Summer Lifestyle: Fire Up The Barbie

by Claire Burdett

The barbeque may be an Aussie import, but it has become an essential component of the great British summer, complete with Dad-in-charge and playing dodge the rainclouds. However, if the term 'barbecue' still conjures up images of burnt sausages and frazzled burgers, the time has come to consider a whole new cooking experience. While there is no rule book that says barbecued food must be black on the outside and pink in the middle, but you'd think there was given the efforts of the majority of Brits. So let our handy cooking tips guide you (or the man of the house) to better barbecuing.

Do marinate
Marinating prior to barbecuing helps tenderise, imparts flavour, and keeps meats and vegetables moist throughout the cooking process.

Hot, hot, hot
It takes at least ½ hour for the coals to reach the desired temperature - they should be a dusty white colour and have a reddish glow before you even venture near them with a steak.

Take your time
Contrary to popular belief, barbecuing is not all about lots of flames and quick cooking. The 'scorch-and-torch' school of barbecuing is out, as cooking like this will produce charred and under-cooked results. For best results, find out the correct cooking time for all foods. Cooking time depends on the cut of meat and whether you prefer rare, medium, or well done. In general the larger the cut, the longer you cook it. Use a timer for best results. If you want to speed up the cooking process, food can be partially cooked in the oven or microwave, but it must be done immediately before barbecuing.

Experiment
Use your barbecue to its full potential - modern barbecues can grill, fry, roast, and bake. If you have a barbecue with a lid, leave it on and the barbecue acts like an oven so you can cook whole fish and meat joints, and any other food that needs longer cooking at low temperatures.

Cut the fat
Keep food light and healthy and reduce flare-ups by trimming excess fat from meat and minimising fats and oils in marinades.

Don’t prod
There is a common misconception that food must be constantly prodded with various utensils in order to cook properly. If you constantly pierce your steaks and chicken legs, juices will escape and you'll end up with a tough piece of leather.

Don't flip out
If you're cooking directly over hot coals, the meat should only be turned once, and if you're cooking with a lid - similar to oven roasting - there's no need to turn the meat at all.

Don't use tinfoil
Using tinfoil in an effort to reduce the washing-up is a bad idea. Adding anything to a barbecue is a fire hazard, and sheets of tinfoil flapping about will obstruct the airflow and interfere with the cooking process.

Don’t use petrol or lighter fuel
Only use non-toxic firelighters - you want to be able to taste the food not the fuel!

Don't peek
If you have a barbecue with a lid resist the temptation to persistently peek at the food - this increases the length of cooking time and the risk of flare-ups, as air fans the flames.

Barbecue food safety tips
Enjoy your barbecues by taking a few simple steps to ensure the food you cook is safe to eat.

• When you're cooking outside, it's harder to keep hot foods hot, cold foods cold, and keep everything clean. The two key things to remember are that you need to minimise the opportunities for bacteria to multiply, and avoid cross-contamination.

• The threat of E.coli comes particularly from beef products (such as burgers), and the risk of salmonella and campylobacter particularly from chicken. Bacteria flourish in warm temperatures and double in number every 20 minutes. But the good news is that if you handle your food with care and cook it thoroughly, you can avoid them all.

• Light the barbecue well in advance to ensure it's as hot as possible before you start cooking. This will help avoid the problem of your food being charred on the outside and raw on the inside (not very tasty or safe). Use enough charcoal and wait until the coals are white and glowing red before you start to cook.

• Only pre-cook chicken in the oven or microwave if you can take it straight to the barbecue to finish it off. If half-cooked chicken is left hanging around, any bacteria will multiply. Always make sure that chicken is cooked through, with no pink bits inside and clear juices.

• Cook burgers, sausages, and anything containing minced or chopped beef until they are piping hot through and have no pink bits. Never eat processed meats rare.

• Defrost frozen meat and poultry thoroughly before cooking either in a microwave or in the fridge, but not at room temperature.

• Keep raw meat and cooked or ready-to-eat foods apart to prevent cross-contamination. Don't handle cooked foods with the same utensils (or unwashed fingers) that you're using for raw meats.

• Store meat that you're marinating in the fridge or a cool bag with ice, to help prevent the growth of bacteria. Avoid contamination by using a fresh marinade to baste the cooking meat, and not the marinade that the raw meat was sitting in.

• Keep hot food hot - make sure meats are thoroughly cooked and kept piping hot.

• Keep cold food cold - leave all perishable food in the fridge until you are ready to serve or cook. If you're having a picnic, store it in an insulated cool box, and try to eat within a few hours of leaving home.