How to barbeque well

You may have the best barbeque grill but you may not know how to barbeque. Here are a few tips that can add zing to your barbequed food:

– Rub grill with oil prior to cooking to prevent sticking.

– Bring meat to room temperature before barbequing, but do not leave it standing for more than an hour. If you are planning to marinate then do so for about 2 hours at room temperature or overnight in the fridge.

– Always turn pork with a tong or a spatula. Piercing it with a fork will only cause the juices sealed within to be lost.

– If you are using a gas barbeque turn on only one side and place the roast on the other side. This will prevent flare-ups. Also, when gas barbequing, pre-heat grill on high for 5-10 minutes and then bring it to the desired cooking temperature.

– For a charcoal barbeque, light coals 30 minutes before barbequing.

– Baste the meat with marinade only if the sugar content is minimal. Otherwise, do it in the last quarter of barbequing time, to avoid charring and drying of meat.

– Add salt only after the meat is cooked. If you do it before, it will draw out the moisture and dry the meat.

– When barbequing burgers, it is best to use lean ground pork from the shoulder or picnic roast. Lean meat is important because it binds the burgers well.

– When barbequing kabobs leave a little space between the meat pieces on the skewer. This allows the heat to penetrate the food evenly.

– The pork roasts are best cooked with the barbeque lid down and an aluminum drip pan with water below. This prevents flare up.

– Steak and chops are best barbequed on direct heat over low to medium coals. Once again remember to use tongs (not fork) for turning.

– In the case of ribs, precook ribs in simmering water for about a quarter of an hour and then grill over direct heat (low to medium), turning often. Brushing often with sauce will prevent charring.