Posted by Jessie Liebsch | Posted in BBQ Cooking | Posted on 24-12-2011
Tags: barbecue, bbq, charcoal grill, cooking, food, gas grills, home, outdoors
Expert barbecue chefs make everything look easy, but the truth lies somewhere in between. While experienced makes your routine a bit more predictable, you still have to be organized to get results. Just throwing food onto a grill and hoping for the best isn’t going to cut it these days. If you plan on entertaining a large group of people, you have to know what you’re doing. Unfortunately, there are far too many people adopting lazy methods without giving their guests a true barbecue experience. It’s important to aim for quality and take the time necessary to learn from your mistakes. Backyard grilling is an art form, and to look at it as anything less would be a disservice to one of the best American traditions around. If you’re ready to take barbecue seriously and become a master yourself, here are some of the major mistakes to avoid.
The first mistake people make tends to be at the very beginning when they don’t plan properly. People can find themselves overwhelmed or dealing with a chaotic cooking experience if they are prepared. You should sit down and plan your menu carefully and make sure you have a comprehensive list of all the ingredients you need. If you’re going to be throwing a grand feast, this isn’t something you plan the day of the meal. You should have every contingency covered in addition to a few backup plans as well.
Knowing your grill is one of the keys to successful barbecue cooking so make sure that you familiarize yourself with your equipment. A lot of people don’t fully understand each and every feature that comes with modern grills these days. It’s not just about turning it on and pumping up the heat. Each barbecue has special elements that make it unique, and you need experience to become familiar with whatever grill you’re working with. Make sure it’s properly assembled and clean as thoroughly before you even think about putting food on top of it.
If you’re thinking about using frozen food, then you’re about to commit one of the biggest sins in the world of authentic barbecue. Real grilling is not about pulling a bunch of burgers out of a bag. Stay away from frozen chicken wings or anything that comes prepackaged for your convenience. Whenever you save in time you will eventually sacrifice in terms of taste. Using these types of ingredients is no way to impress people, and almost everyone deserves better. Use fresh ingredients all the way through and take the time to find fresh local produce and great cuts of quality meat, and make your own barbecue sauce recipe if you have time.
In order to successfully cook on gas grills, you need a good combination of patients while paying attention at all times. Remember, cooking is a scientific process at the core. If you don’t leave your food on long enough, it won’t heat to the right temperature. Flipping food around or constantly cutting into your meat to see if it’s done is a huge mistake you should avoid. Have the patience to let your food comfortably grill until it’s ready to turn over once. You never have to flip your food any more than that, and you should use your sense of touch in sight to tell when something is done. You should also plan things properly so that you have enough time to let your food set before you serve it up to your guests. With the addition of delectable side dishes and you should be able to come up with a culinary experience that people will be talking about for weeks.
