With summertime in full swing, how about a sweet BBQ meal to go along with that beverage in your cup holder:
Everyone loves the taste of succulent BBQ food, and cooking it can be equally as enjoyable. While a summer BBQ can be a hectic experience for rookies, it can also be a unique symphony-like experience for more veteran cooks. No other cooking method lets the chef come into such intimate contact with fire and flames, oil and grease, and the thick smoke that flavours the food. For people who have mastered their BBQ charcoal grills, the experience is extremely rewarding. Just remember that it takes time to be able to get the best results from your BBQ, and you might have to go through a few failures before you get the results you want.
1. If you are using a charcoal barbecue, then you always want to let the coals burn to a light grey colour before placing the food on the grill. Don’t start cooking too soon or you’ll end up with burnt food engulfed in flames.
2. Always keep a water bottle on the side of your BBQ (or in a nearby drink holder) and spray it on the fire when it seems to be getting out of control. Due to fat drippings, a relatively calm fire can get out of control quickly if it isn’t kept in check.
3. The great thing about BBQ food is that you don’t need to constantly flip or turn it. So certainly keep an eye on the grill, but resist the temptation to flip your food until it’s done. By leaving it on the grill and turning only once you get the most even cooking while preserving all the juice inside.
4. Some people get careless when it comes to food safety and barbequing. Make sure never to mix the utensils you use for cooked and uncooked food. And always check to see that all your food is thoroughly cooked on the inside.
5. Marinades and flavour are important, but great steaks have natural flavour built into them. So if you have a high quality piece of meat, all you need is some salt and pepper and let the steak do the rest. You don’t want to interfere with the innate flavour by introducing any sauces or dry rubs that will be overpowering.
