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Barbecuing Do's and Don'ts
Preheat barbecue each and every time.
If the cooking grates are not hot enough, the food will stick and you will
likely never have a chance of searing your food properly or developing those
handsome sear marks. Even if a recipe calls for medium or low heat, always
preheat the barbecue on highest setting first.
Don't barbecue on dirty grates.
Placing food onto the cooking grates before they have been cleaned is never a
good idea. Left over residue on the grates acts like glue, binding it to the grates
and to your food. To avoid tasting last night's dinner on today's lunch, make sure
that you are barbecuing on a clean cooking grate. Once the grates are preheated,
use a stainless steel bristle barbecue brush to make a clean, smooth surface.
Be present in the process.
Before starting your barbecue, make sure that everything you need is within
arm's reach. Don't forget your essential barbecuing tools, such as oiled and
seasoned food, glazes or sauces and clean cooking platters for the cooked food.
Having to run back to your kitchen not only means missing out on the fun, but
it could also result in burning your food. French chefs call this 'mise en place'
(meaning, 'put in place'). We call it 'being present' .
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Create a little elbow room.
Packing too much food onto the cooking grates restricts your flexibility. Leave
at least one-quarter of the cooking grates clear with plenty of space between
each food item in order to get your tongs in there and easily move the food
around. Sometimes barbecuing involves split-second decisions and the need to
move food from one area of the barbecue to another. So give yourself enough
room to barbecue.
Try not to peek.
The lid on your barbecue is for more than just keeping the rain out. Most
importantly, it's for preventing too much air from getting in and too much heat
and smoke from getting out. When the lid is closed, the cooking grates are hotter,
the cooking times are faster and the smoky tastes are stronger.
Only flip once.
What's better than a juicy steak with a deep sear and plenty of beautifully-
caramelised bits? The key to accomplishing these results is to keep your food
in place. Sometimes we have the tendency to flip our food before it reaches the
desired level of colour and flavour. In nearly all cases, you should turn food just
once. If you are moving it more than that, you are probably also opening the lid too
often which causes its own set of problems. So step back and trust the barbecue.
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