Summer means barbeques, which are usually great fun. But make sure you keep having a good time by keeping an eye on a few safety and cooking tips, courtesy of thebestof Newmarket.
1. Plan ahead if you can. If you know the weather is going to be great and you have a freezer full of burgers and chicken breasts, get them in the fridge the night before to defrost. Using partly frozen food is one of the reasons behind the cliched 'burned outside, raw middle' problem.
Or better yet, why not get some top quality fresh meat from a local Newmarket butcher.
2. Boil the sausages first. It sounds like madness, granted but the Aussies know a thing or two about the barbie, and this is how it's done down under. Boil the bangers to make sure they are cooked through and finish them off on the grill. It's quicker and makes sure you're not eating undercooked meat. Win win.
3. Don't rush. When you first light up the coals and see the flames licking through the grill tray the temptation is to dive right in. For a start you don't want kebabs thy taste light lighter fuel, but you also want a more uniform heat. Let it burn and die down a bit first, then spread the glowing coals around. The fat drips flaring will give you the trademark flame grilled taste.
4. Remember the basics... Keeping raw meat away from fresh food is crucial. Be sure you know which bowl you've been marinating your chicken in, and which is the BBQ sauce for people to dollop on their burgers. You'll be preparing salads, preparing kebabs with chicken or seafood, slicing fresh bread and cutting open buns for burgers. Make sure knives and chopping boards are kept clean and hygenic between the different elements.
5. Stay safe. Don't drink too much. BBQ and beer seems the ideal combination, but searing hot coals or gas grills and too much alcohol really don't mix. And make sure the kids know to stay well away. Those things stay hot for a long time!
