Hints 'n' Tips

SAFETY.
When barbecuing this is the most important factor, as barbecues are generally a family event. Always keep children and pets well away from the barbecue area to prevent accidents with hot surfaces, food and naked flames. Always read instructions when using lighting agents and Never use petrol or other flammable liquids that are not for specific use on the barbecues.

PREPARATION.
Have everything you need for grilling - the food, marinade, basting sauce, seasonings, and equipment - on hand and at grill side before you start grilling.

FUEL.
There's nothing worse than running out of charcoal in the middle of grilling. When using charcoal, light enough to form a bed of glowing coals 3 inches larger on all sides than the surface area of the food you're planning to cook.

TOOLS.
Ensure you have a good set of barbecue tools.
The proper way to turn meat on a grill is with tongs or a spatula. Never stab the meat with a carving fork - unless you want to drain the flavour-rich juices onto the coals.

USE THE LID.
When cooking larger cuts of meat and poultry, such as a whole chicken, leg of lamb, or prime rib, ensure you use a barbecue like the Bar-Be-Quick Trolley Grill and Bake with Lid and use the indirect method of grilling or barbecuing . Keep the grill tightly covered and resist the temptation to peek. Every time you lift the lid, you add 5 to 10 minutes to the cooking time.
By leaving the lid on a Kettle barbecue whilst cooking burgers and sausages will retain greater flavour.  The heat trapped within the barbecue helps the food to cook slowly and more evenly – avoiding the ‘burnt yet raw’ sausage situation with which many of us will be familiar.
Alternatively grill food with the lid off to sear the meat, enhancing its flavour and creating a crisp, caramelised texture, then put the lid back on to enable the meat to cook through fully.  Searing works wonderfully with meats such as steak, chops and chicken. 

DIRECT AND INDIRECT COOKING
There are two main methods of cooking on a Kettle barbecue – Direct and Indirect:
With the Direct (or grilling) method food is cooked directly over the heat source, so the charcoal should be arranged evenly across the charcoal grate and the cooking grill placed over it. Place the food on the grill, put the lid on the Kettle barbecue and turn food only once halfway through cooking. 
This method is best for foods that take up to half an hour to cook, such as steaks, chops, sausages and vegetables.

With the Indirect (or roasting) method, food is cooked slowly and evenly due to the rising heat reflecting off the lid and inside surfaces of the grill.  The charcoals should be arranged on either side of the charcoal grate, leaving an empty space in the middle and the food on the cooking grill should be positioned over the space.  Place the lid on the Kettle barbecue and lift it only occasionally to baste or to check that food is cooked.
This method works best with foods that require a longer cooking time, such as whole chickens, ribs and other large cuts of meat, as well as with delicate foods such as fish fillets

DRIPS PANS/TRAYS
When roasting foods in your Kettle barbecue, placing a drip tray in the space between the coals is a great way of collecting drippings that can be used for gravies, and also helps to prevent flare-ups when cooking more fatty foods.  You may need to add water to the drip tray to prevent the drippings from burning whilst food is cooking.

Position a drip tray filled with water on top of the charcoal grill in your Kettle barbecue to generate a steam effect, which helps to add moisture ensuring that meats are extra tender and flavoursome.

STAND & DELIVER.
Beef, steak, chicken - almost anything you grill-will taste better if you let it stand on the cutting board for a few minutes before serving. This allows the meat juices, which have been driven to the center of a roast or steak by the searing heat, to return to the surface. The result is a juicier, tastier piece of meat.

SMOKING CHIPS/CHUNKS
Add a smoked flavour to your food by using smoking chips, which can be found in our Accessories category.  Start by arranging charcoal briquettes on each side of the charcoal grate in your Kettle barbecue and then place a heavy aluminium foil tray between them.  Into this pour 2 cups of water along with any flavourings you fancy (marinades, barbecue sauce, wine or herbs and spices all work well) then allow the coals to heat up for 30 minutes before sprinkling the smoking chips directly onto them.  Wait a few minutes and then cook your food as usual on the cooking grate over the water pan.
Smoked foods make great leftovers as the flavour intensifies after a couple of days, so put any uneaten food in the fridge for a really tasty snack later in the week

ON THE BALL.
Grilling is an easy cooking method, but it demands constant attention. Once you put something on the grill (especially when using the direct method), stay with it until it's cooked. This is not the time to answer the phone, make the salad dressing, or mix up a batch of your favourite Nachos. Above all, have fun.

CAN I HAVE A BARBECUE THIS WEEKEND