• Grilled Steaks Balsamico

Vanessa McNeil, our staff's ace grilling coach, cooks on Fiesta Gas Grills' Optima (about $199, www.fiestagasgrills.com) on our Test Kitchens patio. "It gets hot and stays hot, which is great for foods cooked directly over the heat," she says. "The two-burner side-by-side setup (rather than front-to-back) is great for indirect cooking." And, Vanessa adds, "Fiesta's customer service is top-notch."

Cook's Note: Our recipes were tested and timed on the Fiesta Optima grill. Each grill has its own personality, so use our recipes as guidelines. Times will vary due to the weather and the technology your grill design embraces. Use a meat thermometer to check for exact doneness.

This article is from the June 2005 issue of Southern Living.