Everyone loves a barbecue but they can go so wrong. Avoid any disasters with our helpful tips on the common BBQ mistakes:
Let the BBQ heat up
It takes around 30 minutes to light and heat up a barbecue to a cookable temperature. Don’t wait for your guests to turn up before you get started or they’ll end up filling up on your snacks before your food. Light your barbecue early and start cooking whenever the coals are ready and if you need to keep your food warm in the oven wrapped loosely in foil.
Have some patience
You can’t rush perfection, this is one of the biggest BBQ mistakes. Your meat might look done but it could still be raw on the inside. Use a digital thermometer to check the temperature inside to make sure you don’t poison yourself or your guests.
Precook if you need to
Some foods, such as sausages, benefit from pre-cooking to keep them juicy. Poach them in stock until cooked through, then barbecue until golden. The other choice is to start stuff on the grill, then move them to a baking tray and finish them in the oven.
Stop using a disposable BBQ
Unless you really don’t have room for a proper BBQ don’t waste your time on the cheap disposable ones. They may seem like a cheap convenience but they don’t have much room, an even heat and tend to be more hassle than help. You’re better off buying a small barbecue instead.
Prep beforehand
You can’t manage a barbecue while you’re chopping things up or looking for your utensils. Get all your sides, salads and equipment prepped before you start and just cover and chill them if you need to. Make sure you don’t touch cooked food with any of your tools that have been in contact with raw meat. Have separate equipment, trays and plates for handling cooked and raw food.
Season your food properly
Whether it’s meat or veg your food needs to be seasoned. Salt and pepper are the basic go-to but playing around with seasoning can step up your food. No one likes under-seasoned food so make sure you aren’t under doing it.
Let the meat rest
No matter how you cook meat – on the barbecue, on the stovetop, or in the oven – you should never cut into it or serve it immediately after it’s done. Allow it to rest for three to five minutes for steak or lamb chops, and up to ten minutes for larger cuts of meat like pork loin or leg of lamb. Heat draws the juices of the meat to the middle, and allowing them to rest briefly allows them to be reabsorbed and spread more equally. As a result, the beef is moister and juicier, and it loses less juice when sliced.
Spend some time with your guests
Of all our BBQ tips this is the biggest. The point of a barbecue is as much about socialising as it is the food. Don’t overstretch yourself by trying to cook too much. One or two meat dishes, a veggie option, some sides and plenty of drinks are all you need. Spend some time with your guests and just enjoy yourself.
