HINTS & TIPS
Take note of Galton's helpful hints and tips to create
delicious BBQ dishes!
HINT #1
First and foremost, remember that BBQing is great fun and nothing to be scared of. The more you do it the better you'll get, and you'll start being more adventurous with your food and flavours.
HINT #2
There's more to a BBQ than meat. Fish is perfect (the fresher the better) and one of the most exciting things you can cook on a BBQ is shellfish - particularly scallops, oysters, lobsters, langoustines and mussells. Anything with a protective shell or coating around it works particularly well.
HINT #3
Don't forget your vegetables. Some of our most spectacular BBQ results have been vegetables such as asparagus, beetroot, and celeriac. Wrap some new potatoes in foil with some butter and garlic and open them up 3/4 of the way through cooking - they're amazing.
HINT #4
Plan your menu so you're not cooking too much at the same time, or spending the whole day in front of the grill instead of your guests. Consider a theme for your menu to help you complement the side dishes and make the whole experience more enjoyable - and a lot easier!
HINT #5
It's not a problem if you're cooking with gas or electricity, but if you prefer a charcoal BBQ think carefully about the fuel you use, because it can dramatically affect the flavour. Try to use lumpwood charcoal, which is made from high-quality hardwoods and avoid anything that smells of petrol as that will taint your food. Steer clear of compressed briquettes as well - they’re often made by mixing charcoal dust with glue and have a tendency to burn way too hot.
HINT #6
Make sure your meat is at room temperature before cooking. Take it out of the fridge at least an hour before cooking, because the warmer the inside of the meat the better the result when cooked - and you'll avoid the most common BBQ mistake of having food that's perfectly charred on the outside but raw in the middle.
HINT #7
Cover your cooked meat with a cloth or loosely-applied foil and let it rest for a little while. This allows the meat to relax and re-absorb the juices after the heat of the BBQ, and will increase the flavour dramatically. As an example, you'll need to rest smaller steaks for about 15 minutes.
HINT #8
If you're putting fillets of fish on the BBQ rather than a whole fish, make sure the heat is no more than medium - if you can't stand too close then it's too hot. Always cook fish fillets with the skin side down first, and only turn them over when the skin is deliciously crisp and golden.