Why is BBQing so bloody difficult?

[tututastic]

DH and I moved into our first ever house, with first private garden last summer. We bought a BBQ with dreams of easy, summer grilled meals but are obviously both too stupid to figure out how to work it. Would anyone have complete beginner tips?

I’ve tried searching online but it all seems so complicated - kettle bbqs and smokers and wrapped/ unwrapped cooking etc etc. I just want to know how to do a simple BBQ.

We have a normal drum BBQ from Argos. We fill it with self lighting (?) coals. It smokes like bugger. I put meat on. The marinade/ oil drips on the coals. Smoke billows. The outside burns. The inside is pink. I scape off the meat. Then we have to wait for the BBQ to cool, scrub the grill by hand, creating a huge mess of burnt black bits in the white kitchen. Tip over the BBQ to clean the coals. The drum shape holds the bits of coal in so we basically have to turn it upside down. Dispose of the ash and burnt coals. It’s SUCH an immense pain I can only assume I’m BBQing completely wrong.

Any help?

You have to let the charcoal burn until it looks white. Oil the meat before you put it on the grill rack then it won't stick, or oil the grill rack if that isn't possible. Leave it to cook for a few minutes before turning - if the meat isn't properly seared it's more inclined to stick.

I agree though that cleaning a conventional BBQ is a pain. I'm looking for a gas one with grill racks that go in the dishwasher instead - no lighting and waiting at least 20 mins before you can cook and, hopefully, easier clean up.

Are you waiting until the coals are grey to put food on? You need to really leave it for a while because if they are black and flaming your food will burn on the outside because it's too hot.

Firstly, decent charcoal. Cheap stuff is smoky and burns quicker.

Lay charcoal, light, let burn down. Then cook.

There's more too it than that... But apparently as I lack a Y chromosome I'm not allowed near DHs fire. I just roll my eyes and enjoy a glass of wine and the Y chromosomes show off.

Are you letting the coals go grey before cooking? Maybe the grill is too close to the coals so the food is burning before its cooking?

Putting very fatty meat will cause the fat to spit and flame back up. I'm not an expert though!

Because it's shit. I've never understood it!

Why buy a shit cooker to use outside, which is 20 feet from your indoor cooker which already has an effective grill?

It makes no sense. So much work for so little return.

Also I'm not convinced my dad ever cleaned the barbecue. The grill got scraped with a wire brush to get bits off.

We cook sausages and marinated chicken thighs/drumsticks in the oven first so that they are cooked through and then finish them off ok the bbq. You get the bbq flavour without the food poisoning.

I’d get a gas one, it’s so much easier and no smoke. Plus after we’ve used it I just take the racks off and put them through the dishwasher. Although our seasoned BBQ’ing friend was horrified at this and said the burnt bits from your last BBQ are essential for adding flavour

I've got a gas one which is pretty easy to control (Weber) but from what I know of charcoal ones, you have to divide it in areas where one bit is very hot (to finish off food) and another bit is medium hot (to cook things thoroughly, might want to use the lid too at the start). Make sure you season grill plates thoroughly and that you preheat before you start to minimise sticking. Also brush some oil on the food as you cook to keep in the moisture. Keep turning the food frequently. Make sure you put slits in the meat and that it is of an even thickness to ensure even cooking (e.g. butterfly chicken breasts and pound with a mallet). The food should be marinated well and left at room temperature for an hour before cooking. I've got corn skewers, metal kebab skewers, fish and burger racks to make flipping easier. You can get bbq non stick sheets from Ebay to make cleaning up easier. With the flare ups I've seen a water spray been used on bbqs before. There's some advice on here about them: www.weber.com/US/en/blog/tips-techniques/preventing-flare-ups/weber-31145.html

Give the grill a quick scrub in a bucket of hot soapy water outside.

I rarely empty the old coals or ash. It just adds to the next fire.

Use lump wood charcoal with some fire lighters.

Pile it up to light.

If you’ve closed the lid make sure you’ve opened the vents and chimney.

Leave it until most of it is white and mostly not smoking. Might take 20-40 mins depending on the weather.

Spread them out using a poker (or similar).

Put your thickest pieces of meat on first. Then thinner ones. Bash chicken breasts with a rolling pin to make them an even thickness.

Keep turning them. If they’re getting black too quickly move to the edge of the grill where it’s cooler.

Just keep turning and rotating so it all gets a turn in the hottest spots of the grill without burning.

Gas BBQs don’t compare, don’t be tempted.

I only let dh barbecue because we got a gas one. He uses wood chips in a smoker to get the bbq taste/smell. Less smoky and easier to clean. He cleans it outside.

So, I have had a look at the Argos bbq.

Lid up and vents open. Pile the coal up and light at the bottom. This allows it all to light properly quicker. It will smoke. The coal is ready when glowing red with a white ash covering and the air above simmers in the heat. Spread the coals around (long tongs are good here). Rack on.

For cooking steak, lay over the coal, lid down and leave alone until you see spots of blood pooling on the top layer. Then turn it over. Lid down again. Look up times for cooking levels. About 10 minutes. Practice will make perfect here. Remove from fire, cover with foil and leave to rest for 5-8 minutes then serve.

Lid back down. Vents closed. Allow the coal to go out. Leave them there. Next time you come to use it, put new stuff on the bottom (as they are self lighting) and pile the old stuff on the top.

More coals will mean more heat. What is good for steak isn't necessarily good for chicken breast and certainly isn't for fish so go carefully. I never clean the plate or rack (Australian here). Whatever germs are on there and ants and cockroaches will all get killed by the heat.

If you are cooking with foil parcels, shiny side out is for a bit slower cooking as it reflects the heat. For a roast, have a pile of coal at each end, a foil tray in the middle and put your joint/bird over the tray on the rack. Lid down. This is known as indirect heat. Leave the lid down until about 75% cooked then turn over. The juices and meat often remain pink but if the meat is loose on the bone it will be beautifully cooked.

Enjoy your bbq.

You need to let the flames die completely before cooking as PPs have said.
Top tip - line the bbq with foil before putting the coals in and when you've finished cooking and the coals have cooled, just wrap them up in the foil and bin.
Put the grill in a large plastic bag like a bin liner, spray with Mr. Muscle oven cleaner, leave for half hour and rinse under the tap with warm water.

Get some copper mats from Amazon (other retailers are available 😜). They diffuse the heat so your meat will cook more evenly. No more charcoaled sausages!

What @TheSandgroper said...shut BBQ and close vents as soon as you've finished cooking which effectively turns off the heat. When cool scrub off worst of grill with wire brush thing or just scrunched up foil before bringing in to wash. Don't bother with cleaning rest of BBQ, reuse the charcoal and clear out ash when it starts to build up.

Don't forget to clean the grill though...typing that just reminded me that I've not cleaned mine since using it two weeks ago

Gas BBQ!! Yes, it's not the same. But it's so lovely and convenient. I spent one lovely summer cooking outside most nights, meat, new potatoes and salad - it was fab! And imagine cooking breakfast outside with a lovely cup of coffee on the go! You'd never mange that with a charcoal BBQ!

Such a good idea, I had no idea about oiling anything

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

Firstly, decent charcoal. Cheap stuff is smoky and burns quicker.

Lay charcoal, light, let burn down. Then cook.

There's more too it than that... But apparently as I lack a Y chromosome I'm not allowed near DHs fire. I just roll my eyes and enjoy a glass of wine and the Y chromosomes show off.

Haha yes I have also been told to take my XX chromosomes elsewhere but it’s such a headache and mess that I’m taking over now

@TheLovleyChebbyMcGee

Are you letting the coals go grey before cooking? Maybe the grill is too close to the coals so the food is burning before its cooking?

Putting very fatty meat will cause the fat to spit and flame back up. I'm not an expert though!

Thank you, I saw some smokeless coal advertised, perhaps that’s the way forward?

Gas! We bbq about 3 months of the year (we live in Aus) and the faff of trying those coal crap ones when we lived in the UK did my nut in.

Buy a cheapo disposable one and cook cheap burgers on it. In the rain.

This is the only acceptable British way to BBQ.

@FizzyPink

I’d get a gas one, it’s so much easier and no smoke. Plus after we’ve used it I just take the racks off and put them through the dishwasher. Although our seasoned BBQ’ing friend was horrified at this and said the burnt bits from your last BBQ are essential for adding flavour

not envy! We don’t own a wire brush though, which sounds useful for grill cleaning

@Katesblazer

Give the grill a quick scrub in a bucket of hot soapy water outside.

I rarely empty the old coals or ash. It just adds to the next fire.

Use lump wood charcoal with some fire lighters.

Pile it up to light.

If you’ve closed the lid make sure you’ve opened the vents and chimney.

Leave it until most of it is white and mostly not smoking. Might take 20-40 mins depending on the weather.

Spread them out using a poker (or similar).

Put your thickest pieces of meat on first. Then thinner ones. Bash chicken breasts with a rolling pin to make them an even thickness.

Keep turning them. If they’re getting black too quickly move to the edge of the grill where it’s cooler.

Just keep turning and rotating so it all gets a turn in the hottest spots of the grill without burning.

Thank you. DH insists the BBQ must be completely empty before the next set of coals go on but appears this is not the case

You definitely need a wire brush.

You need decent charcoal, not fast light stuff. And look on youtube for videos on how to build a fire. You'll need some kindling to get it started. You want it to burn with flames to begin with. Then leave it until the coals are grey and there are no flames, this can take 30 minutes.

You then need a sacrificial sausage or two. If they burn quickly it isn't ready so wait a bit longer (10 minutes). After a while you'll learn to judge on hand heat and looks and the sacrificial sausage will be surplus to requirement.

As for cleaning, get a lid for it and leave it overnight to cool and dry out, keep the grill on the BBQ until it is all cool, it'll be easier to clean. Then upend the BBQ in to the bin to get all the charcoal out and brush the grill with a wire brush, no water.