Should you only turn the meat once? Is LPG better than coal? And can an algorithm
Compete with a grill master? We let AI analyze the summer's hottest grilling questions
– with a result that was both impressive and idiotic.

Summer is here, the smell of lighter fluid is heavy in the air and someone in the group automatically takes on the role of grill master. But what happens if we let AI take care of the grilling? Is it time to let an algorithm decide when the meat is ready and how to mix the marinade?
We tried letting ChatGPT and Google's Bard run a classic Swedish barbecue. The result? A mix of brilliance, outright lies, and a palpable lack of common sense.

TURN THE MEAT – ONCE OR MORE?
The eternal question: Should you turn the meat once or more?
ChatGPT: ”Turning frequently ensures more even cooking and reduces the risk of a burnt surface with a raw inside.”
Google's Bard: ”Many professional grillers advocate turning multiple times to achieve better heat distribution.”
AI verdict: Both are right. The old myth that you should only turn the meat once is just that – a myth. More turns will result in a more even cooking surface and less risk of dry meat.
AI score: 1, human grill pride: 0

WHICH GRILL IS BEST – CHARCOAL OR GAS?
It got messy here.
ChatGPT: ”Charcoal grilling gives the best flavor because the smoke settles into the meat.”

Google's Bard: ”Gas is better because it provides more even heat and is more environmentally friendly.” But when we ask for sources, the AI starts rambling about how gas is environmentally friendly – and that charcoal grilling might even sabotage the ozone layer. That sounds good, but it’s only partly true. Charcoal grilling produces more particles, but gas is, after all, a
fossil fuel. AI simplifies and beautifies – like a barbecue salesman on steroids.
AI score: -1 (for half-truths), human common sense: 1.

THE MAGIC OF MARINADE – WHAT IS THE BEST TRICK?
We asked AI to create the perfect barbecue marinade. The result?
ChatGPT: A classic blend of soy, garlic, honey and lemon.
Bard: A splash of Coca-Cola is the key.
Other AI recipes: Unexpected flavor combinations, like espresso, miso and apricot – which we might save for another experiment.
The taste test? The cola version was surprisingly good, while the miso espresso got mixed reactions. The AI has clearly dug deep into recipe banks – but can it really taste anything on its own? If we had followed the AI's more extreme suggestions, we would be standing right now munching on entrecôte marinated in Red Bull and crushed gingerbread. The AI's food knowledge is impressive, but it lacks one fundamental thing: taste buds.
AI score: 1 (for courage), human judgment: 1 (because we didn't vomit).

WHEN IS THE MEAT READY?
The classic question: How do you know when the meat is done?
ChatGPT: ”Use a digital thermometer and remove the meat at the correct internal temperature.”
Bard: ”Relying on timing or gut feeling is unsafe – a thermometer is the best solution.”
People often go by feeling: ”Poke the meat, squeeze a little, does it look ready?” AI, on the other hand, has no intuition – it requires a digital thermometer, precise degrees and careful calculations. We tested grilling meat based solely on the AI’s instructions and the result was… perfect. The meat was juicy, cooked through properly and not a single piece was burned by stressful turning. Here we have to admit defeat – algorithms are better than gut feeling.
AI score: 2, human emotion: 0.
Conclusion: AI is a fantastic source of grilling knowledge but still lacks the most important thing: feel, fingertip sensitivity and an understanding that a Swedish midsummer barbecue is rarely an exact science. But what if you want to excel with perfect meat this summer? Let AI give you the instructions – and take
Take the credit yourself.

AI'S BEST AND WORST GRILLING TIPS
Best:
Temperature control – AI knows exactly when the meat is ready.
Turn the meat often – the myth of ”just once” is dead.
Surprising marinade suggestion – dare to try cola!

Worst:
It can't sense the taste. Espresso-miso on entrecôte is a gamble.
It lies about environmental impact. Don't blindly trust AI's "scientific" answers.
AI doesn't understand Swedish summer. An AI would never suggest that we throw in an extra sausage just because "someone will probably be hungry later". It doesn't plan for sudden rain showers. And it would never understand why we're still standing at the grill even though it's pouring rain and someone just knocked a can of beer over the patio floor