Nothing is as exciting as the prospect of enjoying a warm day outdoors with family and friends. You can make the experience better by preparing a barbeque in your outdoor kitchen. The problem, however, is you have to be a master at cooking using a charcoal BBQ grill to make the food as tasty as possible.
Naturally, charcoal burns at higher temperatures than gas and wood. As such, it’s harder to control when cooking – an inexperienced hand often encounters challenges like burnt meat, overcooked veggies, and so on.
Here are some valuable tips you can use to master your charcoal grill this summer.
Season Your Grill
Before you start cooking, ensure that you season your grill. This process ensures that your grill’s grates are in good condition and ready for cooking.
If you’re using an old grill, preheat it for a few minutes, then follow up by brushing to remove any food remains. For new grills, spray some oil and heat until the oil burns off.
Plan
Planning is essential when you want to use a charcoal grill. Consider the number of people who will eat, the type of food you’re preparing, and the length of the cooking session. These factors affect the amount of charcoal you need and the time you spend prepping the grill.
Learn How to Vent
Regulating the amount of heat produced by a charcoal grill isn’t easy, as it doesn’t have a knob like electric and gas-powered models. To control temperature levels, you need to keep an amount of oxygen passing through the vents.
When you want to increase the heat, open the vents to allow more oxygen into the grill. To lower the temperature, close the vents. Keep in mind that closing the vents completely will kill the fire. Also, too much ash can obstruct the vents.
Build a Two-level Fire
As mentioned earlier, charcoal burns at high temperatures. After cooking for an extended period, the grills can get too hot that you’re unable to handle the food. This is why you need a two-level fire.
Two-level fires allow you to move the food into a cooler area when it gets too hot. This prevents you from overcooking or burning your food.
Be Patient
It takes patience to cook those mouthwatering meals you desire -avoid starting too early, and more importantly, don’t stop cooking until the food is ready.
Ensure that your grill has the right temperature before you start cooking. Once you start cooking, hang around, as charcoal fires tend to fluctuate their temperature frequently.
Experienced cooks usually tell if meat is ready by using their hands. However, a novice will need an instant-read thermometer to assess the food’s readiness.
Whatever you use, remember to take food off the grill when the temperature is five to ten degrees below the recommended level. This is because meat usually continues cooking, even after you remove it from the grill. As it rests, its juices will eventually redistribute across the food.
These simple tips will help you prepare tastier foods using your charcoal grill. Remember to clean the grill after every grilling session. Cleanliness maintains your food’s flavours while reducing the risk of fire incidents.
Use a wire brush to remove stuck food and other debris. This is easier when you preheat the grill. Once you are done, remember to cover the grill.
At Home Heat & BBQ, we have incredible charcoal grill designs and so many options to choose from. If you are looking into buying your first charcoal BBQ, give us a call today on 02 9838 1300 and we will guide you.
