Barbeque Technique

A recent survey says that 85% of American's couldn't BBQ their way out of a paper bag. That's sad. Very sad! So my challenge to you America- is to get off your duff and learn how to cook great barbecue! It's really not that difficult if you understand the basics, and are willing to take the time to learn.

Here are some tips to get you started- write them down, print them out, and memorize them. Your barbeque guests will thank you.

Tip # 1 Thaw meat and poultry completely in the refrigerator prior to grilling so that it cooks evenly.

Tip # 2 Marinated meats or seafood should be stored in the refrigerator. If marinade will be used for sauce, set aside some before placing the raw foods. You may use again the marinade but be sure to boil it.

Tip # 3 Use a clean serving plate for cooked foods. Do not use the same plate for uncooked and cooked meats. Bacteria from the juices of meat might spread in your grilled foods.

Tip # 4 To prevent bacteria from spreading, use a well-padded cooler and put enough ice when transporting food to another place. Pack the meat or poultry in a tightly closed container and put it right away in the cooler before you leave.

Tip # 5 Check for doneness. Cooking time varies depending on cuts, sizes or thickness of beef, pork, poultry or seafood.

Tip # 6 A clean grill is very important. If you are having baby back ribs today, scrape away the charred remnants of salmon that you had the other day, it will probably affect the flavor and the taste of the food you are about to cook. After scraping the grill, wipe it with vegetable oil to reduce the likelihood of the food sticking to the grill.

Tip # 7 Sear the meat to seal in its natural juice. This is done by preheating the grill on high for about ten minutes, or lighting the coal for about 20 minutes before you begin to cook. For tender juicy meat, sear both sides of the meat quickly then set the heat to medium or if using charcoal, raise the rack. Tongs should be used instead of fork when grilling meat. Forks may prick the meat and will cause the meat to dry out. Put reserved marinade for the sauce during the last minutes of the grilling period. Sauces mainly contain fats and sugar in it. If placed too early, it will probably burn.

Tip # 8 When cooking seafood and other delicates use a hinged wire grill basket. It can be simply flipped over to turn everything at once. It is great for grilling whole or fillet fish such as salmon, trout or snapper.

Tip # 9 A water bottle squirt may be used as an alternative if you do not have a barbecue brush. Just squirt out marinade and barbeque sauce into the food.

Tip # 10 A can of cola added to a barbecue sauce brings out subtle aromatic sweetness and flavor on the barbecue.