Cooking is a skill and an art that can be learned. One of the best ways of becoming a better cook is to learn the techniques of cooking first before anything else. Here are a few tips on Barbequing that will set you up towards that path of becoming a better cook.
If the meat has been sitting in the fridge, take it out for atleast 25 minutes before barbequing. This will allow it to reach room temperature for better results. When the meat is too cold when barbequing, there is a risk of burning on the outside before it is fully cooked through on the inside.
Fall in love with seasoning. Seasoning helps build layers of flavor into your food. However do not salt meat ahead of time unless it is a larger cut. Salt tends to pull out moisture from meat.
Sear your food over direct flames and then move to indirect heat to cook. There are two ways of barbequing food; over direct heat, or indirect heat. Direct heat food is cooked directly over the flames whereas indirect heat, the flames are on one side and the food on the other side of the barbeque. The direct heat method is good with food that take a shorter period to cook eg sausages and skewers. Indirect barbeque is good foods that take long to cook such as large cuts of meat and whole chicken.
Use tongs to turn the food rather than a fork or anything that can poke a hole into the food. Poking a hole into the food will let the juices escape.
To get those perfect grill marks, clean and oil the barbeque then cook the food just long enough to get strong lines. Do not move the food around. Avoid also trying to get the grill lines on the second side. Doing this may take too long and overcook the food.
Pre-heat the barbeque first before cooking. This will seal the food and ensure maximum flavour is achieved.
For charcoal barbeque ensure that the charcoal is grey and glowing before you start cooking. This shows that its at its hottest.
Test for doneness especially for meats, poultry and any other high-risk food. Use a small sharp knife to cut into the centre to check if the food is fully cooked. However for steaks use you hand to avoid piercing as this may cause it to dry out when the juices escape.
Marinate your meat overnight especially if it is a large portion to ensure maximum flavor.
For fish, seafood and vegetables, marinate for 15-20 minutes. For small portions of meat and poultry, marinate for 1-3 hours.
