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THE PERFECT BBQ and how to easily achieve it

Mix 3 each roughly-grated mild onions and carrots, small cabbage shredded, 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard, 3 tbsp mayonnaise, juice small lemon, ground salt and pepper in large bowl.

COLESLAW

½ each diced Iceberg lettuce, cucumber, red onion, orange/yellow pepper, 18 cherry tomatoes, 10 radishes; large handful rocket; balsamic dressing. Toss in large bowl.

SALAD

Buns can be toasted as and when you need them. Wipe an area of grill and toast each side for 25 seconds.

BUNS

There is an incredible amount of variety in fish but most are very simple and quick to cook. Wrap your fish in aluminium foil with butter, herbs and lemon and place on a medium heat. Fish cooks quickly;Fish cooks quickly; thin cuts will need 5 minutes, thick cuts closer to 9 minutes. Cooked fish meat will flake easily with a fork and will appear opaque all the way through.

FISH

CORN ON THE COBCobs of corn need 30 minutes in water before cooking. Next place the cobs on foil and add butter before wrapping them up. Corn only needs a low heat but can take up to half an hour. Simple and delicious.

Some chefs like to add seasoning and sauce to burger meat before cooking, others prefer to cook them in the natural juices. 4-5 minutes per side is enough for burgers but again try not to turn them more than once to retain moisture.

BURGERS

The potential kebab ingredient combinations are endless and great fun to experiment with. Ground, boneless and marinated meats are all delicious on a kebab alongside peppers, onion, mushrooms and anything else you can think of. If you are using wooden skewers they If you are using wooden skewers they will need to soak for 30 minutes before cooking to prevent them from catching fire and also to keep the meat moist. Your kebabs should sizzle as soon as they touch the grill and will need to be turned regularly for an even finish. The ingredients will cook quickly as they The ingredients will cook quickly as they are small and can be monitored easily but beware that some parts will cook quicker than others, for example tomatoes versus meat.

KEBABS (SKEWERS)

Peel and cube 600g potatoes and boil from cold until tender. When cool mix with 115g mayonnaise, 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard, 4 chopped spring onions, 1 tbsp each olive and vegetable oil, small handful fine chopped parsley.

POTATO SALAD

The last thing you want to do with sausages is to overheat them; the skin splits and burns before the middle can cook and the juices escape. Sausages are best cooked on an Sausages are best cooked on an indirect medium heat whilst being rotated regularly. A blast of high heat before or after the indirect heat is also important for a brown crispy finish. Allow 10-15 minutes for the sausages to cook through.

SAUSAGES

Lamb chops also respond well to a good marinade. Coat the meat in a mixture olive oil, crushed garlic, lemon juice, oregano, salt and pepper then leave for 1 to 2 hours. Lamb chops are best cooked on a medium heat and will only need 3-5 per side depending on thickness per side depending on thickness and preference.

LAMB CHOPS

Some BBQ experts recommend a brine treatment for pork chops - an hour soak in a salt and sugar solution. Brining isn’t to everyones taste but is Brining isn’t to everyones taste but is supposed to help the meat retain moisture and prevent dry, tough chops. Next apply black pepper before putting them straight on the grill. For best results sear both sides on a high heat, then move to a gentler medium heat to cook the middle. After 6 minutes of medium heat on each side, minutes of medium heat on each side, cover with foil and allow the chops to sit for a further ten minutes before serving.

PORK CHOPS

Unlike other meats, seasoning of steak is best left until the last minute as salt can draw out the moisture. When ready to cook, season one side with salt and pepper and grill this side first to seal in the flavour, then season the other side before turning. Its important to only turn the steak once as any excess turn the steak once as any excess movement will cause moisture to escape. Cooking time varies with cut and thickness but a thick steak will be well done after 6 minutes on each side. With this in mind, a thin, rare steak will only need 1 minute per side. Cover with foil and rest for 5 minutes before serving. Practice is the real secret to good steak.

STEAKS

The traditional, juicy, sticky southern barbecue ribs that we are aiming for are slow cooked in a barbecue pit for many hours at a relatively low temperature. The comparatively fast cooking, smoky heat of the British barbecue grill is likely to produce dry, chewy ribs. For this reason, ribs are chewy ribs. For this reason, ribs are best cooked in the oven where a low temperature setting reduces the amount of moisture lost. For best results cook your ribs at 135 degrees C for 4.5 hours.

RIBS

Wings are great for marinades which are best applied a few hours in advance and range from the mild, sweet, or tangy to the insanely hot. Whatever your preference, marinades Whatever your preference, marinades can be bought or easily created by combining one or more of your favourite sauces (think teriyaki, soy, tomato, sweet chilli) with honey or yogurt and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. A small drop of oil will stop the marinade A small drop of oil will stop the marinade from sticking to the grill too much. For a lighter alternative, skip the marinade and use a dry rub of herbs, paprika or chilli powder. Wings are best cooked on a medium heat Wings are best cooked on a medium heat and should take no longer than 15 minutes - when the thickest part of the wing is no longer pink its ready to serve.

CHICKEN WINGS

Almost 2,000 people a year are rushed to hospital due to BBQ related injuries(RoSPA 2012)

Hundreds more from BBQ implement-related accidents

40,000 tonnes of barbecue charcoal is bought annually(Worldwide)

Men are responsible for 8 out of 10 BBQ related accidents, causing an average of £383 damage

National BBQ week end of May annually(UK)

2 out of 3 households own a BBQ

Barbecue market worth £7 billion in 2011

9 BBQ’s held per household every summer

Very simple preparation; first of all scrub your potato(s) first of all scrub your potato(s) clean, cut out any black spots and give the potato a few pricks with a fork. Next, rub a little olive oil or butter on the skin and season if you want to (salt and pepper, garlic and thyme, parmesan cheese – whatever you like). Finally, wrap in whatever you like). Finally, wrap in foil making sure to cover the whole potato and place over a medium heat for approximately 45 minutes (precook in an oven or microwave if you are short on time). Should squash under gentle pressure from a gloved hand when ready. Serve a gloved hand when ready. Serve with butter, coleslaw, beans…

JACKET POTATOES

And obviously, don’t let food scorch

(unless you like it that way)

TEMPERTURE/REST

Check meat temperature 5 minutes prior to finish and remember that hot juices will keep the meat cooking after

it’s off the heat

Don’t overcrowd the cooking area as this reduces surface heat of the grill causing

meats to stew

READY? SPACE

Some chefs profess the need for regularly turning the meat to create a perfect rich, brown crust with a juicy, evenly cooked centre. Others implore BBQ cooks not to leave their meats alone (except sausages).

Our answer:Our answer: different strokes for different folks. Experiment!

TO FLIP OR NOT TO FLIP

Remember; Sugar burns at 130 degrees C (265 degrees F). If your ribs, or other meat, is coated with sauces or is coated with sauces or rubs that contain sugar you need to keep your grilling temperature below this level or your food will burn and blacken.

Use meat thermometer on thickest part to check rather than cutting meat, which will let the juices escape and dry out.

SAUCE TEST

Lightly grease your grate with quality vegetable oil to prevent sticking

Dry food with paper towelling before cooking to avoid flair ups from dripping liquid

OIL DRIPS

If you don’t have a charcoal chimney (which is a prudent investment for anyone with a prodigious appetite for BBQ food); assemble your briquettes in a neat, central mound and apply lighting fluid liberally, allowing a minute for it to soak in. Rolled up newspaper is the best way to Rolled up newspaper is the best way to ignite your briquettes, as the flame will be quite big. Once the outside of the briquettes are glowing and have developed a white ash exterior you are almost ready to go. Approx time: 30 minutes

Note: lighting fluid and self lighting coals contain chemicals that will flavour your food so allow an extra 10 minutes for them to burn off once your BBQ is ablaze.is ablaze.

COAL

Light your BBQ on its highest setting and wait for at least 10 minutes with the lid down.When thoroughly warmed up, turn down to cooking level and maintain for a further 5 minutes for the temperature to adjust before adding food.adding food.Approx time: 15 minutes

GAS

Ensure grill and drip areas are clean [clean before use every time]

BBQ’s should be cleaned lightly before and after every use to ensure longevity. The grill itself should be cleaned thoroughly every time to guarantee the surface is hygienic and also to stop food sticking. A good, tough wire brush is as vital to the dedicated barbecue chef as a spatula, and is best used when the grill has cooled but is still warm.

If you have a charcoal BBQ, cleaning the ash catcher is also important to avoid tainting your meat and creating excess smoke.

For gas barbecues, avoid the temptation to use ‘clean’ settings to eviscerate For gas barbecues, avoid the temptation to use ‘clean’ settings to eviscerate dirt and food remains – this technique is less effective than soapy water and risks warping cooking grates, cracking ceramic igniters, and can cause metal fatigue in the burners.

THEPERFECT BBQ

and how to easily achieve it