There is nothing better than a perfectly grilled, juicy Italian sausage to go with a glass of Sangiovese and your favorite pasta. You cut into the sausage feeling that "snap" of your knife, then the juices flow out onto the pasta, mingling with the sauce.

Vaqueros -- ranch hands and cowboys from the north of Mexico -- created fajitas as a way to use the flavorful and inexpensive cut of meat known as skirt steak, and Tex-Mex food enthusiasts have been grateful ever since.

The sounds and smells of grilling are synonymous with summer months, though there are plenty of people who grill year-round. For many individuals, everything tastes better when cooked on the grill. Chicken leg quarters are a popular cut of chicken to grill because they do not dry out as quickly as chicken breasts can.

Timing and technique are the keys to grilling a 1-inch-thick T-bone steak to perfection. This thicker cut requires different treatment from a T-bone, for example, 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick.

Thick, juicy pork chops are a summer favorite. Grilling thick pork chops can be challenging, however, because you must get the temperature just right without charring the meat's edges. The key to successfully grilling thick-cut pork is the keep the temperature of the grill low and to grill them slowly.

Raw onions may make you cry, but an onion on the grill has a totally different effect. An onion's flavor changes drastically as it is cooked at high heats. The sugars in the vegetable caramelize, causing the vegetable to become much sweeter.

With spring in the air and summer looming on the horizon, the smokers and grills are out in force. While the traditional fare of burgers, brats, dogs and barbecue create mouthwatering meals, there is a less traditional, albeit no less tasty barbecuing option.

Grilled steak is the king of backyard barbecue cooking, and one of the best cuts of beef to use for turning out the juiciest, most flavorful steaks off the grill is boneless rib eye.

Chicken cutlets are boneless, skinless chicken breast pieces with even thickness throughout, making them well-suited for grilling. Grill them with only light salt and pepper to add protein for a salad, or make a marinade with Asian or Latin American ingredients to make an international main dish.

Nothing says "summer" like the smoky aroma of food being cooked on a charcoal grill. It brings back memories of simpler days, when people had time to sit around with friends in the sunshine and wait for a perfectly cooked bratwurst to come off the grill.

Adding a ham steak to a summer barbecue or winter "cook-in" is a tasty way to add variety to your meals. Grilling ham is quick and easy, but you can dry out a beautiful piece of meat if you do it incorrectly. Prepping your meat and grill are keys to making sure your ham stays moist and delicious.

According to the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association, manufacturers shipped more than 15 million outdoor grills to stores for purchase in North America in 2010. Businessman and former boxer George Foreman had sold an additional 100 million indoor grills worldwide as of 2010. Ribs remain a grilling favorite.