Top Tips from our BBQ Magazine Recipe Chefs
Sue Stoneman
- Getting your BBQ up to temperature. Good air flow is key. You need to remove old ash and clean out the bottom of the grill along with any ash grate. If you have a ceramic BBQ, you need to remove the inner ceramic bowl and clear out the ash that falls through the air holes on the side. When refilling your BBQ with charcoal, start with new, large lumps before putting on the old used charcoal. This stops the small pieces falling down and blocking any holes in the ash grate. You’ll get better airflow and achieve hotter temperatures for your cooks.
- Nailing that crispy skin. For your roast chicken or joint of meat on a rotisserie or in a baking dish, remove from the heat at least 10 minutes before the end of cooking time. Increase the temperature to at least 200°C and put the joint of meat back in. Check the internal temperature. The increase in heat should have reached through to the inside, cooking it perfectly, and you should have that crispy skin and still a very juicy joint.
- Overbaked bottom. Baking using the indirect method can sometimes give a slightly overbaked base as the heat is still coming from underneath. I use an old upturned baking tin on top of the grill and place my bread or cake tin on top of that. It acts as a heat diffuser and raises the bake a little higher from the deflector plates. No burnt bottom!
Aston Prideaux
- Always have different heat zones. By not putting your fuel everywhere you can create different heat zones and put yourself in control.
- Having a thermometer. It’s one of the most important tools, especially for cooking proteins. Always cook to temperature not time.
- Fuel. Make sure you source a good British charcoal with no chemical nasties. Look out for the Grown in Britain stamp on the packaging.
Phil Yeomans
- Always allow plenty of time for your BBQ to heat up. Bring the temperature up slowly to get the correct temperature, so you don’t overshoot and then struggle to bring the temperature down or have to wait for the ceramic to cool.
- Plan ahead what you want to cook. Start with the lower temperature foods and then you can build up as you go. For example, start with low and slow at 120°C, followed by roasting vegetables and chicken at 200°C. Then sear some steaks up above 300°C and finish with a cake as the BBQ cools down. This way you get full control and usage out of your fuel.
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