We love to BBQ. Wait let me rephrase that, I love it when my husband BBQs because it means fewer dishes and amazing food. Rain or shine, we are always grilling something….from pizza, to fruit, to full blown summer time feasts. Our BBQ is an extension of our kitchen, and our main producer of family meals in the summer. We’ve come a long way since our first grill back in London — it was no bigger than a bicycle tire, and as flimsy as a paper bag — but regardless of your grill size, there are 10 tips to grilling that will produce fabulous results for an endless summer of BBQ fun.
I wanted to start with “get a nice piece of eye candy to do the grilling so you can relax under the summer sun”…. but that goes without saying……..
- Inspect & repair your grill. Check it at least once a year. While your BBQ is cool, inspect your burners, grill plates, lava rocks/ceramic briquettes and every nook and cranny of your grill. Clean everything thoroughly, anything that cannot be cleaned should be replaced.
- Keep your grill plates clean. The trick with cleaning your grill plates is to clean your grill plates after you cook, not before– This prevents food from sticking onto your grill, making it much easier to cook on. When still warm, take a wire brush and clean the grill plates, olive oil is a trade secret that most grilling experts use because it effortless removes chard food, and does not damage the grill plates.
- Give the exterior a good scrub. Mix a solution of standard baking soda and warm water and get scrubbing–this pure cleaning agent will help to revive the exterior of your grill to its original shine.
- Grab an onion. Rather than oiling up your food, oil up your grill. Some of the best grilling experts oil up their grill by impaling a half of an onion, dipping it in olive oil and rubbing it across the grate just before grilling– the smell is mouthwatering, and the effect is brilliant.
- Ditch the BBQ basting brush. Instead grab a bundle of herbs. Using a bundle of Rosemary as a basting brush adds flavor, offers a great aroma and is very eco-chic.
- Manage flare-ups. Grilling anything with a fat cap or marbeling will cause the fat to drip and create a “good flare up” that results in a great tasting cut of meat. Contrary, drips from BBQ sauce, oily or sugary marinades will cause “bad flare ups” and spoil the tate of the foods. Keep a small spray bottle filled with water by the grill infused with a few lemon slices and bay leaves should a bad flare up occur.
- Soak your corn. Before grilling corn, soak it in salty water for an hour to give it a moist finish.
- Check your temperatures. Never toss cold meat on a grill, and always know what temperature to cook your food at — not everything needs to be cooked on a high flame. But more importantly, know your cooking times, poisoning your guests will quickly put you on the naughty list.
- Get creative with your grilling. Grill peaches, melon, banana, mango, citrus and other fruits for a fun twist on traditional sides, and don’t forget to grill your breads, and tortillas — some of the best tacos I have had come right off the grill, corn tortilla and all.
- Check your gas. If nothing else, make sure you have enough gas… nothing spoils a BBQ more than running out of fuel.
And I can hardly write this post without a fabulous shout out to my ‘eye candy’ who let me invade his Ale drinking, podcast listening, grilling time with the click click “can you smile” paparazzi moment that gave me the photos for this post. …..not to mention one fabulous skirt steak with roasted peppers.