Tips for the Perfect Barbeque

Now that the weather has finally taken a turn for the better, many of us are dusting off the old barbecue and inviting loved ones round for some al fresco dining. But there are so many things that can go wrong with a barbecue – undercooked food, overcooked food, completely burnt to a cinder food, and plenty more – that what at first seemed like a great, fun idea can soon become something of a regret. It’s okay though. Creating the ultimate barbecue doesn’t have to be a chore and it’s nothing to panic about. The aim of this particular game is to have fun and eat good food, and that’s what following these tips is going to get you.

Don’t Cook It All!

Cooking all the things might sound like an excellent plan to start with, but it will only make things difficult for you. The timings for managing to get a load of different types of chicken, burgers, sausages, kebabs and what not ready all at once is just going to be pretty much impossible. You’ll get into a panic even if you are normally an accomplished chef, and for those of us who don’t do that much cooking we might just feel like walking away.

Don’t.

The key is to choose a few lovely, juicy cuts of meat that will cook at the same time. Those are the things that go on the barbecue together. For everything else, well, in order to get that barbecue flavour it really only needs to be finished off on the grill; the rest of the cooking can be done in the oven. This is a particularly useful tip when it comes to chicken because raw chicken is the biggest no no of them all…nobody wants food poisoning now, do they?!

Ask Your Butcher

Rather than buying your meat from a supermarket, why not go to your local butcher? You can ask about the best cuts to use on a barbecue, and what will cook evenly – and what cooks in the same time as something else. Plus, buying local is always a good thing to do whenever you can. The cost of the meat will probably surprise you (in a good way!), plus you get all the expertise of the butcher thrown in for free; they are the masters of meat after all.

Don’t Forget The Sides

Although the main focus of the barbecue might traditionally be meat, that’s not necessarily the way to go. A big old plate of sausages and steak might

sound delicious, but it can sometimes be too much. A little bit of greenery in the form of a fresh salad can make all the difference, giving your guests something else to munch on as a starter or as part of the main event. You could try some grilled corn on the cob, couscous salad or a rice salad and no forgetting the classics coleslaw and potato salad…Mmm yum!

The key with the sides is to pick the ones that can be made in advance. The day before is perfect, but making them in the morning and keeping them chilled will work too.

Don’t Skimp On The Marinade

Whether you’re making it yourself or buying it in, make sure your meat soaks for as long as possible when it comes to the marinade. The longer the better because more flavour will be infused. Overnight is great.

Drinks

Don’t forget the drinks! You could get so carried away making sure that the food is delicious and planning how to cook it that you completely ignore the other important factor of the day. Drinks don’t have to be alcohol based ones, although if you do want to get in the wine and beer it might be worth looking at special offers that are on the go. Some people may even want to take a ‘booze cruise’ across to France to stock up, but this can be much more trouble than it’s worth (not to mention you’ll need to think about passport renewal –  and of course take the exchange rate into consideration). The easiest option is to speak to a local retailer and see what they can offer in terms of bulk buying, assuming there are going to be enough of you to make it worth doing. If this is a simple family get together or a few friends, then picking up some drinks from the supermarket will be fine.

Soft drinks are just as important, especially if it’s hot or lots of people are driving.

Cleaning Up

No one wants to have spent a load of time cooking the barbecue only to then have to spend the same kind of time clearing up and missing out on all the fun. The good news is you don’t have to. In fact, the barbecue itself shouldn’t be cleaned at all – it’s true! Leave the fat right where it is because it actually prevents rust from forming. The next time you get the barbecue out, heat it up nicely and then use a wire brush to rub off all the charred remnants of the last time you used it. Lovely.

As for the rest, one big bin bag (or two if you recycle) and paper plates, plastic cutlery and one use cups are the best way to do this. Everything that can’t be saved such as leftover meat and food that might be great cold the next day (as long as it is well refrigerated) can be dumped into one bag, including the plates and cups. That’s it – nice and easy!

So quickly go have a barbeque, we all know our summers aren’t the longest!