If you are a wannabe barbecue chef but you don’t quite have all the skills needed, then read on and be ready to impress friends and family with your techniques.
Tip 1:
Make sure your barbecue is thoroughly cleaned before putting your food on the grill. Do this by brushing off any stuck-on food with a wire brush and then clean off with a clean (new) cloth or kitchen roll soaked in vegetable oil this will help with collecting any residue from previous times that the wire brush missed and remove any broken bristles.
Tip 2:
As with any cooking, you need to make sure the grill is preheated before putting food anywhere near it. A gas grill will take about 15 mins to heat up to the appropriate temperature, charcoal should have a coating of light grey ash.
Tip 3:
Some grill masters consider gas grills to be more effective at giving food a good charred flavour because they cook at a higher heat, however, be aware that this means some vegetables and fish will cook very quickly and will go from raw to burnt in the time you’ve turned your back!
You can also obtain a similar effect by using different wood chips, e.g. Hickory or maple etc. and put the lid down while cooking to trap the smoke inside.
Tip 4:
Many people put some oil on the grill to try and stop food sticking however, Teddy Bricker, an award-winning chef and owner of Soursop, says, “Half a potato and rub the hot grates with them to avoid using a lot of oil. This will make the grill naturally non-stick.” We haven’t tried this yet and so we’ve no idea if it really works or not but it’s worth giving it a try. If you do choose oil over a potato, then oil the food not the grill as the oil burns off at high temperatures.
Tip 5:
Let your meat come to room temperature by taking it out of the fridge 30 mins before putting it on the grill. This is particularly important with thicker cuts as it will not cook evenly and is more likely to dry out.
Tip 6:
Make sure you provide lots of seating for your guests. Also, plenty of napkins/serviettes and think about how you are going to keep your guests dry should a downpour start.
Tip 7:
Experiment with various marinades or rubs (not all at the same time!) You can add some great flavour to meat without adding calories with a rub but allow enough time for it to penetrate the meat, it’s recommended that you rub in your seasoning about 12-24 hours ahead of cooking.
If you choose to use a marinade instead then avoid sugary ones as they are more likely to burn.
Tip 8:
Always let your meat rest after removing it from the barbecue. Although it’s tempting to serve it straight up and tuck in, the meat will improve if left for about 4 mins so the juices even out and you don’t end up with blood on your plate.
Tip 9:
To prevent flame flare-ups which are caused by fat dripping onto the hot coals, trim off excess fat before cooking and don’t spray with water.
Tip 10:
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that everything should be cooked on a high heat. Many professional grill masters believe that long and slow is the order of the day, particularly for large joints.
Tip 11:
Don’t look cheap! If you want to impress people with your barbecues then forget skanky sausages, thin boring burgers and cheap chicken drumsticks, you’ll need to roll out the big guns so think about good quality meat in the form of rump steaks, chunky chicken thighs (breasts are leaner and therefore more likely to dry out), colourful kebabs, and decent sausages etc.
Don’t forget veg’s for the barbecue as well as salads to accompany the grilled food. Good veg to grill are:
Also, halloumi – okay so it’s not a vegetable but vegetarians and meat-eaters love it but it’s a pesky thing to cook on the grill. They fall apart then slip through the grill, instead of cutting across the block, cut horizontally through it into four equal slices they won’t fall apart then.
Tip 12:
Finally – what to drink with your barbecue? We suggest a large bowl of punch, beers, some people like Sangria with their BBQ or just good ol’ wine.
Bonus Tip:
If you’ve been invited but are stuck what to take to contribute then consider drinks, a salad or a dessert.
Enjoy your barbecues this summer!
