BBQ's

Approaching the grill for the first time? Or maybe you’ve grilled before but were less than thrilled with the results. Either way, relax. With these tips you’ll soon be brandishing the tongs like a pro.

Starting Up
Charcoal: On the charcoal grate, place crumpled newspaper or fuel cubes. Cover with charcoal briquets to form a pyramid. (If you are using lighter fluid, soak the briquets with a liberal amount. Tightly recap and store fuel container far from the grill and any flames. DO NOT ever add lighter fluid to a lit fire.) Light the charcoal. Charcoal is ready when briquets are coated with a light grey ash, in about 25 minutes.

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Direct (Grilling) vs. Indirect (Roasting) Method
Weber charcoal grills and Weber gas barbecues give you great grilled results every time because they are designed to give you ultimate control of your grilling temperature and cooking method. Here we explain the secret to great grilling. (Remember, whether you’re cooking by the Direct or Indirect Method, always grill with the lid on.)

Direct (Grilling) Method
The Direct Method is similar to broiling. Food is cooked directly over the heat source. For even cooking, food should be turned once halfway through the grilling time. Use the Direct method for foods that take less than 25 minutes to cook: like steaks, chops, kabobs, sausages and vegetables. Direct cooking is also necessary to sear meats. Searing creates that wonderful crisp, caramelized texture where the food hits the grate. It also adds nice grill marks and flavor to the entire food surface. Steaks, chops, chicken pieces, and larger cuts of meat all benefit from searing.

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If, like me, you like to indulge in a dessert after a great barbecue, why not try this recipe for chocolate brownie cake (from Weber’s Real Grilling™ by Jamie Purviance), with a twist. The twist? Cook it in your barbecue, impressing your guests with your imagination and versatility! The following recipe makes 8 to 10 servings:

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A smoked turkey is pure delight and possesses a far better flavor than oven roasted. The secret is in the slow cooking. This turkey will be more tender and juicy than you thought possible. What you will need is a good turkey, a trustworthy thermometer, a smoker and a bit of patience. Actually a lot of patience. Even a small turkey, say 12-14 pounds can take 6 to 8 hours. But don’t be discouraged because the result will be well work the wait.

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Cajun cooking is the food of Louisiana USA. The Cajun’s are a group of displaced French-Canadians who fled during British occupation and settled at the bottom of the Mississippi River. Cajun, as opposed to Creole is a peppery, simple (it’s usually cooking in one pot) food that tends to include a lot of pork fat.

One of the great things about Cajun cooking is that there are now right or wrong recipes. Everything is a work of evolution. The Soar Recipe Archive contains more than 50 different recipes for Gumbo ranging from Peach Jambalaya to Light Turkey Jambalaya. Typically, the meat in Cajun cooking can be almost anything.

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Weber charcoal barbecue models have been upgraded with new features such as black ash catchers, 20cm wheels and convenient charcoal measuring cups. 2010 sees the birth of Weber’s first four-legged charcoal barbecue. The brand new Weber One-Touch Deluxe comes with thermoset side tables, a convenient Tuck-Away lid holder, and two Char-Basket fuel holders. What’s more, all Weber charcoal barbecues now come with a 10 year warranty.

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Here is an awesome sauce a friend gave to me, if you like BBQ sauce and you like beer then here is the perfect recipe for you!

Beer BBQ Sauce

1 can of beer (your favorite)

1 large can of tomato sauce

1 cup cider vinegar

3/4 cup olive oil

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You’ve committed to joining a competition BBQ. You’ve practiced and are ready to go. You’ve gotten buyoff from the family and you have your support structure, but now you ask yourself “what goes on?” The following article attempts to describe some of what goes on.

Part 1 – Competition Preparation. Preparation activity starts early in the week of the competition. Some folks have the fortune of focusing a tremendous amount of energy on this preparation aspect, but for most of us, it’s a hobby and must take a back seat to our jobs and family obligations. Stress levels and anxiety escalate as the week progresses, so when Friday evening comes, you’re thankful for being able to finally execute your craft. The relaxed feeling you get at about 10pm on Friday night of a competition, devoid of all the everyday stressors, is priceless. Here’s a typical week for me.

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There are a variety of cooking methods to suit your bbq and choice of food so here’s a brief summary of each to enable you to get the most out of your barbecue experience…

GRILL/DIRECT:
To ‘grill’ on your barbecue using gas and/or briquettes is almost self-explanatory. Use when cooking small pieces of meat which only need to be barbecued for up to 15-20 minutes e.g. chicken fillets, steaks and prawns. If you are barbecuing with briquettes, distribute the glowing briquettes evenly across the whole charcoal grate.

Then place the cooking grate on the barbecue and position the food on the cooking grate directly above the briquettes. If you are barbecuing with gas, light the barbecue on full and leave it to pre-heat for 5 minutes. Then simply place the food on the cooking grate above the burners.

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There’s only one sure way to ensure perfect ignition every time: use the Weber chimney starter. Fill the chimney starter with briquettes and use firestarters to light them. You will need 2-3 of them to light a full chimney starter. This way you’ll have perfect briquettes in 20-25 minutes, and you can prepare the food while they heat up.

The Weber chimney starter holds precisely the amount of briquettes required for barbecuing in a 57 cm charcoal barbecue. Remember to use a pair of barbecue mitts when transferring the hot briquettes to the barbecue.

Hold the guide bar in one hand, grip the handle with the other and distribute the briquettes according to the barbecuing technique you want to use.

Reuse the briquettes
Close the barbecue air vents when you have finished cooking. This will extinguish the briquettes, and you can use them again. The next time you want to barbecue, fill the chimney starter with one-third of fresh briquettes. Then fill the rest of it with used briquettes. Simply light them as usual – and enjoy the satisfaction of recycling

A delicious spin on chicken tacos. Give it a whirl, you won’t be disappointed.

Beer-Marinated Chicken Tacos
from Weber’s Real Grilling™ by Jamie Purviance

Prep time: 20 minutes
Marinating time: 2 to 4 hours
Grilling time: 8 to 10 minutes

Marinade
1 cup dark Mexican beer, such as Negra Modelo
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

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Keen BBQ have teamed up with Amazon to bring you some of the best books in barbecue. Here are our top 3 favourites of the moment.

Barbecues and Grilling by Antony Worrall Thompson
This AWL book is a must for barbecue beginners and those wishing to enhance their BBQ-ing skills. With 100 recipes, there is something for every occasion, and lots of information on choosing, setting up and maintaining your grill. A perfect starter for all BBQ enthusiasts.

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Bored of burgers, steaks, chicken or sausages on the barbecue? Well, why not try flaming up something a bit more unusual instead? Perhaps you like the idea of sampling some crocodile burgers, kangaroo or zebra steaks, or maybe the sound of rattlesnake meat tickles your fancy. There are a number of specialists in the UK supplying a range of exotic and unusual meats.

Crocodile is a low cholesterol meat and exceedingly tender, with a similar texture to pork chop, but very light in flavour. Sounds like something you can really get your teeth into!

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Here’s a quick and tasty recipe for BBQ chicken breasts. “Hurry Up I’m Hungry Chicken Breasts”
from Weber’s Real Grilling™ by Jamie Purviance

Prep time: 5 minutes
Marinating
Grilling time: 8 to 12 minutes

Rub
1 teaspoon granulated onion
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon prepared chili powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

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Weber charcoal grills and gas barbecues give you great grilled results every time because they are designed to give you ultimate control of your grilling temperature and cooking method. Here we explain the secret to great grilling. (Remember, whether you’re cooking by the Direct or Indirect Method, always grill with the lid on.)

Direct Method
The Direct Method is similar to broiling. Food is cooked directly over the heat source. For even cooking, food should be turned once halfway through the grilling time. Use the Direct method for foods that take less than 25 minutes to cook: like steaks, chops, kebabs, sausages and vegetables. Direct cooking is also necessary to sear meats. Searing creates that wonderful crisp, caramelized texture where the food hits the grate. It also adds nice grill marks and flavour to the entire food surface. Steaks, chops, chicken pieces, and larger cuts of meat all benefit from searing.

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