You can use two traditional methods to perk up the flavors of meat, poultry, or seafood before you slap it on your grill--one wet, one dry.

The wet way called marinating relies on herbs and spices set adrift in oil, vinegar, wine, fruit juice, or other liquids. Many traditional cultures used marinades for taste as well as for tenderizing less desirable cuts of meat; the latter use seems important less often today, though certainly tough cuts continue to benefit. Marinating meats and seafoods, which can take hours or even overnight, requires attention to food safety. Always marinate in the refrigerator. If you're also going to use the marinade as a sauce, you must bring it to a boil for 1 minute because it contains uncooked meat or poultry juices.

The alternative to marinating a dry rub is a blend of dry herbs and spices. Normally applied immediately before grilling, rubs add flavor not so much by the meat or seafood absorbing them, but by just being there in every bite you put into your mouth. Because there's no vinegar or similar liquid, dry rubs don't tenderize, but they do add layer after layer of flavor. Want a Cajun taste? Use Cajun spices as your dry rub. The same goes for Southwestern, Jamaican, or any other blend of spices.