| These free barbecue tips are designed to help you | | | | thermometer to test your cooked meat is both a |
| enjoy your forthcoming garden barbecues during the | | | | sensible safety precaution and is a great investment |
| warmer months, and will help to improve both the | | | | for the kitchen as well. |
| safety and the quality of your garden barbecue with | | | | 7) Make a dry rub or barbecue seasoning |
| very little effort. | | | | To maximise the flavour from barbecue food, you |
| 1) Oiling the grill. | | | | can use a "dry rub", also known as a seasoning on |
| Prior to cooking, spray or brush on some vegetable | | | | the meat prior to cooking. Dry rubs can consist of as |
| oil onto the grill surface, avoiding adding too much. | | | | little as salt and ground black pepper, to much more |
| This will reduce the chances of your food sticking to | | | | flavoursome varieties that include dry spices such as |
| the grill resulting in exposed flesh, and tough food. | | | | ginger, cinnamon, garlic, thyme, sage, paprika, ground |
| 2) Aluminium foil BBQ tray. | | | | cumin and many others. |
| Use kitchen aluminium foil, doubled over, to line the | | | | Try experimenting with dry seasoning's, and |
| base of your barbecue. Turn up the edges of the | | | | remember that a little goes a long way. If you have |
| "tray" 2-3 inches, and then cook on your barbecue | | | | any seasoning left over afterwards, seal it in an |
| grill as usual. During cooking, the juices and fat | | | | airtight container and store in a dry, cool place for |
| drippings will collect with the rest of the residues | | | | several weeks. |
| from cooking and be easy to remove afterwards. | | | | 8) Use Barbeque wood chips. |
| This will help to reduce the time it takes to clean up | | | | If your barbecue grill has a lid, or cover of some sort, |
| your garden barbecue afterwards. | | | | consider using BBQ wood chips, remembering to |
| 3) Barbecue sauces. | | | | prepare them properly before use. Moisten the wood |
| If you are basting your food during cooking with a | | | | chips before use by placing a handful or two |
| barbecue sauce, make sure that you do not place | | | | according to the manufacturers instructions, into a |
| the meat too close to the heat too early on during | | | | bowl of water, allowing them to soak for at least |
| cooking. If you do, it will result in charring and bitter | | | | half an hour before use in your BBQ smoker or |
| tasting food. | | | | garden barbecue. |
| Adding BBQ sauce early on does nothing for the | | | | Avoid placing unprepared wood chips directly onto |
| flavour, instead, add a little sauce to food during the | | | | charcoal or near a direct heat source as they will burn |
| end of cooking, around 5-10 minutes before serving | | | | quickly and release a bitter tasting smoke that could |
| so that the sauce sticks to the meat properly and | | | | ruin your food. |
| provide a tasty coating. | | | | 9) Eating healthily. |
| 4) Barbecue marinades. | | | | Avoid drinking milk during the course of a barbecue |
| Marinades improve the flavour and texture of all | | | | as this slows down digestion of food. Instead try |
| barbecue food, so use them often. Preparing for a | | | | drinking other beverages that complement the food |
| barbecue the following day using a few minutes of | | | | you are cooking, such as imported lagers and ales, |
| your time in the evening will result in more succulent | | | | white and rose wines, spritzers and fruit cordials for |
| food with additional taste. Marinades take a few | | | | younger guests. |
| minutes to prepare, and when finished, you can | | | | Ensure that excess fat has been trimmed away from |
| cover the marinaded food in cling-film and place in the | | | | all meats before cooking, and once cooked, food |
| fridge overnight for excellent results. | | | | may be gently patted down with kitchen towel to |
| 5) Cooking small pieces of meat. | | | | remove any excess surface fats before serving. The |
| If possible, cook smaller pieces of meat indirectly, and | | | | food will look more appetising and result in healthy |
| if not, cook on a low heat around the edges of the | | | | BBQ food at the same time. |
| grill while you cook the larger pieces in the centre of | | | | 10) Safety first. |
| the grill where the heat is higher. | | | | Ensuring your friends and families safety at a garden |
| If smaller pieces of meat, such as chicken wings and | | | | barbecue is paramount, and a few basic precautions |
| sausages are cooked before a whole chicken, or | | | | will go a long way if an accident should occur. |
| beef brisket, remove them from the grill, wrap tightly | | | | Always have a bucket of water near the grill when |
| in kitchen foil, and place in the bottom of the oven | | | | cooking. This is fine for use on a charcoal or gas |
| on 120f until you are ready to serve. | | | | barbecue, and remember to use sand on an electric |
| 6) Cooking large pieces of meat. | | | | barbecues should a fire occur. |
| When cooking larger pieces of meat, apply a | | | | Fire blankets are an inexpensive and versatile piece |
| seasoning, known as a barbecue rub, prior to cooking. | | | | of safety equipment that can be used in both the |
| This will enhance the flavour greatly at the end. If | | | | kitchen and the garden, and are readily available at |
| time allows, cook the meat for an extended period | | | | most D.I.Y. stores. |
| of time, using a much lower temperature than may | | | | Use tongs when handling food over a hot grill to |
| be used normally. Ensure that meat is cooked | | | | avoid burns, and use oven mitts when handling hot |
| properly at the end by using a temperature probe. | | | | griddle plates and other items that are too hot to the |
| Chicken is cooked through at 165f, steaks and chops | | | | touch. |
| at 165f and ham at 160f. Using a barbecue | | | | |