Grilling Guide

Tips for the Perfect Backyard BBQ Cookout

Practically everyone loves cooking outdoors over an open flame and the joys of a good cookout.  But not everyone has acquired the skills necessary to make it work to perfection.  Barbecuing takes skill and mastering those skills takes time.  It requires planning to make it work out well.  The same goes for anyone checking into an everygame casino, planning is important.

Many cookouts end up being disasters.  Poorly cooked food, barbecues burning up and other awful incidents.  While this is common, here are a number of tips that will help anyone wishing to avoid disaster and achieve the perfect cookout.

Prepare Before You Start to Grill

Before you start grilling, you need to have already prepared all your salads and side dishes. Once you begin to grill you can’t be chopping and cutting and watching over the grill. Prepare all your vegetables and side dishes first and then put them on the side until the grilled food is ready.   Have all that you need for grilling ready, including tongs, trays, and plates.

How to know the Grill is Ready

Well, it depends on what you are cooking.  When using charcoal, it is necessary to wait about half an hour for it to reach the correct temperature before placing your food on the grill.   The coal will look ashy and white when it’s at the right temperature.  A gas barbecue grill will be ready quicker, around 20 minutes.

Better to be ready when guests or family arrive so start early, leaving yourself enough time for preparations.  If you start early and the food is ready before your guests arrive, you can always keep the food warm in an oven at a low temperature covered with aluminum foil.

First Things You Should Cook

Generally, you should start to cook the larger thinker pieces of meat or chicken first as they will take longer to cook. Thinner pieces of steak, vegetables and halloumi cheese cook very quickly so they can be put on last.

Must-Have Grilling Tool

As mentioned, the temperature of the coal is critical.  It may be worth investing in a digital thermometer to make sure that your meat is thoroughly cooked inside.  Sometimes it looks done on the outside but perhaps it is not fully cooked on the inside.   Using this digital thermometer, you can check the inside of the meat.  For example, hamburgers should be grilled to an internal temperature of about 160 degrees.

Other Grilling Options

A barbecue grill is not only used to cook meat but can also grill vegetables, fruits, and even desserts or bread. Consider wrapping potatoes in aluminum foil and cook directly on the grill.  You can also do the same with a whole variety of fruits and cook them on the grill.

Bananas are an excellent choice.  You can place the whole banana including the skin on the grill. But first cut it down the center and stuff with chocolate, wrap it in aluminum foil for a few minutes so the chocolate melts and you have produced a tasty banana split ready to be served with ice cream.

What About Disposable Grills

Truthfully, don’t waste your time buying a disposable barbecue grill.  Unless you absolutely have no place to store a barbecue then invest in a regular grill. Disposable barbecues are of course cheap, but they really don’t do a good job, don’t last very long, and are not eco- friendly because you will need to keep replacing them.

If you don’t have much storage space, it is still better to purchase a small kettle barbecue rather than a disposable one.

How To Cook Halloumi on the Grill

Halloumi is a great grilling option but can be difficult to cook on the grill.   Often it can fall apart, get stuck between the grill grates, or even fall in between them onto the coals.

To prevent some of these things from occurring you should try cutting it into larger pieces, burger size, as an alternative to a real hamburger and/or cut them into smaller pieces once they are cooked.

Don’t Be Handcuffed to The Grill

Having a backyard BBQ party is a social event so you want to be able to spend time with your friends and family as well as enjoying the cookout. If you are only continually grilling, then it kind of defeats the purpose.

Try to simplify, one or two different meats are probably enough, a non-meat option, a salad or side dishes, rolls or bread and some drinks will do the job.

Best Things to Cook on The Grill

Whatever you are planning to grill, it should be seasoned well, using salt, pepper and any other herbs and spices you like.  Cumin and coriander are two favorites.  When the coals begin to cool slightly, place your rolls or breads on the grill for a few minutes to warm them up.

A backyard BBQ party takes planning and effort so make the whole experience a worthwhile one by sprucing it up with some wonderful colorful salads and side dishes.