Tuesday, March 3, 2009

7 Ways to Make Your BBQ a Success

By Saun David

When you think of barbeque, you think of nice weather, tempting aromas and excellent food. A cookout is a great way to relax while honing your cooking skills. In many parts of the country, this experience is only available for a few months. So make the most of it with these great BBQ tips.

1. Begin by choosing the best type of BBQ grill for what you'll be preparing. There are charcoal and electric grills, as well as those that use either propane or natural gas. Barbeques come in many sizes, either portable or for permanent installation. Many have special features such as built in thermometers, removable drip pans, and side burners. A smoker is best for tougher cuts of meats that require a long period of cooking at low temperatures.

2. Enhance your enjoyment by learning more about BBQ rubs, sauces and woods. These are all great ways to improve the taste of your food, no matter what it is you're cooking.

3. Get the right barbeque tools that will make your job a pleasure. The right kind of spatula can make flipping a burger seem effortless. To measure internal meat temperature, a good quality BBQ thermometer is a must.

4. Now consider how your food should be prepared for best results. You'll need to make some decisions about whether to BBQ slow or fast. If you're cooking brisket in a smoker, slow is the only way to go. Slow cooking a hamburger will be a disaster. The means of cooking needs to match what's being cooked.

5. Don't ruin your outdoor cookout with poor safety habits. Of course, BBQs are hot and there's always the risk of burning yourself. But you can also become injured from improper use of your barbeque tools. Pay attention to what you're doing as you use your tools. They're larger than regular cooking utensils and can do some serious damage.

6. Insects are an annoyance that can get in the way of enjoying your BBQ. There are some easy solutions for keeping bugs away while you're cooking. Keep a garden hose handy to spray them away. A hair dryer is also useful for chasing them off. Even a simple fly swatter can keep bugs from ruining your party. Don't use bug spray in the area where you're grilling. You don't want all those chemicals mixing with your food.

7. Having the right tools available for cleanup will make the job easier and motivate you to actually do it. Use oven cleaner to facilitate the process. There are also barbeques that have easy clean features. If you clean your grill after each use, your food will taste better. - 15275

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