a colander to drain for at least 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, rinse the eggplant well under running water to remove the excess salt from the flesh. Dry the eggplant slices, by blotting them with a paper towel. Place the rinsed and dried eggplant slices on a dish to prepare for the grill.

In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Mix well. 

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. 

Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with plenty of the oil mixture, just before laying on the preheated grill.

Grill the eggplants until tender and grill marks appear, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. 

Remove from grill, and serve right away.

This went well with the Grilled Mushroom Caprese Sandwiches I made the other week. This sandwich was featured on Beyond Meat‘s blog posting called “SIX SANDWICHES TO SATISFY YOUR MEATLESS MONDAY HUNGER PANGS”.