By Laura Finaldi, News Staff.

The scent of sizzling, marinated steaks on the grill as friends and family swim in the nearby pool is a sure sign that summer is here. While the idea of a char-grilled meal may sound beyond delicious, grilling is no easy task, said Jay Murray, head chef at Grill 23 in Back Bay.

“If you’re not in a restaurant setting, it’s really expensive to get all that practice in – better to learn on someone else’s nickel,” he said.

But it is possible to master the art of grilling without professional tools. Murray, who has been running the kitchen at Grill 23 since 1998, said one of the easiest ways to master the proper grilling of a steak is to invest in a good thermometer.

“I encourage folks not to feel like a thermometer’s a cop out. Just don’t get one that reads rare, medium, well done, et cetera. You need one that gives you actual numbers,” he said. “Cook your steaks to 128 degrees – what we call medium rare to medium – and let them rest a bit before eating. Mostly everyone will be happy.”

In order to successfully grill anything, Murray said whatever is being served needs to be properly seasoned. He recommended a mixture of sea salt, black pepper and smoked paprika for steaks, and said he rarely marinates the beef he grills. For other meats, such as lamb, pork, chicken and duck, a marinade of onion, garlic, rosemary, parsley, coriander, juniper, Sichuan pepper, star anise and oil will leave a delicious finish, Murray said.

“It sounds like a crazy concoction, but it works wonders,” he said.

Murray said it is important to make sure the grill has at least two temperature zones – a hot, fiery setting for getting the appealing browned and charred look on the outside, and a cooler setting for slower cooking. He said most food benefits from slow cooking.

While virtually anything from salads to meats to desserts can be thrown on the grill to give them a blackened, summery flavor, grilled fruits may not be everyone’s favorite. As an alternative to the usual charred meats, Murray said he likes making grilled pizza.

“I love to buy fresh pizza dough at the supermarket, toss it with coarse sea salt, fresh ground pepper, herbs and olive oil and throw it on the grill,” he said. “Just make sure the coals are on the way out so it doesn’t flare up and burn. Or on a gas grill, turn the flame to low.”

There’s a risk well-done meat will get a little dry after grilling, so to avoid this problem, Murray said to top just-flipped meat or fish with a pat of butter.

For students who live on-campus and don’t have access to grills, Murray said a skillet or a broiler can sometimes re-create the grilled feel; however, he said there’s really nothing like the outdoor grilling experience and everything that comes with it.

“You can cook steaks and fish and veggies in a heavy skillet, or under a broiler,” he said. “The recipes translate as best they can with a bit of adjustments, but you can’t recreate the experience of a summer day in the backyard.”

Chefs aren’t the only ones firing up the grill this summer. Monica McEnrue, a third-year law student said she likes to grill shrimp, steak, chicken and burgers when she’s home.

“I think I associate [grilling] with summer and it’s kind of fun to see what sorts of things you can make on the grill.” McEnrue said.

Summertime also calls for cold salads and dips, things Murray said generally go great with grilled entrees.

“I like things I can serve at room temperature: marinated mushrooms, beautiful tomatoes with buffalo mozzarella, grilled asparagus, bean salads, guacamole for the grilled dough – that sort of thing,” he said.

While anything from steaks to peaches can be grilled, McEnrue said she prefers a classic from her childhood – s’mores.

“I just remember making them as a little kid. It’s kind of one of the one little kid things you can eat as a grown-up without looking weird,” she said.

Murray keeps a blog that features his own recipes and cooking experiments from his restaurant and beyond. The Food Network’s website also features many diverse grilled dishes from celebrity chefs such as Bobby Flay and Paula Deen.

Part of the appeal and fun of grilling for Murray, he said, is the feeling associated with a beautiful, warm summer day.

“No one stands alone outside at the grill while everyone else sits inside and entertains one another,” he said. “The party’s outside. And when you go back in, there aren’t a whole lot of dishes left to do.”