November is grilling season. In a society clamoring for authenticity, an original thought is rare. But the statement, “November is grilling season” may be just that … an original thought.

Before you chastise me for lunacy, allow me to explain. My family loves grilled meats. Every Friday night, I add Kingsford briquettes to my mini-grill and flame-broil hamburgers. I grill on the third Friday of July and the third Friday of January. I’ve grilled in every season, which is my credential for proclaiming that winter is the best grilling season. Allow me to make my case. First, would you rather cozy up to a warm fire in the cold of winter or the heat of summer? Second, those annoying flies and mosquitoes are dead in the winter. Finally, no one lounges outside in the cold, so your conversation is with yourself and the blessed silence that entails.

There are other impediments to year-round grilling. Most folks vainly insist on a fancy grilling setup. I’ve seen thousand-dollar grills with propane burners and grills with belts and other moving parts. If you want to grill weekly, simplify your setup. I grill on a $40 hibachi with a handful of briquettes. With the pretense removed, grilling becomes a simple weekly activity.

I simplify my sauces and rubs. Most grillers will frequent a barbecue aisle and stare at a full wall of sauces and rubs. They will indecisively pick the rub or sauce with the most inspiring logo … to improve the taste of their meat. Making your own is simpler.

A great starting point is salt and pepper. When I first started grilling, I spiced with salt and pepper. I tried a variety of spices and sauces and have come full circle back to salt and pepper (with garlic to keep my wife happy). Sauces can also be simple. Pick your favorite vinegar for a little tang. You can add ketchup if you’re a child or tomato paste if you’re an adult for a little complexity. Brown sugar or honey, which is my favorite, will give you that kiss of sweet. Finally, a green spice, like parsley or oregano, and a red spice, like chili or paprika, makes your sauce or rub complete. My favorite is tomato paste and balsamic vinegar with salt, pepper, garlic, cilantro and turmeric.

The best meat I’ve ever grilled was with that sauce in a November blizzard. The wind made the coals glow super-hot, and the snow added just enough moisture for perfection. The outside of the meat was perfectly charred and the inside was juicy and tender. The flavor was vibrant and locked into place. It was worth a few minutes in a blizzard for that perfect eating experience.

Grilling really is a metaphor for life, if you’ll indulge me. Grilling is something my family loves. It would be tragic if we had a hankering for grilled beef on a November evening and I tell my kids, “Don’t worry, June is just around the corner.” If there is something you love in life, do it.

You see this with equestrians. There was a time when equine activities had a season and an off season. When I was younger, you would see a few diehards slip into their shotgun chaps and layer up a few coats to work on a reining pattern, but most everyone waited until spring. Now, there are indoor arenas on every section, and most days are full with training or competitions.

Maybe we should follow the lead of our horse-riding neighbors. If there’s something you love, like grilling, there is no off season. Fireworks shouldn’t be reserved for Independence Day. The fire hazard is less in the winter months. Do you wait all year for a corn dog at the fair? There are restaurants that serve corn dogs year-round. Granted, a couple of weeks eating corn dogs might lessen the charm of a corn dog, but give it a try if it’s something you love. Hot chocolate in the summer time and s’mores in the winter? I am now inspired to brew up some hot chocolate to drink with my s’mores tonight.

We all know a farmer infatuated with driving a tractor. In the winter, they will wait breathlessly with every storm, hoping for enough accumulated snow to justify firing up his tractor for snow removal. Everyone should find something they love doing that much.

This attitude can be used with anything. That friend that you bump into at the same event every year? Maybe you should look them up more often. You know how spiritually invigorating that Christmas or Easter church service is? A church service on a random November Sunday can be equally invigorating. Do you love the state convention for Farm Bureau or commodity organizations? These organizations have local meetings throughout the year. The meetings are certainly less showy than a state or national convention, but if you love something, you should do it year-round.

I feel sorry for vegetarians. There is no grilled vegetable that could possibly inspire a yearlong love affair like I have with grilled meats. Are you still not sure what you’re going to eat for dinner tonight? May I suggest … fire up the grill.