How to Make Your Last BBQ of the Summer Your Best

Introduction

Ever been to a barbecue party where the 'chef' placed as much food as he could possibly fit onto the barbecue grill, every so often stabbing the food with a fork and juggling it around so that it cooks evenly? Ever noticed how, within a few minutes, the flames start gently flickering under the food, the chef proudly standing back admiring the char grill effect that he's creating? Ever notice the panic that sets in when the flames suddenly leap up and around the food burning it black on the outside and leaving it raw on the inside?

The difference between great char-grilled barbecue food and burnt offerings lies in a few small precautions. The chef that we've just described made a few fatal errors that could easily have been avoided.

Understanding Your Equipment

Before discussing the errors, let's consider the equipment that we're talking about. Although the same can happen with gas as with charcoal, gas grills can be turned lower, or off, when the flames start getting out of control.

The flames can also be controlled if the barbecue grill has a tight-fitting lid, as with a Weber kettle grill. However, most people seem to cook on an open-top barbecue grill with the lid, if it has one, open. Note that we're talking about a barbecue grill here, where the food is cooked directly over the hot coals. True barbecue uses indirect heat with the food fully enclosed as though in an oven.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

1. The Rule of Thirds: Managing Heat Zones

Our imaginary chef's first error was filling the grate with charcoal along its entire length, providing a constant heat source with no area of lower heat to place food if it started to burn.

The Solution: Use the rule of thirds. Imagine the grate of your barbecue being in thirds:

• Fill two-thirds of the grill with charcoal
• Leave the remaining third empty
• Cook your food over the hot coals
• When your food is ready, starts to burn, or creates out-of-control flames, move it to the section above the empty grate

The food will stay warm but won't cook any more (or will cook much more slowly), and won't cause any flare-ups.

Advanced Tip: If you have a large enough grill, create three levels of heat by placing a double level of coals in one third of the grate, a single level of coals in the middle, and no coals in the final third.

2. Don't Overfill the Grill

Completely filling the grill leaves no room to maneuver the food. You're not able to turn it for even cooking and you have no space to move the food to a lower heat.

Best Practices:

• When you first start cooking, leave empty the area of the grill above where you've placed no coals
• Don't pack the cooking part of the grill with food
• Leave room to comfortably turn your food

3. Cook Foods in the Right Order

A second problem caused when overfilling the grill is using foods that require different cooking times. When the coals are first ready to use, they're at their hottest.

Cooking Timeline:

1. High Heat (Initial Stage): Cook small, thin items that can be cooked in a short time - sausages, burgers, kebabs, and small pieces of meat off the bone
2. Medium Heat (Middle Stage): After the heat has died down somewhat, grill food that takes a little longer - chops, steaks, and meat on the bone
3. Low Heat (Final Stage): When the heat is even lower, grill food like fruit kebabs that really only need heating through

Important Note: Foods such as burgers and sausages drip fat and juices onto the charcoal during cooking, and it's this that causes flare-ups. Constantly watch these items and move them to an area of lower heat if necessary.

4. Never Stab Your Food

Our imaginary chef stabs his food with a barbecue fork to turn it over. This is a critical mistake!

During the initial few minutes of grilling, the heat seals the surface of the meat, sealing in the juices. When the meat is stabbed, the juices flow out onto the coals, causing:

• The meat to dry out and become tough
• Flare-ups which burn the food

The Solution: When turning food, always use barbecue tongs.

Key Takeaways

With a charcoal barbecue, controlling the heat is difficult. Instead, you need to ensure that you cook your individual items of food at the most appropriate time and that you have separate areas of heat.

Remember these principles:

• Use the rule of thirds to provide separate areas of heat
• Grill quick-cook food when the coals are at their hottest
• Cook food that requires mid-temperature cooking for a longer time
• Finally, cook food that needs low heat
• Always use tongs, never forks

Follow these guidelines, and your last BBQ of the summer will truly be your best!