| Choosing your Barbecue | | | | cooked all the way through before you serve it. |
| There are two types of barbecue to consider, | | | | Flavouring |
| traditional charcoal barbecues and gas powered | | | | When food is cooking on the grill, juices drip onto the |
| barbecues. The type you choose will, of course, | | | | hot charcoal and the smoke released gives the food |
| depend on your budget and preferences. Charcoal | | | | the characteristic smoky, barbecue flavor. In order to |
| barbecues are cheaper to buy than gas barbecues | | | | enhance the flavor marinades are usually used to |
| but tend to be more expensive to run. In addition, if | | | | imbue flavor into the food and also to coat the food |
| you are concerned about the environment you should | | | | so that the marinade caramelises in the heat and |
| only use charcoal from sustainable sources and this | | | | adds to the flavor. Marinades were traditionally used |
| might be hard to find. Almost all the charcoal sold, | | | | to tenderise the meat and marinades which contain |
| estimated to be over 97%, is from non-sustainable | | | | acidic juices such as lime juice, wine or yoghurt break |
| sources such as tropical rainforests. | | | | down the meat proteins. Oils are also used in a |
| Charcoal barbecues are simpler in construction than | | | | marinade to keep the food moist during grilling. |
| gas barbecues as all that is really needed is a vented | | | | Marinades for fish and vegetables do not need |
| metal bowl to hold the charcoal and a rack for the | | | | tenderisers. |
| food. They are harder to light than gas barbecues | | | | Safety |
| but for many people that is part of the fun! Many | | | | Always keep children and pets away from barbecues |
| people also enjoy the smell and general ambience of | | | | and have a bucket of sand handy just in case you |
| a traditional charcoal barbecue. Charcoal barbecues | | | | need to quench the barbecue in an emergency. |
| are small and portable and very suitable for taking on | | | | The main consideration when grilling food on a |
| camping trips. | | | | barbecue is to avoid any chance of food poisoning. |
| Gas barbecues are more expensive to buy but are | | | | This can occur from allowing frozen food to defrost |
| very easy to light and come with a range of | | | | at room temperature when bacteria can grow on the |
| features to make cooking easy and fun. They may | | | | outer, defrosted parts of the food while the rest is |
| have multiple burners that are easy to control and | | | | still frozen. Always defrost completely in a |
| side burners for other dishes, such as pasta or rice | | | | refrigerator before using. Never leave cooked or |
| dishes that need to be boiled rather than grilled. They | | | | partially cooked food at room temperature as |
| are also bulkier than charcoal barbecues and less easy | | | | bacteria can double in number in as little as thirty |
| to store. | | | | minutes on a warm summer day. |
| Barbecue Tips | | | | Poultry can contain salmonella and campylobacter and |
| * Charcoal is ready to be used when it glows red | | | | meats can contain E Coli. Contamination can easily be |
| inside and is ash grey outside. | | | | transferred from uncooked food to cooked food by |
| * Place food on a hot rack in the center of the grill. It | | | | direct contact or by using utensils first on the |
| will stick at first then become looser when the food | | | | uncooked food then on the cooked food. Never use |
| is seared. | | | | the same utensils or working surfaces for both. |
| * Slow cooking food should be seared on the hottest | | | | Safety Points |
| part of the grill then moved to the edges or the rack | | | | * Defrost all frozen poultry, meat and fish in a |
| raised to cook slowly and thoroughly all the way | | | | microwave (fast) or a refrigerator (slowly) |
| through. Slow cooking food includes meats and | | | | * Never place raw food next to cooked food or use |
| poultry. | | | | the same work surfaces or utensils. |
| * Fast cooking foods should be seared and cooked in | | | | * Thoroughly defrost all food before grilling and check |
| the hottest part of the grill. fast cooking foods | | | | to ensure that it is cooked all the way through |
| include fish and vegetables. | | | | before serving. |
| * Regularly turn the food and ensure it is thoroughly | | | | |