There’s something very primal about cooking in the open air. Human beings have been watching flames curl and listening to meat sizzle for thousands of years. Tragic really that we still haven’t got the hang of the precarious art that is the BBQ. It’s time to B.B.Q .– Barbecue Better, Quick!

The horrors of chewy overcooked steak or worse undercooked chicken will no longer plague your nightmares once we’ve solved all your burning BBQ problems.

How to Light a Stubborn BBQ

Some of the reasons a charcoal barbie won’t light are:

• It’s too dirty. Build ups of ash can block air vents making it harder to get oxygen to your fuel to help it burn.
• It’s too windy. Very gusty weather could blow the flames of your BBQ out. Keep it sheltered by partially closing the lid, but don’t close it completely or the fire will definitely go out!
• The charcoal is rubbish! Low quality charcoal is harder to light so it’s worth paying for better quality to get an easier lighting experience.

A gas BBQ could fail to get going if:

• It’s run out of gas (the obvious answer).
• The burner holes have become blocked with grease that’s dripped down from the cooking food.
• The BBQ has a fault or needs some maintenance. Check the manual to help you get to the bottom of the problem.

How to Know When Your BBQ Food’s Done

The bane of many a BBQers life is knowing when food is cooked. Here are some tips to get perfect cooking results.

• Turn food regularly to avoid burning and uneven cooking.
• Different parts of your BBQ will be hotter than others so if you see some food getting browner more quickly, rotate items around as necessary.
• A meat thermometer will reassure you that your meat’s definitely cooked through.
• Pre-cook thick pieces of meat in the oven until almost done then finish them off on the BBQ to get the best of both worlds – peace of mind and smoky flavour.
• Brush sauces onto food during the last few minutes of cooking to avoid them burning.
• Don’t cut or press down on meat whilst it’s cooking as the juices will run out making it more dry.

How to Clean a Dirty BBQ Grill

Arguably the worst part of barbecuing is cleaning the grill afterwards. Enter some corner cutting methods!

• Cut an onion in half and rub it cut side down on the grill.
• Spritz a little white vinegar on the grill, grab some aluminium foil, crumple it up into a ball and rub the grill with it until clean.
• Rub oil over the grill, sprinkle on some salt then scrub it with half a potato.
• The cleaning staple that is a mixture of white vinegar and baking soda will help loosen grime and you can finish off the job with a grill brush.
• Soak in hot water with some washing up liquid for several hours before cleaning.

Which BBQ to Buy

We’re afraid to say that there is no one barbecue we can recommend that will perfectly satisfy your barbecuing needs forever. Like most appliances, the right choice depends on your personal preferences. Some questions to consider are:

• What’s your budget? Prices for barbecues vary massively.
• What’s more important: ease of lighting or quality of flavour? With gas BBQs you get the former whereas charcoal barbies give you the latter.
• What size do you need? Are you planning to mostly BBQ for two or for large family gatherings and parties?
• How will you store your BBQ? Do you want it to have wheels so you can move it or come with a cover?

Now that you’re the hero of the BBQ don’t stop there. Rise to the occasion this summer and if your appliances need it, remember we’ve always got your back to help you carry out repairs or maintenance to become the saviour of your household!

Tags: BBQ advice, BBQ tips