Top Tips from Jim at OnlySlaggin

 

  • The big thing is plan ahead if possible. 
  • Order & plan your ingredients in advance.
  • A key component with BBQ is to get the basics right, simple things like using a chimney starter to have your BBQ ready quickly in around 10-20mins.
  • Preheat the grill grates for 5-10 mins and use a wire brush to clean them down before cooking.
  • Create cooking zones. Direct & Indirect heat. Always leaving an area without any coals or gas during to move food to in case of flare ups or to cook indirectly like an oven,
  • Cook with the lid down as much as possible and limit the amount of fuel you use. Lid down cooking creates an oven like environment and helps reduce flare ups whilst speeding the cooking process
  • Any food item thicker than your open outstretched hand or containing minced products should have a period of time being cooked indirectly.
  • Use good quality natural charcoal and never use any accelerants as the chemicals from these will linger and can taint the taste of your food.
  • If using a gas BBQ always keep one set of burners off, this will give you an area of indirect cooking space and a safe zone to move food to if you get a flare up. 
  • On both styles of BBQ, lid down cooking creates an oven like environment, helps reduce flare ups and speeds up the cooking time.

Always cook to internal temperature not time. Use an instant read meat thermometer.

For chicken, sausages & burgers you want the internal temperature to be 75c

Fish should be at least 60c

Beef 

  • Medium Rare 54-57c
  • Medium 57-63c
  • Medium well 63-68c
  • Well done 68c plus
  • Remove food 2-3 degrees before it hits the target temp and let it rest as this will allow carry over cooking to your target temp.
  • Always rest on a wire rack over a tray.
  • Keep separate utensils for handling raw vs cooked foods.

Lastly I suppose is just relax and enjoy it. Good BBQ especially slow cooked BBQ is a real labour of love. I would encourage people to explore the numerous different cooking methods on the BBQ, try different ingredients and consider that the fire and smoke also contribute important flavourings and they are every bit as important to the food as any other seasoning. 

Jim

 

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