The One Step You Can't Ignore Before Grilling Artichokes

Artichokes are delicious, no matter how you cook them. You can opt for simple preparations like boiling them whole, or, for an even easier solution, you can cook canned artichokes in the air fryer. They're the one veggie Giada De Laurentiis always eats in Rome, where she enjoys them fried or poached, and while their insides are soft once cooked, their tough exterior means they can stand up to the char of your grill.

Grilling artichokes imparts a delectable smokiness to the vegetable that cannot be achieved with other techniques, but remember: they should be at least partially cooked before they hit the heat. This step is essential for helping you achieve those sexy, caramelized grill marks as the flames bring out the vegetable's subtle sweetness. Barbecuing raw artichokes doesn't help tenderize them, and would require much longer on the grill to soften, at which point they'll likely just get dry and burn. Think of grilling as the finishing touch — pre-cooking them first will get you the best result.

The best methods for preparing artichokes for grilling are steaming or boiling. We prefer steaming because the hot water vapor cooks them until just tender without making them too soggy or fragile for the grill. Although we treat artichokes as vegetables, they are in fact the flowering buds of thistle plants, and aside from their thorny leaves and inner "choke," they are entirely edible.

To prepare your artichokes, start by trimming the spiky tips to avoid pricked fingers. Use kitchen shears to snip the ends off the lower leaves, then with a sharp chef's knife, carefully cut off the top of the head. It's fine to grill artichokes whole, but they'll cook faster if cut in half — this way, you'll have more surface area for charring, and as an added bonus, the choke is easier to remove while still raw and cool. Slice vertically through the center for halves, or, if you prefer, split further into quarters.

As for their stalks, stop throwing out artichoke stems and cook with them instead. These are as tasty as the hearts, and just need their thick skins removed — a vegetable peeler works well here. However, you do need to discard the hairy choke surrounding the heart, as this fuzzy bit is inedible — it's a choking hazard, and too fibrous to digest. The easiest way to remove it is by scooping it out with a spoon.

The last step is to cook your artichokes. Simply place the pieces in a steamer basket over boiling water, cover, and let steam until the outer leaves pull off easily without resistance — this can take 20 minutes or longer, depending on size. Once they're softened, your artichokes are ready to grill. You can marinate them first in something like a flavorful chimichurri or gremolata, or go ahead and brush them with oil and let the grill work its magic.