#barbecue techniques

Grilling Tips and Techniques For Tailgating This Summer

1. A quick and easy method to grill large vegetables such as potatoes and ears of corn: coat heavily in butter, spray on some seasoned salt, wrap firmly in aluminum tin foil, and throw it on the grill.

2. To decrease the quantity of browning or blackening of meat, only use barbecue or other tomato-based sauces consisting of sugars during the last approximately 10 minutes of grilling.

3. More bacteria is present in ground beef, so cook till it's well done and no pink is in the middle. If you are in doubt, get a meat thermometer and make sure the temperature level reaches no less than 160 degrees in the burger's center.

4. Using a smoker? Make sure to use a chimney starter then. It's relatively quick to get some hot coals going and you will not have to stress about getting nasty lighter fluid fumes in your smoker.

5. Don't pierce your meat with a fork or prongs. The juices will escape, making the meat drier and less flavorful. Use a spatula or tongs to move and flip your meals.

6. If using a smoker, reduce the quantity of times you open it. I know you're nervous to see how the meat is doing, but opening it often will keep the smoker below the essential heat levels. The old saying states, "if you're looking, it ain't cooking".

7. Cooking chicken? If you intend to eat the skin, rub the outside with a little butter or oil and then lightly season it. It'll give the chicken a nice, crunchy, savory skin.

8. When carrying your prepared meats inside, get a dutch oven or a huge pot (depending on the amount of stuff you barbecue) with a cover. It will help keep your barbecue moist, juicy, and cozy till it's time to chow down.

9. Although thick bands of fat might be undesirable, try to select a steak with thin specks and strands of fat in between the muscle cells. At food preparation time, these smidgens of fat will melt (in a process called marbling) and make the meat juicier.

10. Make sure to cover the bottom of your charcoal grill with tin foil before placing the coals in the grill. The only disadvantage to this is that the opening holes in the bottom of your cooker will get covered up. When you initially light your fire, make sure it gets plenty of oxygen to remain lit longer, thereby giving you hotter and longer-lasting coals. You will still need to use a stainless steel grill brush to clean your grates.

11. If cooked past medium, leaner steak cuts have even more flavor however they will be a little harder.

12. Do not leave the meat out in room temperature for longer than one hour. This will make bacteria expand at a rapid rate, plus it will make the meat less fresh. Do so overnight or all day in the fridge if you need to thaw out meat.