For a truly memorable backyard barbecue, you're going to need to make some food that blows your guests away. That doesn't always mean cooking a steak just right or getting all the perfect snacks. It means marinating those big dinner items for the grill, which can be easier said than done.

A grill master might tell you that you'll need at least a few hours before the event to marinate your meat. That's true for every cook who doesn't have a FoodSaver® 2-In-1 Vacuum Sealing System with a Quick Marinator in the kitchen. This nifty gadget uses vacuum power to marinate your foods in minutes instead of hours. Use it to prepare some of these prime barbecue foods.

Steak and Pineapple Kebabs 
Marinating your steak is a given, and a sweet teriyaki-based marinade can do wonders for making tasty kebabs. Here's how you take your grilling to the next level, though. Marinate your steak in one container and use an additional one to marinate pineapple and mushrooms.

Why is this a great idea? Pineapple and mushrooms are perfect for marinating. Moreover, you'll have to throw away that marinade that was used for the raw meat, but the veggie and fruit marinade can be used for basting on the grill. Plus, your teriyaki marinade will be infused with that sweet pineapple flavor. 

As a rule of thumb, marinate fruit and veggies for roughly half the time of your meats with a Quick Marinator.

Marinate Those Burgers
For a quick summer cookout, it's normal to just grab some ground beef and throw some patties straight on the grill. For some reason, not many cooks marinate their hamburger before grilling. If you want to kick things up a notch, don't be like other cooks.

If you've never had a marinated hamburger, now's the time to change that.

Patties can be marinated in minutes for a delicious twist on a cookout classic. For extra juiciness and flavor, try flipping the patties just once and never press down on the meat while it cooks. Try it with turkey burgers, veggie burgers or classic ground beef.

Marinated Tomatoes and Sausage
Just like pineapples, tomatoes are perfect for marinating and eating on burgers or with sausages. Grilling afterward isn't necessary for this one. You can add slices of tomato and marinade into your Quick Marinator, vacuum seal and serve in the time it takes to grill up your meats. 

For a real treat, try marinating sausage separately, too. Like hamburger meat, many forget that sausage can be marinated. Do your taste buds a favor and try it out.