We all know someone who has mastered their grill. Their home is the prize summer invitation. Their steaks are always juicy and their fish always flakes perfectly.

How can you up your grill game to that level? Well, there's no substitute for experience. But that doesn’t mean you can't get better at grilling. Here are 2 easy ways to...

BECOME A BOSS ON THE GRILL – AND PUT PERFECTLY GRILLED FOOD ON THE TABLE ALL SUMMER.

(Whether you use gas or charcoal doesn't matter – these tips can make you a better griller on both.)

START WITH A CLEAN GRILL

It can be a downer to open a grill that hasn't been cleaned since last year's barbecue. Grills with caked-on grease and barbecue sauce can block heat and tear off pieces of burgers.

Then, right when you've reached optimal grilling temperature, all that built-up grease catches fire and burns the meat.

All the more reason to keep your grill clean. It gives heat a direct path to the meat, keeps fire where it belongs, and looks much better to boot.

Here's the secret. Clean the grill right after cooking – while the grill is hot. Grease will wipe off easily. You'll be surprised how easy a hot grill is to clean. Simply brush it down before you eat.

HEAT THE GRILL FIRST

How often have you forgotten to start the grill in time? If you're like us, it's happened more than you'd like to admit. This doesn't hurt much if you use a gas grill. But with a charcoal grill, you need time to develop good cooking coals.

But do you let the grill grates heat up before putting meat on? If you try to start cooking before the grates are hot, they'll stick – and the meat won't sear. Goodbye, perfect grill marks.

When you add meat to the grill, it'll absorb heat – and cool the grill. If you're cooking for a crowd, don’t be shocked when the grill cools down. To keep that from happening, begin with a hot grill. Another idea is to reserve a hot section of the grill for searing only, without resting meat on it to cook.

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Now you know how to start grilling for success. Clean the grill, and let it heat up before cooking.