The barbecue is one of my favorite ways of cooking, it is a communal activity which takes us back to our hunter-gatherer roots. In fact, there are few things better when the sun is shining than to fire up the coals and cook up some delicious dishes in the most traditional way possible. There is so much to love about this type of cooking, the smells are amazing, the theater of it all is equally as impressive and then of course, there is the taste of the flame-grilled food. One of the countries which does it best in my view, is Australia and the Aussies have perfected this way of cooking. If you want to get outside this summer and fire up the barbie, here is how to make sure it’s perfect.
Coals not Gas
Whilst modern technology has created many great things which help us cook, one of my least favorites is the gas barbecue, I understand why it exists but for me, it takes away the true essence of a barbecue. If you want to do things right then you need to get some coal, some firelighters and cook your food the old fashioned way.
Preparing Food
It often surprises me how few people actually prepare the food before they cook it and if you want to do it properly, then your barbecue actually starts the night before. When it comes to the meat, you want to ensure that it is properly prepared, if you want some flavor on the meat then make a mix, place it in a bag with your meat and let it sit overnight. Even if you just want a basic steak, salt, pepper and a splash of oil the night before will ensure that it tastes great and keeps its succulence.
Beyond Meat
Meat tastes great on a barbecue but don’t be fooled into thinking that it is the only thing which you can cook. Fish also tastes amazing on the grill and so too do many vegetables like peppers, onions and my personal favorite, corn. Do be restricted when it comes to cooking on the barbie, almost everything tastes great on here and you can even use the coals to prepare some foil wrapped baked potatoes.
Clean, But Not Too Well
You may not find this in too many food safety guides but a barbecue, in my view, should never be spotless. Once you have finished cooking, by all means give that barbecue a good scrub to get any left over meat off the rack, but do not worry if there is still plenty of blackness on the grill. There is no scientific reason for this, nor is it probably the safest in the eyes of those with high food standards but the additional taste which comes from it is well worth it. I have been cooking on less-than-clean racks for years and the only thing that has ever happened as a result, was that I had some damn tasty barbecue food.