Many people love to Grill on their Barbeque but since the season is at hand there are some tips you should know to do it safe and better.
The first thing you have to understand when using a Barbeque or Grill is that its really not much different than cooking indoors. The primary difference you will find is that the temperatures are harder to control but a very skilled BBQ Master can actually cook pretty much everything outdoors that the rest of us can cook indoors.
There was a time when everyone cooked outdoors because there was no indoors unless you lived in a cave. As time went on people still cooked over an open flame well into the 1800’s as we built homes and used fireplaces for cooking and heating. It wasn’t until much later when the wood stove was introduced and then eventually larger stand alone stoves but at the beginning we were still using wood or coal to cook. Finally Natural Gas and Electricity were introduced and things became much easier. We could depend on constant temperatures and smoke free cooking that made our foods taste better. Smoked meat might be nice for the flavor but a smoked pie or cake probably didn’t taste so great.
So, how did people live back then? Well as you can guess over time different devices were designed to make life easier. Additionally unlike today where we watch shows like Naked And Afraid and wonder if they will ever light a fire.. people had really good skill in building and controlling their fires. Unfortunately everyone today has lost that skill and if left out on our own we would probably all be pretty helpless.
Fortunately Barbequing isn’t half as difficult as open fire cooking was and you can ask anyone who was a boyscout. Today we have charcoal briquettes that only need a match or a little paper to get going and for those of us that don’t like the mess there are gas grills.
Mistakes people make when Grilling
Working on a dirty grill is probably the worst mistake people make. Most of us get lazy and don’t clean our grills and that includes all parts of it not just the grill surface. A small amount of oven cleaner can work well on more durable items like a Hibachi but Soap and water is also your friend. To clean the grill surfaces there are special wire brushes that make this job easy.
Always clean your grill when it is Cold. Never with a fire lit and oven cleaner can be pretty toxic on hot surfaces.
Remember to remove all cleaners with water. You don’t want to be eating that stuff. It will definitely make your food taste bad and could make you sick.
Use Oil when Cooking on your Barbeque
Once your grill is clean you should remember to oil the grill surface before you begin using it. Just a light amount of vegetable oil or peanut oil if you have it. This will help your food to not stick. Would you ever cook in a pan on a stove without oil?
You can also lightly spray the food items with oil before you place them on the grill. Most dollar stores sell small spray bottles that you can fill with oil or there are cans of spray oil that are butter flavored and work well with fish.
Be Creative In Your BBQ Cooking Methods
Just because you like to grill your meats doesn’t mean you can’t cook other things. Most people try cooking corn but you can cook pretty much anything if you take some time and figure it out.
The main thing about cooking other items like vegetables is that you don’t want to hit them with direct heat for the entire cooking time.
Some people will boil their fresh cut potatoes to give them a head start and I suggest that you soak them in water before you cook them. You can also use a cookie sheet or even stack two cookie sheets one upside down and then one the normal way. This will raise your food off the grill.
Sauces, Baked Beans and other things can be cooked in pans.
Often you want to cook them off the heat so leave a portion of the grill empty from briquettes or don’t turn a burner on.
Cooking with a lid is also advantageous and some gas grills have areas where you can keep items warm.
Calculate your cooking time and experiment a bit.
If you have young campers or scouts I strongly suggest you get them involved. Although most of the meals they will get will be prepared by adults not all of them are and having the skill to cook food on the trail will make their friends love them.
Being Safe With Your Barbeque
Working with a Barbeque whether charcoal or gas can be dangerous. You should always read the directions that come with your stove and reach out to your manufacturer for more important safety tips.
For Gas Grills you should get use to checking your gas line connections every time you use your grill. To do so keep a spray bottle of water and dish washing soap and spray it on every connection. If you see bubbles then you have a leak you need to fix.
For charcoal you always want the briquettes to fully burn out before you empty the grill. Never place the ashes directly in the trash store them in a metal trash can. You can buy small 3 gallon steel trash cans for this purpose. If you are camping or on the trail you want to completely drench the fire with water and mix it with a stick down to the dirt then bury the camp fire pit.
Final Note
Being safe is important when cooking outdoors. I had a neighbor burn their house down because their grill was right next to their home. You should always keep your grill at least 10 feet from your home and the farther the better. Never work under an overhang or a canopy.
Keep your kids and pets away from the Barbeque any time it is hot. That means during and after cooking.
Try new ways of cooking. Use a baking sheet or steel pan but don’t use one with protective anti stick coatings. They will burn off and could be toxic.