Top tips for the Barbecue
Barbecue season is finally here, and you’re only a few steps away from perfecting your grilling technique. These tips will walk you through the various meat types – like chicken, lamb, meat and fish – and show you how to bring out the hidden flavours in each. Why not try the Landmann 13 Piece Stainless Steel Toolset to get you started, or you can shop all our BBQ accessories on Ocado.com.
TIPS FOR BARBECUEING CHICKEN
Score the skin or spatchcock? Find out how to handle chicken properly with these tips:
Score the skin with a knife in order to help the heat penetrate the meat.
Level out the boneless breasts by hitting them with a rolling pin. This will increase the surface area for marinades and help them cook more evenly.
Start the chicken in the oven to make sure it’s cooked through, before adding flavour and crisping up the skin on the barbecue.
Spatchcock the chicken to cook whole birds more quickly and evenly, then remove the backbone with sharp scissors and flatten with the heel of your hand.
Use a thermometer to check your meat is cooked through. It’s ready when the thickest part of the chicken is 75oC.
TIPS FOR GRILLING MEAT
Chops, ribs and sausages – these tips tell you how to grill it all:
Put the coals on one side of the barbecue for greater control. This will help you move your meat between indirect and direct heat.
Give a leg of lamb a tasty crust on the barbecue after it’s been marinated and cooked through in the oven.
Soak pork chops in a salty brine before grilling to make them extra tender. Use a thermometer to check the meat is 75°C inside before serving.
Don’t prick sausages as the juices can escape and cause flame flare-ups.
Press a shallow indent into burgers before cooking. This will stop them curving up on the heat of the grill.
Cook ribs slowly for ultimate succulence. Choose a gorgeous sticky marinade, start in the oven, baste regularly and use the BBQ at the end to add smoky flavours.
TIPS FOR GRILLING FISH
It can be tricky grill flaky fish meat to perfection, but these tips should get you there:
Choose firm fish such as tuna, swordfish, salmon and monkfish. You could also try whole sardines, sea bream, sea bass, trout or mackerel.
Cook fish away from the hottest part of the barbecue, as it responds best to gentler heat.
Preheat the grill bars and keep them (and the fish) well oiled to prevent any sticking. Laying rounds of lemon on the bars will help and add a lovely citrus zing.
Steam fish in parcels made from foil for moist, tender flesh.
Burn woody herbs such as bay leaves or thyme on the coals to add a subtle aromatic flavour.
Try grilling seafood like prawns and large mussels eaten straight from their shells or flat pieces of squid marinated in oil, paprika and garlic. Delicious!
Fancy putting these tips into practice? Check out these delicious barbecue recipes here.