Summer has now been upon us for several weeks, and so at any given weekend we might decide to invite a few like-minded friends over to cook meat (or vegetables) out in the open air. But this pastime is one that requires a little finesse; the difference between a good barbeque and a great one lies both with getting the fundamentals right, and with adding those little touches that make all the difference.
In this article, we’ll take a look at exactly what’s needed to create a great barbeque. We’ll begin with the basics, and get progressively more advanced. With any luck, by the end you should find yourself with a perfect barbeque!
What different sorts of barbeque are there?
Traditionally, a barbeque is something quite unlike what Brits might recognise. In the American Deep South, where this practice took its roots in the 19th century, barbequing is done using indirect heat. A whole pig is placed in a sealed chamber, while a fire is lit in another. Smoke flows along a pipe which connects the two, and eventually out of a chimney. The result is succulent, slow-cooked pork which is infused with that distinctive, smoky flavour. Since pigs were wild animals and difficult to catch, eating them was a rarity – and a cause for celebration. Thus, communities would gather around the barbeque smoker, and eat the roast all afternoon.
In Britain, we have quite a different approach to the barbeque, which draws medium-high heat directly from hot coals. Barbeque grills are available in several different varieties. There are gas-powered ones, which heat your food using the same sorts of principles that the grill atop the stove in your kitchen might; there are coal-powered ones, which consist of little more than a bucket of metal with a griddle atop, which can be filled with charcoal. Simply light them up, and you’ve created a rudimentary oven grill. At the bottom end of the market are disposable barbeque trays, which come in a flimsy foil wrapping, and are designed to be dispensed with after they’ve been exhausted.
How do I prepare a charcoal barbeque?
If you’re going to be lighting charcoal, then you’ll need a means of doing so. Firelighters catch easily and will burn hot enough that the surrounding coals do, too. The same effect can be achieved with tiny bits of kindling wood, or with shredded paper. Some bags of coal are designed to be used whole – simply light up the bag and the whole thing will go up.
Now, after you’ve done this, the coals will burn ferociously – so hot that anything you place on there will be cooked thoroughly on the outside before the inside has gotten going. Now, this might be exactly what you want – if you’re going to be cooking something unusual, like black-and-blue steak, then a rare (or indeed, raw) interior with a blackened exterior might be desirable. For most purposes, however, you’ll want to wait until the temperature has come down.
As a rule of thumb, the coals should be entirely white before you begin cooking. If you’re going to be cooking white meat like pork and chicken, this is particularly important for food safety reasons.
Ingredients
As any chef will tell you, it’s impossible to create a great meal using inferior ingredients. And the same principle holds true when you’re barbequing. Cover the grill in cheap, frozen burgers, and you’ll find that they shrink to the size of ten-pence pieces as soon as they’re exposed to heat, and the water evaporates from them. So what should we look for when shopping for ingredients?
What to cook?
A great burger is one that’s made from great meat. You can get this from your butcher and make your own; with the help of some salt, pepper, egg and breadcrumbs, you can create a burger mix that’ll adhere nicely on the grill, and taste brilliant. Supermarkets now carry all manner of exotic burgers, too – so be sure to look for the premium Wagyu and Kobi meats, which now enjoy unprecedented prominence on supermarket shelves.
Of course, no burger would be up to much unless paired with an accordingly high-quality bun. Be sure to lightly toast your bun on the grill before putting the burger together – this will give it that much-required crunch. Cheese, too, is a necessity – lay a slice of it atop your burger just before you take it off the grill – it should melt slightly into the burger, ensuring a nice gooey texture when it reaches your mouth. You might also want to introduce a sprinkling of fried onion – if your barbeque doesn’t come equipped with a hotplate, then you can bring out a miniature frying pan especially for the job. A crisp lettuce leaf, a slice of tomato, a gherkin, and lashings of your sauce of choice, and you’ll be well on your way to burger heaven.
Naturally, a good barbeque should have more than one food option. Prawn skewers, chicken wings, and vegetarian-friendly halloumi slices can all fit nicely into your selection. Set up a miniature salad bar to one side, and your guests will be able to combine their plateful of delicious grilled meat with generous helpings of crisp salad and pasta.
You’ll also want to provide your guests with something to drink. It’s difficult to go wrong with a large bowl of punch. Prepare it according to a favourite recipe, and then top it up with whatever fruits and spirits you happen to have lying around the kitchen. Not only is such a thing delicious – but it forms an excellent visual centrepiece, too.
As well as the items we’ve thus far discussed, there are a few others which make life that little bit more convenient. Having a spray-bottle filled with water handy can prove an invaluable tool in smothering those bursts of flame that result from fat dripping from the grill. Similarly, you’ll need a few tools for handling the grill – a set of tongs and a spatula being among the more essential!