This weekend is set to be another scorcher with temperatures hitting up to 30C in parts of the country.
With the heat in the kitchen due to being even hotter many of us will choose to dine al fresco – and what better way than inviting a few friends over and lighting up the barbecue?
Although the outdoor grill can be a fun way to cook and crisp up burgers, sausages and chicken skewers, cooking over hot coals can be much easier said than done.
Luckily for many home cooks, there are a few common mistakes you can easily cut out, to keep your food tender, juicy and perfectly cooked.
The consumer experts over at Which? have given five simple things to look out for, that will not only improve the taste of your food but also save you a long time scrubbing the ash from your grill.
Don’t squash your food
If you’re a fan of burgers, listen up! This mistake will stop your patties from getting dry on the grill.
Never push them down onto the hot wire rack as this causes all of the lovely juicy flavours to seep out. And no one wants their burger to taste dry.
What’s more, this mistake can make remnants of food get stuck to your barbecue and be a right hassle to clean.
Don’t spread the coals
The next suggestion is also an extremely common habit many cooks will have done without thinking twice.
By not spreading the hot coals across your barbecue, you can create different temperatures at the grill level, allowing you to have a ‘keep warm’ section, or a part of the grill with the moderate heat you want for more delicate items.
Clean away old ash
We all know cleaning a barbecue the next day can be an arduous task nobody wants to do, but emptying the build-up of old ash from a previous night’s coal is crucial.
The experts at Which? added: “Never light a barbecue with ash at the bottom or without using the vents. A buildup of ash disrupts the airflow to the coals and makes it harder for them to stay lit.”
Never put off cleaning the grill
Although after a night on the Pimm’s and tucking into freshly grilled burgers, cleaning might not be your top choice, but leaving it until the morning after can make it much more difficult.
Your best bet is jumping straight in once it’s cooled down with some rubber gloves and wire wool.
Always dry your grill
Their final tip is to simply dry the grill after washing. Although it may be tempting to leave it to dry in the air, grills can quickly rust so giving it a quick once over with a lint-free cloth or some kitchen roll can make a big difference in the long term.