The barbeque is a treasured part of the Aussie culture. Roasting some steaks, chops or sausages over a charcoal bbq is an integral part of the leisure time. There’s something special about roasting on a charcoal barbeque. It provides juicy meats that come with that distinct smokey taste.
However, before you start preparing those perfectly smoked, tasty meals, ensure you avoid these common mistakes.
Clean the Grill before Cooking
A charcoal bbq grill requires some maintenance and cleaning to ensure they it cooks and functions properly. So, it is good practice to give your grill a quick clean before you toss your meats on.
When cleaning, ensure you remove any food that might have stuck on from the previous cooking session. Preheat your grill and scrub the grates with a wire brush. Having clean grates even helps you get better grill marks. To make it even easier, as soon as you finish give it a wipe down whilst it is still a bit warm. Be careful not to burn yourself.
Failure to Use the Right Form of Heat Based on What You’re Grilling
When you’re using a Weber barbecue, the charcoal is the source of direct heat. Grilling food over flaming hot charcoal is like cooking on high heat using a gas bbq.
High or direct heat is ideal for certain foods, while others use a medium to low heat. Hence, when you aren’t using the right amount of heat, there’s a risk of overcooking, undercooking, or burning the food.
Before you add charcoal into your Weber bbq, think of what you wish to cook. The food choice will determine if indirect, direct, or mixing both types of heat is best. It will also tell you whether to have the charcoal spread over the entire grill or a potion.
Foods like steak, chicken breast, hot dogs, and burgers use direct heat as they have relatively fast cook times. Larger foods like ribs and pork loin will take longer to cook and, thus, require indirect heat.
Being Too Quick To Add Food onto the Grill
Grilling requires patience, particularly as your Weber bbq is building up heat. When you’re too quick in adding food before sufficient preheating time, the meat will probably start sticking to the grill.
So, remember that your grill must get adequately hot before you can start grilling. After lighting your charcoal barbecue grill, cover the lid for 10-15 minutes to allow the charcoal to heat up. You will see that the heat is enough when the charcoal looks almost greyish.
Failure to Use the Air Vents
Charcoal grills usually use vents to regulate airflow, temperature and keep the fire burning. Failing to close or open these vents can result in charcoal burning out, causing undercooked food, or high heat that could burn your food.
The key is to keep these air vents opened when you light and preheat the charcoal bbq. If you notice that your food’s cooking far too quickly, shutting the vents will reduce the temperature, while open grill vents will give you higher heat production.
Follow these practical tips to master your Weber bbq and get great results in every barbecue.
