If you own a grill, you should learn how to cook barbeque. This type of food is deeply rooted in American history and is often the staple of backyard entertaining. Whether it is for a graduation party, a wedding, Memorial Day, Independence Day or a normal evening, barbeque food almost never disappoints.
What are some of the best BBQ tips and tricks? The key to a successful barbeque lies in choosing the right grill, selecting the best wood, and knowing the best flavor combinations with meat, vegetables and fruit. All in all, if you can put together a great menu and follow correct cooking instructions, you can’t go wrong.
Arguably one of the most classic features of any summer season is a good summer barbeque in your backyard. Whether you’re an experienced entertainer or grill master, or just a beginner looking to expand your culinary horizon, learning new barbeque tips and tricks is a must as the weather starts to get warmer.
So, I researched the best barbeque tips and tricks that can turn anyone into a barbeque master, just in time for entertaining season. There are endless ways to incorporate barbeque into what is seemingly a basic food menu to add more flare. These tips and tricks can help set your summer party apart from the rest and create an unforgettable experience with family or friends.
The biggest part of a successful barbeque is your choice of grill. If you already own a grill and have no desire to purchase another one, your barbeque is not doomed to fail. However, if you are looking to purchase a grill for the first time or a new grill, charcoal grills and electric grills produce a better product than a propane gas grill.
Charcoal and electric grills produce a better smoke, and smoke is key element to your food, as it is really an ingredient in and of itself.
Your selection in wood also plays a huge role in the final flavor of your grilled food. Contrary to popular belief, different types of wood produce different flavors. In other words, not just any random wood in your backyard is a good choice to use for your summer barbeque.
Use wood from fruit trees to produce the best flavor. Some of the best ones are wood from apple, cherry or peach trees.
Another tip in regards to wood is allowing your wood chips to soak in water before you cook them. The best time duration is anywhere from one hour to overnight.
After they have soaked for a substantial amount of time, you should wrap them in aluminum foil and place them in your grill. The reason for this is to create more smoke when the wet wood reacts with the hot temperature of the grill.
Some of the best tips in choosing what to barbeuque is that the more natural and homemade it is, the better. If you are grilling burgers, for example, making your own burgers from ground beef or turkey produces a much better tasting product than using frozen patties from your local grocery store.
Marinading your meat is also a huge component is producing the best flavor. The best time frame is allowing your meat to marinate for a few hours, but the best flavor comes from allowing your meat to sit overnight.
There are many accredited marinades you can buy from your store, but if you want to add your own touch after you gain some experience, you can always make your own marinade.
The key to barbecue is being patient. Turning meat or vegetables over constantly or checking the temperature too frequently can make the flavor distribute unequally and can make the food accidentally fall apart.
The lower the temperature, the more patient you must be. However, before you remove the meat from the heat source, you should be sure to use a thermometer to make sure it is cooked fully through.
After the meat is cooked, it is best to let it sit before you cut it into it. Letting your meat sit is essential in harnessing the highest amount of flavor and ensuring that the juices inside the meat do not run everywhere, leaving the meat flavorless and dry. A key tip is not cut into your meat until it is time to serve your guests.
Clean-up is also an important part of a barbecue. You want to make sure that when you go back to barbecue for another occasion, your equipment is not ruined or hopelessly dirty.
Laying down aluminum foil around your area can speed up the cleaning process drastically. Instead of wiping your outdoor area, you can lay everything on sheets of aluminum foil to allow for an easy clean up.
Keeping your equipment clean is also important. Make sure you avoid letting a by-product sit such as oil and grease for long periods of time. Using aluminum foil as a grill brush is effective in cleaning your grill if you don’t own the proper brushes at the time.
Helpful BBQ Tips For Beginners and First-Timers
Your first time cooking on a grill can seem daunting, but the best tip for a successful barbecue for beginners is that the key is in the details. However, all the steps involved in having a barbecue can be accomplished by any level of prior knowledge.
Your first barbecue can be a fun exciting adventure. Following this comprehensive guide can turn you from a grilling novice to a grilling masters in less time than you may think.
Tips for good barbecue for beginners:
- Keep you temperature low and slow
- Use a good grill
- Don’t be intimidated by working with fire
- Finding good recipes
- Everything adds to the flavor
- Using the correct equipment
The best temperature to barbecue your meat is on a low temperature. Low, consistent heat produces a delicious barbecue that high, direct heat simply cannot accomplish. Even though this cooking method can require large amounts of patience, it pays off in the end.
Whether you are an expert or a beginner, choosing the best grill has the biggest impact on the overall quality of your food.
Charcoal and wood grills produce the best smoke, as smoke is a big part in delivering flavor. However, you should invest in a good quality grill. Cheaply made grills can pose as a safety hazard, or can deliver an uneven temperature to your food.
Arguably the scariest part of using a grill for the first time is the fear of working directly with fire while cooking. It can be an intimidating transition from working with an electric stove top, to open flames underneath your grill plates.
However, don’t be intimidated by working with charcoal or burning wood. Having confidence is an important element in barbecuing. A key point of advice is to avoid lighter fluid to keep things natural and safe.
Finding good recipes can keep things simple. If you’ve never barbecued before, figuring out what exactly to cook can seem confusing.
There are so many dishes you make with barbecue. However, the most popular are chicken, pulled pork, brisket and ribs. The choice in marinade and dry rub is personal preference, and there are endless recipes and ideas on online websites and blogs.
Once you get comfortable with the basics, you may want to expand your skills by experimenting with different woods or grilling things like fruit and vegetables with your meat.
Finally, choosing the correct accessories can make your barbecuing experience a lot easier. Purchasing gloves, cutting knives, tongs and a good grill brush are among a few items you should consider investing in before you fire up the grill.
How to Prepare For a Backyard BBQ Party:
Whether it’s a holiday, special occasion or any other reason to celebrate, planning your summer barbecue party can create a timeless experience for family and friends. The key to a successful backyard barbecue party is all in the food preparations, decorations and fun environment.
The number one tip is hosting any event is to prep your food before your guests arrive to the function.
Preparing as much as you can beforehand takes less stress off the hosts as far as cooking is concerned, and gives you more energy and time to focus on entertaining and spending time with the people you care about. One of the biggest mistakes is waiting too late to start cooking.
Making sure you have enough food, propane, wood or charcoal is also an important point. Other than waiting too late to start cooking, this is another fatal mistake as a barbeque cannot go on without being able to cook enough food.
A good idea to ask your guests to each bring a side dish. Unless you are an experienced caterer, having a large party of guests can create a ton of work in making sides to feed everyone. This way, you don’t have to worry about making side dishes, and it creates a variety of options that everyone can enjoy.
Outside decorations are also important in hosting a summer barbecue party. In one’s personal outdoor space, outdoor decorations create a heartwarming summer environment and draws more positive attention to what could be an otherwise boring area.
Using solar powered lights are a great idea, so that you don’t have to worry about scrambling to turn on the lights once the sun goes down.
If your backyard has a swimming pool, outdoor lights are an amazing addition to add some flare to your pool deck. You can also use lights to add decorations hanging on your fence or on your hedges to add light to your walkways and backyard exterior.
Other decoration ideas can vary based on the occasion. If it is a patriotic holiday, consider adding themed table cloths and napkins to your outdoor tables, or add streamers to the sides of your outdoor seating.
Keeping your guests happy is key. Serving snacks can prevent people from hovering around the kitchen or grill. Snacks can be as simple or complex as you want to make them, and there are many recipes and ideas in several cooking books and online food websites that can point you to the best snacks for your summer party.
Having lots of games can keep the kids occupied. There are endless amounts of summer games like horseshoes and corn hole that are both fun and safe for all ages to participate in. These games also keep children away from the safety hazard of hanging around the grill or sharp objects lying around such as knives and other cooking equipment.
Having a good drink selection is a great idea for a barbecue party. Whether it is having a variety of beers, wines or even margaritas for adults, it can add a great touch and pairing with the food you have prepared. For kids, homemade lemonade, sweet tea and punch are great options.
Nonetheless, having fun is the most important thing in having an unforgettable summer barbecue party. When the hosts are relaxed, the guests will be too. After spending so much time preparing for a good time, the best advice is to enjoy yourself and your guests, which is the ultimate point of a summer party to begin with.
Tips for a summer barbecue party:
- Be prepared
- Ask for guests to contribute to side dishes and desserts
- Decorate your outdoor space with lights
- Have games for adults and kids to enjoy
- Relax and have fun
Some of the Best Foods to BBQ
There are endless recipes and ideas online for what to put on your grill. Although meat is often the start of any barbecue, vegetables and fruit can also be barbecued for incredible summer meals.
The key to figuring out what to barbecue is looking at your cooking in an overall approach. It’s better to cook things that work together to create a meal, rather than barbecuing random things to put on a dinner plate.
Beef rib is a timeless classic that has been found on grills for decades. This type of meat is most famous in Texas, but has surely been found in backyards and restaurants all over the country.
Any grill master will tell you that the most important factor in cooking beef rib is the dry rub and the patience in cooking them. When cooked correctly, they are unforgettably delicious.
Sausages are another popular meat that you can grill. This type of meat has been cooked for centuries and comes in many different variations. Grilled sausages pairs nicely with coleslaw or any other classic side.
Chicken is a great option for any grill master to choose. It is probably the most versatile meat that can be seasoned any which way to create an explosion of flavor. When cooked correctly, barbecued chicken is an inexpensive, unbeatable option for your dinner selection.
Pork and brisket are the top two ranked meats to barbecue on your grill. Pork is most popular with barbecue in the Carolinas and often uses the pork shoulder as opposed to any other part of the hog. Pork also pairs well with almost any sauce you choose to pair it with.
Brisket has been called the “mother of all barbecue meats”. If you’re looking for the best option in meat selection to grill, brisket is the way to go. That being said, it requires a lot of patience and expertise in order to cook it well.
The best meats to barbecue, ranked:
- Brisket
- Pork
- Chicken
- Sausage
- Beef rib
However, you should not limit your barbecue horizons to meat-only. Vegetables and fruit are also fully capable of being grilled to perfection. Some great unorthodox grilling options are corn, eggplant, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, pineapples and even lettuce. Adding vegetables to meat on skewers can create wonderful grilled kebabs.
Baked beans are another great food for a barbecue. It may seem foreign to put baked beans on a grill, but placing the pot on the grill for several minutes can add a smoky flavor that cannot be created on the stovetop.
If you’re feeling extra adventurous, consider throwing strawberries and watermelon on your grill. These can be paired together to create fruit kebabs. This allows you to experience your fruit in a whole new way.
Other items to try on the grill:
- Pineapple, strawberries and other fruits
- Bell peppers
- Corn
- Any other vegetable, fruit or starch you want to try
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