Nothing beats the idea of gathering friends and family on the patio for a barbecue on a nice summers evening. In reality though, it doesnt always go as planned. Most of us assume that a successful barbecue consists of buying some nice cuts of meat and putting them on the grill until they turn crispy Yuk! By planning your evening in advance and following these simple tips, your friends will be begging you to host another barbecue the following weekend!

1) Cleaning the grill.

Incredibly, most people choose to overlook this simple job. Not only does it pose an obvious health risk, it also affects the flavour of the food you are about to cook. In addition, it also prevents excessive smoke when you next use your barbecue. The key time to clean a barbecue grill is just after it has been used. Wait until it has cooled down a bit, but is still warm. That way, anything stuck to your grill will lift off easier. A good quality wire brush from your local hardware store will remove even the most stubborn remnants with ease. Every once in a while, give the grill a good clean with some hot soapy water, especially if you barbecue on a regular basis. If over time the paint starts to flake, some good quality grill safe paint will make your barbecue grill look like new.

2) Choosing your meat.

The meat you choose is vital to the success of any barbecue. A cut of meat with threads of fat running through will produce a juicier end product. This is because the fat prevents the meat from drying out whilst cooking. If however the meat has excessive fat on the outside, it needs to be trimmed off. Leaving it on will increase the risk of the barbecue flaring up, as the fat will drip on to the coals as the meat cooks. Try to keep your cuts of meat to a maximum of 2 inches in depth.

3) Prepare the barbecue for cooking.

If youre cooking on coals, arrange the coals in to a pyramid in the centre of the barbecue, then cover the coals evenly in lighter fuel. Lightly oil the grill, being extra careful not to over do it as this could again result in the barbecue flaring up. Now you are ready to light the barbecue.

4) Lighting the barbecue.

Using long matches, you can now set a flame to your coals. Once they are glowing red and covered with white ash, they are ready. This process should take between 15-30 minutes. You now need to spread the coals evenly across the bottom of the barbecue using some long handled barbecue tongs. If the barbecue is large in area, you also have the option of putting more layers of coals on one side to give you greater control of cooking temperature.

5) Cooking the meat.

Your almost there, dont fall at the last hurdle! Lightly cover one side with your marinade and place it face down on the grill. Allow half the overall cooking time for each side, but before you turn the meat lightly coat the uncooked side with some marinade. Avoid pressing down on top of the meat or pricking the meat too much, as this will drain the meat of its juices. This will not only cause flare-ups, but it will dry the meat out very quickly. Using a meat thermometer to check doneness is the most effective, safest method but if you dont have one use a spatula or knife to peek inside the meat. Whichever method you use, be sure to check the thickest part of the meat first.

6) Dont forget.

Now matter how much experience you have cooking on a barbecue, flare-ups happen. The best way to deal with this is to keep a spray bottle near by with some water in it. If you do get a flare up, spray the affected area with a fine mist of water.

Now that you have everything under control, relax and enjoy the evening. Not forgetting to clean your grill once the barbecue has cooled down!

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