There is no denying that BBQ’s are an excellent opportunity to sit and unwind with friends while enjoying some delicious food prepared live. Grilling meats and veggies become even more fun, when the station is set up in a beautiful courtyard or an open space. But that is not the only criteria you need to keep in mind for a successful ‘BBQ’. For the uninitiated, Barbecue (BBQ for short), refers to a meal or an intimate gathering, where meat, fish or other foods are cooked outdoors on a rack over an open fire. Nowadays, of course, there are many appliances that do not even require you to light any fire. You can simply take them out, and prepare delish food for your friends and family.
For a successful Barbecue, there are a few things you must keep in mind. From the kind of meat you choose to the timing required to grill the same, these are a few things many novices often struggle with. Which is why, during the National Barbecue Month, we caught up with Chef Raul Khare, Corporate Executive Chef, The Finch, to help us understand a few BBQ Basics to ensure you do not end up with charred meat or burnt sauce in your next BBQ-themed party.
Freepik.com |For a successful Barbecue, there are a few things you must keep in mind.
Bookmark these expert tips and go be a BBQ champ you always aspired to be,
1. Pre-heat the grill
The grills of your rack need as much preheating as the ovens. A lot of chefs swear by charcoal grills, and the flavours it infuses into the food.
2. Familiarise yourself with minor or lesser-known cuts
It is always a good idea to understand the many cuts of meat, so you understand how to cook them. Most of them need to be tended to differently, says chef Rahul. Lean cuts can be incredibly tender and delicious, if you know how to prepare it properly, they also take less time to cook.
3. Lay hold of the low and slow
The habitual mistake of cooking at a high temperature, by leaving the grill on high heat, results in ruining our delicious meal. Learn by exploring new and various slow and steady cooking methods which will help you in achieving those diverse and delicious flavours.
4. Bigger the meat, lesser the heat.
Especially for large or bigger cuts, turning down the heat plays quite an essential role. Doing this will help give you juicier meat and a super flavourful crust.
5. How to determine the doneness
There are many ways to determine the doneness of the meat. For those who are relatively new to this. Here’s a handy guide on ‘Steak doneness’.
If you want it ‘Rare seared around the edges’:
- You are looking for ‘Red interior’
- Grill Side 1 for 4min
- Grill Side 2 for 2 min
If you want it ‘Medium rare and seared outside’:
- You are looking for ‘pinkish-red interior’
- Grill Side 1 for 5 min
- Grill Side 2 for 3 min
If you are looking for ‘Medium’
- You are looking for ‘Pink centre, surrounded by brown meat’
- Grill Side 1 for 6 min
- Grill Side 2 for 5 min
If you are looking for ‘Well done'
- You are looking ‘Brown colour throughout’
- Grill Side 1 for 8 min
- Grill Side 2 for 7 min