Grilling gaffes to avoid
- Written by Diane Falzon
Barbecuing is a serious (and fun) business, but it is easy to slip up in the grilling stakes if you make some simple barbecue faux pars.
By sticking to some easy-to-follow rules, you will avoid a potential barbecue disaster which your guests might not let you forget!
At Samba, we have the products to make your BBQ flame and heat set up, a piece of cake, so you can enjoy the rest of the cooking process, including the go-to recipes you love to create.
Take the chill out before you grill
Samba recommends that you never start grilling any beef, chicken, pork or fish immediately after taking it out the fridge.
The muscles in the protein need to relax in room temperature so when cooking is complete the texture and taste will be sublime. Cooking meat at room temperature will allow it to cook consistently and evenly on the grill so you end up with a more beautifully balanced steak or fillet. You don’t want to have a charred steak on the outside, and it is still icy cold on the inside.
Soaking the skewers
Whether it is a lamb kabab, or you are deciding to go all out vegetarian, make sure that you soak the skewers in water for at least 30 minutes. This will then prevent the sticks from burning which makes it difficult to cook the ingredients on the kebabs evenly.
Replace forks with tongs
As you turn the meat over the grill, be gentle with it by using tongs. If you use forks or prongs, you are puncturing the meat, allowing those wonderful juices to seep out – that is the flavour escaping your meal!
Samba recommends that by using tongs, you will have a mellower approach to flipping your meat – but make sure you are not constantly flipping the meat. It will only end up dry and unpleasant to eat.
Let your meat rest
As tempting as it is to dive into the meat platter after you finish grilling, it is very important to rest the meat for at least 10 minutes so the juices can settle in the protein, making it juicy and tender to eat.
Ripping through the meat the moment you take it off the grill, allows those lovely, tasty juices (and flavour) to escape.
Clean the grill when it is hot
Understandably, you are keen to get stuck into the barbecue feast right after you have spent considerable time cooking it, but it is important to maintain your BBQ by cleaning the grill whilst it is still hot. Samba says by using BBQ cleaning tools such as grill scrapers, grill brushes or bbq wipes , it is easier to clean all the residue and drippings from the cooking session before it cools down. Your BBQ will be clean & ready to go for your next feast!
