How to do the perfect barbeque?
With the arrival of warm weather, barbecues and grilling are back in vogue: if you want to try your hand at it but are still a beginner, here are 8 basic tips for making a perfect barbecue
- How to grill: the useful tips
- The temperature
- The marinating
- Cleaning the grill
- How to grill hamburgers
- How to grill pork ribs
- Can meat and fish be grilled together?
- How to grill vegetables
- How to grill a steak well
Preparing the perfect barbecue is not easy. There are a few little tricks, however, that we can implement to make meat, fish and vegetables delicious and achieve quality cooking on our barbecue. Grilling is a very simple method of cooking that enhances the flavors of meat, fish and vegetables without adding fat, in fact removing fat as it drips onto the grill.
How to grill: useful tips
Below you'll find 8 basic tips that will allow you to barbecue properly even if you're not a barbecue expert.
If, on the other hand, you are contemplating getting a new barbecue take a look at our buying guide:
Temperature.
The most important thing is the temperature. If you really want to be the king of barbecue, you need to have a thermometer with you to measure the heat and figure out when it is time to cook your food, which changes depending on the location of the heat source:
we talk about 260°C for direct cooking, that is, with the exposure of the food at a short distance from the heat source, whether fire or embers, and is typical of the common barbecue. In this case you have to be very careful not to burn the meat and marinate it
Indirect cooking, on the other hand, requires a temperature of about 150°C and is a gentler and lighter method of cooking; however, a barbecue equipped with a lid is needed.
Marinating
In direct cooking, an important step to take before putting the meat on the stove, to achieve a crispy and flavorful result, is to marinate the meat.
It can be done in many ways, the quickest and easiest one is to make a sauce with extra virgin olive oil, garlic and herbs such as rosemary, parsley, and sage.
Then massage the meat by dipping your hands in the oil and let it sit for half an hour before placing it on the stove. The effect will be very flavorful and crispy. Marinating is even more important on dry meats, such as chicken.
Cleaning the grill
Check, before putting the grill on the coals, that it is totally clean. And to keep it that way, maintenance is very important.
When you've finished cooking, clean it as best you can so that you don't leave any burnt residue that can go bad smelling and ruin the meat the next time.
How to grill burgers
If you have never tried grilling before, you could start by cooking burgers: they should not be too thin or they will become tough and dry, you can season them before putting them on the fire simply with salt and pepper.
If you prepare them with minced meat instead, to give them an extra touch of flavor, add a few drops of tabasco too. Put them on the hot grill and ask the diners what level of cooking they want them at. Turn them only once so that they are evenly cooked on both sides.
How to grill pork ribs
Pork ribs are really a must for any barbecue and usually everyone really likes them.
Let's start with the choice of meat: ideally, ask the butcher not to cut them, but to give you a whole piece, so it will be easier to cook and turn, instead of doing it for one rib at a time with tongs.
To give the ribs better flavor, make barbecue sauce: read the recipe below.
Can meat and fish be grilled together?
Never double grill meat and fish unless you have two separate grills.
Even if you keep the two meats apart the smell of one will compromise that of the other.
Fish will cook faster, but the risk is also that it will spoil: remember to always grill whole fish with the skin on. If you have an oil sprayer (or you can also use a brush), distribute it over the fish while cooking so that it does not dry out.
How to grill vegetables
Grilled vegetables are super tasty and are the perfect side dish for a barbecue lunch, but how do you prepare them? Here are a few foolproof rules:
- Wash and dry the vegetables
- cut them into slices one centimeter thick
- Cook first one side and then the other (times vary depending on the vegetable)
- Season only when cooked
- To keep the vegetables hot, they can be placed on a preheated cast-iron griddle
Separate discussion for the peppers: rinse them and place them directly, with the skin on, on the grill.When they begin to take on the smokiness place them in a closed plastic bag, or in a tea towel and let them cool. The condensation and dampness will soften the skin, which will come off in no time.
How to grill a steak well
The high temperature allows steaks to form that delicious crust and retain all the juices that make the meat tender. The biggest mistake? Turning it over by poking it with a pitchfork: it will pierce the crust and let the juices escape, risking a tough, rubbery effect. Arrange for tongs that won't spoil it.
