We’ve partnered up with meat fanatic and BBQ connoisseur, Jack Rowbottom from Jack’s Meat Shack to get his top five tips to reach new levels of BBQ perfection. Check them out below!
Hi everyone, my name is Jack and I love nothing better than cooking up a storm on the BBQ. While the sun is out and the evenings are long, it’s the perfect opportunity to get outside and light up the BBQ. Achieve BBQ greatness by following these 5 simple tips.
1. Choose the correct fuel
Lumpwood burns hot and fast and will last about an hour, which is perfect if you’re grilling burgers, steaks and sausages. Charcoal briquettes, which are uniformly shaped lumps of fuel, tend to burn for up to twice as long as lumpwood and provide a more constant cooking temperature, this is perfect for longer cooks such as smoking large briskets, pulled pork and whole chickens.
2. Invest in a chimney starter
The easiest and quickest way to light a barbecue can be achieved by using a chimney starter which is an upright metal cylinder with a handle on the outside and a wire rack inside. No need for lighter fluid when using one of these, as this could compromise the taste of your food.
3. Know when the coals are ready to cook on
Within 10 to 15 minutes, the charcoal will be ready to pour on to the grill. A good indicator is when the top pieces of charcoal have turned to a grey ash colour.
4. Smoke – your final ingredient
Think of smoke as an ingredient to flavour you meat. Start with fruit woods like apple, cherry and pear, which produce subtle flavours. For a more identifiable taste, woods like hickory and oak are your best bet.
5. 75c to stay alive
Invest in a meat thermometer and take the guess work out of cooking. The majority of meat is safe to eat when it reaches 75 degrees Celsius. Check out Jackmeatshack.com for an in-depth guide to internal cooking temperatures.
BBQ is about having fun and being with friends and family, practice makes perfect so get outside and get grilling!