Preparation

• Trim the woody ends from the asparagus (about 1-2 inches from the bottom), then rinse the spears thoroughly and pat them completely dry with paper towels—moisture is the enemy of proper browning on the grill. While the asparagus dries, combine the garlic powder, onion powder, crushed red pepper flakes, kosher salt, cracked black pepper, and lemon zest in a small bowl to create your seasoning blend.
• Place the dried asparagus in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil and fresh lemon juice, tossing gently to coat all spears evenly. Sprinkle the seasoning blend from Step 1 over the asparagus and toss again until every spear is well-coated.
• Heat your Traeger grill (or any grill) to 350°F and allow it to preheat for at least 15 minutes. This temperature creates enough heat to develop light char marks and bring out the natural sweetness of the asparagus without drying it out. Once the grill is ready, brush the grates lightly with oil to prevent sticking.
• Arrange the seasoned asparagus spears in a single layer across the grill grates, working perpendicular to the grates so they don't fall through. Grill for 25-35 minutes total, turning the spears every 8-10 minutes to ensure even cooking and light browning on all sides.
• Remove the grilled asparagus from the grill to a serving platter or individual plates. Drizzle lightly with balsamic glaze for sweetness and depth, then top generously with finely grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately with fresh lemon wedges on the side for guests to squeeze over as desired.