METRO PHOTO Learn how to up your grilling game this summer with a few helpful tips.

METRO — Foods cooked over an open flame are a staple of summer. Whether you’re looking to avoid heating up the house by using the stove on a summer weeknight or hosting a backyard barbecue for family and friends, a grill is a go-to at dinnertime once the weather warms up.

Grilling imparts a uniquely smoky flavor to various foods, and there are many ways to make meals cooked over an open flame even more flavorful. As grilling season hits full swing, try these strategies to add flavor to grilled foods.

— Know when to use marinade and when to use a dry rub. Marinades and dry rubs are widely viewed as effective means to improving the flavor profile of grilled foods, and those reputations are well-deserved. But which one to use and when? According to the spice and herb experts at Simply Organic®, marinade is best utilized when grilling leaner meats or tougher cuts that could benefit from some tenderizing. A dry rub works best when grilling or smoking meats that are already tender or have a lot of fat content.

— Consider taking meats out of the refrigerator 15 to 30 minutes before placing them on the grill. Taking meat, pork, and even fish out of the refrigerator 15 to 30 minutes before cooking is a process known as “tempering.” Some insist on this approach, while others suggest it does little to improve flavor. Advocates of tempering insist the approach produces juicier, more evenly cooked foods. Those who feel tempering is unnecessary suggest flipping foods with greater frequency can lead to more evenly cooked foods. This debate is unlikely to end anytime soon, but those who have never tried tempering can give it a shot if they feel their grilled meats could be cooked more evenly.

— Monitor the temperature when cooking hamburgers. It sounds simple, but keeping an eye on the temperature inside the grill is vital if you hope to avoid charring or dried out foods. Many grilling enthusiasts know to utilize a meat thermometer when cooking steaks and roasts over an open flame. But burgers tend to be tossed on the grill and cooked without consideration for grill temperature or internal temperature. According to DDR BBQ Supply, the best grill temperature for burgers is between 350 F and 400 F. Grilling burgers below 325 F will lead to the burgers drying out before they brown, while grilling them at 450 F or above will cause the burgers to burn before they’re cooked through.

— Use wood. When cooking on a traditional charcoal grill, seasoned wood chips or chunks can impart some extra smoky flavor onto foods. Wood also can be used when cooking on a gas grill, but this requires a little extra work. When using a gas grill, place the chips or chunks in a smoker box or a foil pan or wrap them in foil. Place the box or pouch on the grate and light the burner, and the resulting smoke will impart extra flavor to the food cooked elsewhere on the grate.

Imparting additional flavor to grilled foods can make this popular way to cook out even more enjoyable.