BBQ 101: The Basics on How to Do a Proper Barbecue
Before you can truly achieve barbeque perfection, you first need to learn the basics.
08/01/2020
To have the perfect barbecue is more or less like a work of art. If making music and painting portraits are art, then so is cooking the perfect meal. It requires years of practice and learning to finally nail it, just like any other artistic endeavor. Obviously the one difference here is the fact that you get to eat the final product, but still, you get to really enjoy and express yourself, which is what art is truly about. Before you can truly achieve barbeque perfection, you first need to learn the basics. It is not merely placing some meat on a grill and hoping for the best. Read on to discover the basics of mastering a proper barbecue.
The marinade
Before we even get into the actual act of barbecuing, we need to talk about the marinade, which is arguably one of the most important factors in this whole process. You can’t hope for your steaks to taste delicious if you ignore the marinade and just add a few spices and salt. Finding the right recipes takes time and a lot of trial and error, and you should experiment with your options. Some people like to go with a spicy marinade with pepper and hot sauces, which are often left for hours so that the steak can really absorb it all. Others go with more acidic flavors with zest, which often include lemon and sometimes, people even add mint. It all comes down to your preferences and what works best for you.
Getting the right grill
While it may sound a bit obvious, you still need to know that getting the right grill is imperative to the success of your barbecue. Some people like to go with gas grills, which work just fine, but you will not get that smoky flavor as you would with a charcoal one. As you can see on this URL, there is a ton of reading material on what the best options are. But you will find that most barbecuing blogs and experts agree that a charcoal grill gives off the best flavor, and your steaks will be smoky and quite delicious. Speaking of the grills, one of the basics of doing a BBQ is understanding the importance of the lid, which traps in the smoke and keeps all the flavors inside, not to mention how it also keeps the temperature consistent–– in other words, if yours doesn’t have one, get one immediately.
Understanding temperatures
It is crucial that you understand just how your grill’s temperature works, because otherwise you risk overcooking or undercooking your steak. Whether it is a charcoal or a gas grill, it will give off some pretty high temperatures, and if you didn’t control it, your BBQ can go awry really fast. If you’re cooking smaller cuts like burgers or hot dogs, you should turn up the heat and get the cook over with as soon as possible. That means you can’t move away from the grill though, because you need to keep an eye on the steaks. If you have bigger cuts that take some time to cook, it is best if you lower the temperature and let them cook slowly –– while still keeping an eye out.
The fuel
You probably already know that the grill will operate on charcoal or gas. Assuming it is the former, you need to ensure that you invest in high quality charcoal that will not burn too quickly and lend that burnt flavor to your steaks. If you want to take your BBQ game to the next level, you could try to throw some wood pieces on the charcoal for extra flavor. If you don’t already know it, different types of woods like hickory, oak, and applewood give off different flavors that pair best with different cuts.
Flip whenever needed
There is this common misconception that you absolutely cannot flip your steaks on the other side on the grill, but that isn’t necessarily true. At the end of the day, you want your meat evenly cooked, so flip it on either side whenever needed and move it around the grill, which will also help you avoid flare-ups –– they will still happen though, and that is no reason to be alarmed- it doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong.
Two things are important when it comes to nailing the right BBQ, and those are knowledge and experimenting. Read up on what the experts have to say and watch videos to learn the proper techniques. More importantly, try these different grilling techniques on your own, and in time, you will master making the most delicious BBQs ever.
image credits - https://carnivorestyle.com