Hoo-Ray!!! It's barbeque season. Spark up the charcoal grill and get grilling! There is nothing I enjoy more than having a barbeque and I like to think I'm a bit of a whizz at it. There are many tips I've picked up over the years, so I thought I'd share some with you. I have some views on what a proper barbeque is. Firstly I have no truck with gas barbeques. For me, it is charcoal or nothing. I also believe that you can barbeque anything that you can cook (apart from soups etc). The second thing is to always keep in mind that the aim is to provide the tastiest food possible. You have to love the food you are cooking. There is nothing I hate more than people who use cheap sausages, bargain burgers and other sub standard ingredients. Being given a cheap sausage, that tastes of nothing, is burned on the outside and raw in the middle is not only disgusting, it stands a good chance of making you ill. If you are going to do it, do it properly. If you live in Mill Hill, get your meat from Boucherie Gerard on Daws Lane. Sadly, we lost our great fishmonger in Mill Hill East, but a trip up to Burnt Oak on the 251 will see you sorted for great fish.
1. Lighting the charcoal. I have got lazy in my old age. If you are doing it properly, start the grill with paper and twigs and then add the charcoal. However the self lighting bags are much easier. However, they are infused with petrol, so you have to let them burn for 20 minutes or you will get a bit of petrol taste in your food. I tend to light a bag and then top it up with extra charcoal after 15 minutes, once it is well alight. Leave it until the flames have died down and the charcoal is a bit white. If there are big flames, the charcoal is too hot and might still have propellant. Use your nose. If it smells of charcoal and is white, it is ready.
2. Timing is everything. The perfect barbeque sees the food arrive at the same time. So work out how long each item take. For instance, Sausages take a bit longer than burgers etc, so start them first. Work out your timings.
3. Get a good quality barbeque grill, with a lid. One with a ledge to keep food hot, but not right above the flames is also a good idea. You have a lot more control over the cooking. If the flames flare up, put the lid on with the air flow. This stops the burning. It is the heat, not the fire that cooks the food.
4. Pre cook your chicken. If you don't want to give yourself and your guests food poisoning, Cook the chicken through in the oven and simply finish it off and crisp it on the barbeque. If you want to marinade food for flavour, I always do it 24 hours before. If you just slap on something before you stick it on the barbeque, it will not flavour the chicken. I rather like a chilli and lemon marinade, with smoked paprika. Make it up and marinade wings in it for 24 hours. Cook the wings for 25/30 minutes and then just brown them on the barbeque. Delicious.
5. Barbeque your spuds on the grill. The best way is to use small salad potatoes. Bake them for 35-40 minutes until soft. I salt the crusts. To do this, prick the skins and put in the oven, after about 20 minutes in the oven, take them out and dip them in a solution of cold water and salt for a few seconds. then sprinkle some more salt on and put the back for another 15-20 mins. Put them back in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Just before serving the food, put them on the grill for 2-3 minutes to brown. BTW The very best way to do a spud is in silver foil and put on the embers for about an hour. A great way to have a few snacks for later on!
6. Be imaginative for vegetarians. You can do great grilled food for veggies and vegans. One of the things I especially like is grilled aubergine. Take a whole aubergine and slice down, leaving the strips still attached at the stem. Then smear with tomato and garlic paste and add cheese (I use parmesan). Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, then finish it off for five minutes on the barbeque. Large flat mushrooms are also good. Fill them with garlic butter and parmesan. For vegans, olive oil, garlic and and tomato paste works well
7. Have a special centrepiece. One of the best things to do on the grill is a special centrepiece. A leg of lamb is a brilliant one. Season and wrap in silver foil. Bake in oven for about 75-90 mins (depending on size). I like to stab the skin with a knife and add slivers of garlic into the th fatty skin. When it is ready. remove from the foil and finish on the grill, crisping and slightly blackening the skin. Then carve. Use the meat juices to make a barbeque gravy source. Lamb is a bit better than beef as it is a bit more fatty, which works best on a grill. I use the lid when I do this to control the flames.
8. Fish. Fish is great on the grill, but don't cook it with meat. It will make the meat smell and taste of fish. My favourite is tuna steaks. Get best quality (sushi grade) tuna from the fishmonger and use really thick cuts, so it is blackened on the outside and pink in the middle. Even my eldest brother Laurie, who is disdainful of everything I do admitted this was the best tip ever!
9. King Prawns. These are brilliant on the grill, but them absolutely must be fresh. I do like to marinade them (see above lemon & chilli marinade).
10. Keep a small knife by the grill and check the sausages and burgers are not pink in the middle. Don't burn the food, but make sure it is cooked.
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