How-to BBQ right
What's so difficult about barbecuing? it's basically just an outdoor oven, right? Apparently not, so we've brought you a guide on how you can master the art of barbecuing so you can show off your skills at the next family BBQ.
If you're planning on having a BBQ anytime soon, we'd love to hear any tips or recipes you may have! Feel free to get in touch with us through our social channels using @Truly_lifestyle
TOP TIPS USING A CHARCOAL BBQ
Many people love the flavour you can get from a charcoal BBQ but wouldn't know where to start. So here's a few tips on how to get the perfect result.
Prep the BBQ:
If you have a pile of leftover ash in the bottom of your grill from the last time you cooked, make sure you remove this to allow air to fully circulate around your charcoal. This really helps with getting an even and strong burn when cooking any food.
Use the right amount of charcoal:
The more charcoal you use the better! This helps the BBQ reach a higher temperature. For example, if you're cooking BBQ basics like burgers and sausages, you don't need to pack it in. However, when cooking a steak, you'll need a higher heat which means more coal.
Wait until the charcoal is covered with white-grey ash before cooking. This should take up to 30 minutes.
There should be no smoke; if there is, the coals aren't ready.
TOP TIPS USING A GAS BBQ
Prep the BBQ by giving it a thorough clean - this will prevent burning food on the outside.
Allow the grill to heat up for at least 10 minutes. Turn on all burners as this will allow the grill to heat up properly and will burn off any food and grease leftover from last time.
Turn down the heat and get ready to cook - you can brush grills with oil to ensure your food does not stick.
HOW TO BBQ STEAK
As mentioned before, a hot BBQ is essential for a good steak.
Steaks should be firm and cold as you want to cook the outside of the steak but keep the inside juicy, so if it's cold it will take longer to over-cook inside. This can be done by leaving your steaks in the fridge for an hour before cooking.
Place the steak on the grill. leave it for a couple of minutes and then flip it and repeat on the other side. Move the steak off the heat to cool a little and serve with your favourite sides!
HOW TO BBQ CHICKEN THIGHS
Chicken thighs need a medium/hot barbecue. Thighs are great to cook on the BBQ as they're fatty and are less likely to dry out compared to chicken breasts.
Season your thighs with your preferred seasoning and put them on the grill, closing the lid for around 15 minutes. Allow it to brown on the first side before you flip it, and then cook for another 10 to 15 minutes. To get the crispiness, open the lid and cook the thighs on direct heat for 5 minutes on each side.
Remember: It takes longer to cook chicken with bones in, so give thighs and legs a longer cooking time (around 30 to 40 minutes) than breasts or wings.
HOW TO BBQ PIZZA
Who would've thought you can BBQ pizza! You can buy ready-made pizza dough, or go ahead and make it yourself. Shape and brush with a little oil, then put straight onto a lightly oiled grill on a low to medium heat.
When the dough starts to look golden brown, remove and add a tomato base, and your favourite toppings. Place the pizza back on to the barbecue, close the lid and allow three to five minutes for the toppings to cook.
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Chicken kebab skewers
Ingredients
1 green, 1 red, and 1 yellow bell pepper
1 medium courgette
2 red onions
250g cup mushrooms
3 tbsp. maple syrup
3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp. dark soy sauce
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
4 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 birdseye chilies
4 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
To serve:
pitta bread
A large head of iceberg lettuce
Method
The meat can be marinated well in advance, even the night before. Cut the meat into chunks. Pound the garlic and the chilies to a paste in a mortar and pestle. Add the chicken pieces and turn to coat.
About half an hour to an hour before you aim to assemble the kebabs, prepare the vegetables: core the peppers and cut them into eights; similar size to the meat pieces. Halve the courgette and aubergines and cut across into chunks. Peel and thickly slice the onions. Trim stalks from the mushrooms and slice bigger ones in half.
Toss all the vegetable pieces with the maple syrup, balsamic, say sauce and oil in a large bowl. Prepare 10-12 long metal barbecue skewers or two dozen bamboo skewers soaked in cold water.
When the barbecue is lit, start threading the meat onto skewers, alternating each piece with a piece of assorted veg.
When the barbecue is ready to go, place the kebabs on the grill, in batches if necessary. Turn them frequently. Check the meat is thoroughly cooked before removing from the BBQ.
Serve with the pita bread, salad, pickles and sauces.
