Barbeque Basics

Today is officially the last day of summer, but in Australia our climate allows us to enjoy barbequing most of the year round. Everyone loves a good barbeque: less fuss, more fun and flavour, and great for entertaining. Barbequing has come a long way since the days of overcooked steaks and charred sausages. But surprisingly, even in our barbeque-obsessed country, many people are still intimidated by outdoor cooking. Here are a few tips that will have you the master of the grill in no time:

• Understand the difference between direct and indirect cooking. Direct cooking is when the food is cooked directly under the heat source (best for steaks, sausages, kebabs, prawns, fish and burgers). Indirect cooking is similar to roasting or cooking in an oven, and requires a barbeque with a cover or hood and the ability to be able to turn off the burner directly underneath the food (best for roasts, whole chicken or fish).

• Most barbeques will allow you the choice of cooking the food on either the flatplate or the grills. Cooking on the grill will give the food characteristic grill marks as well as enhanced flavour, but be aware that small items can fall through the bars. Food cooked on the grill can also be prone to flare-ups caused by fat dripping onto the flames.

• As with cooking in the kitchen, always ensure your barbeque is preheated before you commence cooking. The time will vary depending on the fuel you are using – gas is much quicker than charcoal or heat beads.

• If your barbeque has a lid, cook with the lid down and resist the temptation to check on the food too often. This will reduce the chance of flare-ups and will also retain the heat.

• Unless the recipes states otherwise, turn your food only once.

• NEVER prick sausages or other meats with a fork – this causes juice and flavour to escape and will result in a tougher meat.

• A light coating of oil will help the food to brown evenly and stop it sticking. You can also brush or spray the oil on the barbeque.

• Bring meat (NOT chicken) to room temperature before cooking, but don’t let it stand for more than 20 minutes, particularly if it’s a warm day.

• Trim excess fat from meat to avoid flare-ups.

• When using bamboo skewers for kebabs, always soak for an hour in water before using to avoid them charring catching fire.

• Smoking wood or chips add extra flavour to your food. These are available at barbeque shops in a variety of types – mesquite, hickory and applewood are popular choices. Always soak in water prior to using so that they smoulder slowly.

• As in all recipes, cooking times are a guide and vary depending on various factors such as wind, temperature and altitude.

• Never cut into a piece of meat to see if it is cooked, as the juices will escape resulting in a tough meat. A cooking thermometer is a highly useful tool and is the only true way to tell when your meat or poultry is cooked to perfection.

• After you’ve finished cooking, do a “burn-off”, which cleans the barbeque. On a gas barbeque, turn all the burners on high, close the lid and leave for about 10 minutes (check your instruction manual, as not all barbeques can withstand 10 minutes on high with a closed hood). Then brush the cooking grates with a long-handles grill brush (available from barbeque stores). For a charcoal grill, it’s easier to clean the cooking grate just before you begin cooking after the barbeque has pre-heated.

• Food safety is particularly important when barbequing. Always keep cooked and uncooked foods separate – never place cooked food on the same plate that the raw food was on prior to cooking. See our fact sheet on Food Safety for more food safety tips.