Great Recipes for Barbecues

Al's Recipe Marinade & Barbecue Sauce for Beef MARINADE

1 c Red wine vinegar 1/4 c Water 2 ts Ground cumin 3 Garlic cloves, minced 2 ts Achiote paste 1 ts Crushed red pepper Salt and black pepper, to -taste 1/4 c Olive oil

BARBECUE SAUCE

1 Dried pasilla chile 1 c Boiling water 2 tb Achiote paste 1 tb Olive oil 3/4 c Of the marinade Marinade: Combine marinade ingredients. Makes enough for 2 pounds of beef. To use: Toss paper-thin slices (1 inch by 3 to 4 inches) of beef sirloin with the marinade in a nonmetallic bowl. Refrigerate 6 to 8 hours or overnight.

Drain meat, reserving 3/4 cup of the marinade. Thread meat on bamboo skewers.

Barbecue Beef Recipes Barbecue Beef Ribs Recipe 5 lb Beef ribs 3 c Black Jack BBQ Sauce (see Barbecue Sauces Recipes) Place beef ribs in a flat pan or dish. Pour barbecue sauce over ribs, turning so as to coat both sides; pierce meat with a large fork. Marinate 8 hrs. turning once. Remove beef ribs from barbecue marinade and brush off excess sauce to avoid burning

Broil or cook beef ribs over coals for 10 mins. Brush with marinade and cook 4-5 mins. more. Heat remaining sauce and serve with ribs.

Barbecue Beef Short Ribs Recipe 3 lb Beef Short ribs 2 c beef broth 2 c :Water, or enough to -barely cover ribs 1 tb Brown sugar 1/4 c Cider vinegar 1/4 c Catsup 2 tb Tomato paste 1 tb Dry mustard 1 ts Worcestershire sauce 1/4 ts Ground cloves 1 ts Chili powder 1/4 ts Cayenne pepper THE DAY BEFORE GRILLING, put the sugar and vinegar in a pot large enough to hold the ribs and place over medium heat on top of the stove. Cook until the vinegar reduces and forms a syrup with the sugar, about 8 minutes. Watch carefully, as the syrup will suddenly darken in color. Immediately add the broth, water, catsup, tomato paste, mustard, Worcestershire, cloves, chili powder and pepper and bring to a boil. Add the ribs and cook 20 minutes. Remove from heat, remove the ribs from the liquid and place covered in the refrigerator.

Cook the liquid over medium heat until it becomes thick and syrupy. The next day, light a charcoal grill. Place the beef ribs on the grill so they are not directly over the coals and cover the grill so that smoke collects inside. If your grill does not have a cover, improvise one out of aluminium foil.

Cook for 40 minutes, basting with sauce every 10 minutes. When bbq beef ribs are well heated, remove to a platter and serve.

Honey-Mustard Crockpot Barbecue Short Ribs Recipe 3 lb Beef short ribs 1 tb Dijon mustard 1 Garlic clove, crushed 2 tb Honey 1/2 ts Salt 1/8 ts Pepper 1 c Bottled hickory smoke Barbecue sauce 2 tb Cornstarch 2 tb Cold water Place short ribs in slow-cooker. In medium bowl, combine mustard, garlic, honey, salt, pepper, and barbecue sauce. Pour over ribs. Cover and cook on LOW 6-7 hours or until tender.

Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Skim any solidified fat from top. Remove beef ribs; heat in microwave or conventional oven. Dissolve cornstarch in water. Add to barbecue sauce. Cook and stir in microwave or stovetop until hot and slightly thickened. Pour hot sauce over warm ribs.

Jenny Edwards is the operations manager of Arboreta Home & Garden Store She is responsible for the buying and importing of new products.

Getting Your Grill Ready for the Barbecue Season

When the fall ended, and winter was just around the corner, you probably did like most of us and threw a cover over the old grill, rolled it into the back of the garage or a shed (and some of us even left them standing outside on the patio), and tucked it away for the season. With the grilling and barbecuing season just around the corner again, your thoughts are probably returning to that old grill. But before you fire it up, you will want to do a little spring cleaning to get it ready for the season ahead.

Here are a few simple things to do to ensure that your grill operates all season safely and without issue.

Clean the Grids, Grate and Briquettes

First, inspect the lava grate (upon which the briquettes rest) to see if it is broken or about to break, which is fairly common considering the extreme changes of heat it endures. If you see that it is broken, replace the grate.

Next, check the cooking grid (or grill) and warming rack. Thoroughly clean them with a wire brush or scraper to remove any built-up food residue, using a mild detergent solution or a commercial degreaser. If the grid is broken or severely chipped and gouged, replace it with a universal replacement available at most hardware stores, or if you are finding it difficult to locate, order one from the company that made your unit.

Now about briquettes. First, if you noticed you were getting a lot of flare-ups or uneven heat distribution last season, you should discard the old briquettes and get new ones. If you don't have to replace your briquettes you will still need to clean them. If you have ceramic briquettes, the easiest way to remove old grunge and buildup is to put them in the sink and cover them with vinegar. Let the briquettes stand for 10 - 20 minutes. Drain off the vinegar and rinse thoroughly with boiling water. Let dry thoroughly before using.

If you have the porous lava rock you might want to check with your local dealer about a commercial cleaning solution; however, if they are more than two seasons old, you should replace them.

Check the Grill Ignitor

If when you give it a test the igniter does not seem to be functioning, check to make sure the electrode is one-eighth of an inch away from the burner. This is the correct distance required for spark generation. Examine the ignitor closely to ensure that no food residue has built up on the electrode. Additionally, check to see that the electrode is not cracked. Check the surrounding area of the igniter to be sure that it is not shorting out or sparking at the grill frame or the casting bottom. If none of these problems exist and it still does not spark, it is time to get a new igniter which is easily available at your local hardware store or directly from the vendor.

Clean and Inspect the Grill Burner

CAUTION: Be sure to consult your owner's manual for the instructions on how to remove the burner. Also, before removing the burner, take particular note of the position of the Venturi tube(s) at the gas control valve. Do not try to remove the Venturi tube(s) from the burner base itself as it is extremely easy to damage the sealing gasket and break the seal.

Following your grill manufacturer's instructions, remove the burner. Use a stiff brush to remove any built up residue from the burner. Inspect closely for holes or cracks which occur most commonly at the burner seams. Un-clog the burner ports, which are the little holes along the edge of the burner using a toothpick or a piece of copper wire. You may also use a small nail, but be careful you can easily pierce or damage the ports. If you encounter any kind of damage, do not attempt to re-use the burner. It is simply not worth the plastic surgery to save a few dollars on a burner.

After sitting over the winter, the Venturi tubes may contain dirt, spider webs, water or other debris. These tubes may be cleaned by using bent pipe cleaners, a very small bottle brush, or a special Venturi brush which can be purchased from your local barbecue dealer.

Clean the Grill Housing

Now, while everything is out of the housing it is a good time to clean it as well. Using a commercial grease remover, wear rubber gloves and eye protection and use a stiff, steel brush and a scraper to remove any soot and grease residue build-up from the inside housing of your cooker. Before actually cleaning be sure to cover valve holes and connection parts with aluminum foil to protect them from damage and blockage.

After you have brushed and scraped the grill interior, wipe away any remaining grime and dry with paper towels.

Now is also a good time to check and ensure that all the nuts and bolts and other connections on the grill are solid and tight. This will help to ensure the grills stability and steadiness.

You Are Now Ready To Put It Back Together Again.

Reinstall the burner(s), igniter, rock grate, lava rocks or ceramic briquettes, and the cooking grids. Be absolutely sure to replace the burners exactly as they were before you removed them. When replacing the burner, remembering the Venturi tube(s) position from earlier, place the ends of the Venturi tubes over the gas valves so they engage in a straight line. Make sure that the valve orifices are one-quarter inch inside the Venturi tubes.

Inspect the Hose Assembly

Before starting, remember these rules to ensure your safety:

- DO NOT SMOKE or permit any flame or other source of ignition in the area while conducting the leak test.

- DO NOT use matches, lighters, or flames of any kind to check for leaks.

- DO NOT use the grill until all leaks are repaired and double checked!

- DO conduct the test outdoors in a well ventilated area.

- If you are unable to stop a leak, shut off the gas supply and call a qualified Gas Appliance professional immediately.

Inspect the hose closely for cracks, nicks or cuts. If you find any, do NOT attempt to repair them with electrical tape or any other kind of sealer. The gas is under pressure and any defect weakens the hose which can easily result in a fire or explosion. If any defects are found, replace the hose before attempting to use your grill.

The Soap Test

If no damage is readily visible it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. To really verify that there are no pinhole leaks, perform the soap test by mixing a 50/50 solution of water and dishwashing soap in a bowl. Make sure that all the control knobs are in the 'Off' position, and rub the soap solution over all hose connections. Then, turn the gas on at the tank (or the gas valve for natural gas units) and check each connection to see if there are any bubbles gurgling up. If there are, the connection is leaking gas.

If you detect a leak, wipe off the solution, remove the hose and reconnect it again, being sure the fittings are straight and connections well tightened. Be careful not to overtighten though as you could strip the connection. Once you are satisfied that all connections are tight, perform the soap test again. If the leak persists, replace the hose assembly prior to using your grill.

Check the Tank

It is also important to check your propane tank, if you have one, to ensure there are no holes, dents, rusted weak spots, cracks, or other damage. If any damage is detected, the tank should be replaced immediately. Also, most areas have a expiration date which governs the life of the tank. If the tank is past its expiration date, replace it immediately.

It is a bit of work, but preparing your grill for the barbecue season ahead is quite simple and fast do to. If you are doing this for the first time, do not rush. It may take you a couple of hours to complete the task, but it is worth it to have a safe grill that will provide you with years of great outdoor cooking.

Joe Johnson is a founding partner with Caroline's Rub - Fine Spice Creations, where he is in charge of product promotion and development, and where he serves as the executive chef.

On The Texas Barbecue Trail

Among polite society, a few subjects are invariably touchy, threatening to flare into heated debate. Politics. Religion.

And don't forget to add one more topic to that list if you?re in Texas: barbecue.

Whether you spell it barbecue, barbeque, bar-b-que, or just bbq, one thing's for sure: barbecue is more than just a meal, it's a mantra.

At last count, Texas boasted over 1,300 barbecue joints, ranging from side-of-the-road greasehouses with slamming screen doors to sit-down restaurants with beautiful vistas, air conditioning and even (gasp) wine lists. The business of barbecue rings up over a half-billion dollars annually, a cobweb of commerce that connects an otherwise diverse, sprawling state with a common mission: Go forth and seek out good barbecue.

Although you can find good barbecue throughout the South, the Texas variety is different from that in other barbecue capitals. Texas barbecue means beef brisket, basted meats, and tomato-based sauce, or sometimes no sauce at all. The selection varies from pit to pit but in most tradition reigns.

In each region, divided by hundreds of miles, the local barbecue is influenced by other culinary cultures, from Southern to Tex-Mex to Southwest. Cabrito or barbecued goat is often served in the western portion of the state while pork or lamb is a more common offering in East Texas. Cooking styles vary as well. Out on the West Texas plains, barbecue is usually cooked over a slow fire of mesquite wood while in Southern and Central Texas pecan and oak are more common. Farther east, barbecue pits are stoked with hickory. Throughout the state, meals are served with sides of cole slaw, pinto beans, and spongy white bread, often on plates of butcher paper. Dessert, if found at all, is usually a scoop of banana pudding with a dose of vanilla wafers.

Unlike Kansas City and Memphis, Texas has no clearly defined capital of ?que. But Texas does have what?s sometimes nicknamed the ?barbecue belt,? a smoky swath that runs through the central part of the state and includes:

Llano: On the westernmost edge of the barbecue belt lies the community of Llano. What makes Llano unique among the central Texas barbecue towns is its cooking style. Most pit masters in this town rely on indirect barbecuing. In a firebox, wood burns down to coals, then it's transferred to the main section of the pit beneath the meat to impart a delicate smoky taste subtler than ordinary smoking. Don?t miss Cooper's Old Time Pit Barbecue. From its huge rectangular pits located by the front door to the dining room lined with loaves of white bread and jars of jalape?o peppers, this is the real deal.

Taylor: Taylor calls itself "The Barbecue Capital of the World,? home of two legendary barbecue joints separated only by a parking lot and small road at their locations on Second Street. Louis Mueller's is housed in one of the most authentic barbecue joints in Texas, with an old-fashioned screen door, smoke-covered walls, and giant fans that provide the only cool breeze on a hot summer day. Next door, Rudy Mikeska's serves its equally fine offerings in a more citified atmosphere. During his lifetime, Rudy Mikeska was the dean of Texas pitmasters. If there was a political function to be held, Rudy Mikeska and his barbecue specialties were there.

Elgin: In Texas, the town of Elgin is synonymous with sausage. The small community, located about 25 miles east of Austin, produces the sausage sold by many barbecue joints through the state. The best known of Elgin's smokin' stops is the Southside Market, probably one of the most recognized names in Texas barbecue lore. In business since 1882, the market is known for its Elgin hot sausage, sometimes known as Elgin Hot Guts.

Lockhart: Twenty-three miles south of Austin lies another "Barbecue Capital of Texas," Lockhart. The test of a real Texan is to know the correct pronunciation of the town?s Kreuz Market. No, don't say "Cruise." It's "Krites," rhyming with "lights." Also in town, don?t miss Smitty?s, housed in the building where the original Kreuz Market was located, and Black's BBQ, which claims to be the oldest barbecue house in Texas continuously owned by the same family. Since 1932 the Black family has been firing up these brick pits every day for lunch and dinner.

Luling: Located east of Austin, Luling is the land of oil wells. No longer a boomtown, today the barbecue restaurants are the ones producing black gold. The best known spot in town is the City Market, a no-frills smoky meat market, with ambiance replaced by plenty of local atmosphere.

Paris Permenter and John Bigley are the authors of Texas Barbecue and numerous other books on Texas travel as well as the editors of http://TexasTripper.com, http://www.TexasTripper.com, an online travel guide to the Lone Star State.

My Barbecued Chicken Recipe

Barbecued Chicken #2

Stephen Ceideburg 1/4 c Hoisin sauce
3 lb Chicken, cut into 8 pieces, 1 tb Cider vinegar
-skin and fat removed, or: 1 tb Unsulfured molasses
8 Skinless chicken breasts or 1 ts Reduced-sodium soy sauce
-thighs 1 ts Chinese chili paste with
1/3 c Tomato ketchup -garlic

Precooking the chicken in the microwave or gently poaching it on the
stovetop before finishing it on the grill ensures that the meat is cooked
through but the sauce is not charred If you like a hotter sauce, increase
the amount of chili paste.

Arrange chicken pieces in a micro-proof dish, with the thickest parts
toward the outside of the dish. Cover with vented plastic wrap and
microwave at HIGH (100%) 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender, turning pieces
twice.

Alternatively, in a wide sauce-pan, cover chicken with cold water and bring
to a simmer, skimming off any froth. Simmer gently until chicken is tender,
10 to 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the grill or preheat the broiler. In a small bowl, whisk
together remaining ingredients.

With tongs, remove the chicken from the dish or sauce pan and brush both
sides generously with barbecue sauce. Grill over medium-high heat or broil,
basting with the barbecue sauce often, until the chicken is glazed on the
outside and no longer pink inside, about 5 minutes on each side.

Grab more free recipes over at http://www.recipe-directory.net

Choosing a Plasma TVTom AceYou've finally made up your mind to buy a plasma TV. You dream of watching your favorite television shows in full stereo, with sharp, crisp picture resolution. But how do you go about finding your dream TV? Here are a few tips that will help you get started.

The first thing that you should do is to decide on the size of the television monitor you want. Generally speaking, plasma TVs begin at around 32 and go as large as 63. The most common screen sizes are usually 32, 42, 50 and 61. So, measure the area where you want to place your TV to get an idea of which size would be most practical for you. It's important to remember that most plasma TVs have detachable speakers, so you will need to allow for a few extra inches on either side of where the screen will be.

You may well have the option to buy extra slim speakers, which attach directly to the monitor, if you don't want to use your own or an additional sound system, with surround sound. It is important to check that the model TV that you want to purchase has built-in amplifiers, or you will have to purchase or use an external receiver.

Once you've ironed out the size and type of sound system you want, you will have to consider the various mounting options that are available. The most common way to mount your new TV is with what is known as flat wall mounts. This is usually the cheapest option and places the plasma monitor almost flat against the wall. Another popular mounting system for plasma TVs is the Tilt Wall Mounting system. This allows the monitor to tilt away from the wall up to 15. If you don't want to have the monitor tilted, you can opt for a simple table stand. This is ideal for the smaller monitors, allowing it to be used in boardrooms for video conference calls or in your living room.

There are many factors to consider, when buying your plasma TV. However, if you plan carefully, you should enjoy your new home entertainment center for years to come.

Tom Ace is the founder of Plasma tv Resources a website providing information on plasma televisions

Don’t Cook The Trees – Barbecue Safety

My first experience of a barbecue was as a seventeen year old at a friend's
house. His farther, Douglas, was an expert at barbecuing, with many years
experience, we thought! It was a hot summers day but with a light breeze, so Douglas, with all that experience, decided to erect a cardboard frame about one foot high around three sides of the barbecue. The barbecue grill itself, which was fuelled with charcoal, was positioned next to, and underneath, some trees in the back garden. Not having seen a barbecue being lit before I was keen to watch, and moved in closer. Douglas placed the firelighters in the grate, set fire to them and arranged the charcoal in a pyramid over them. A number of years later I found out that this was the classic way to light a barbecue. Now, Douglas, in an attempt to speed up the process uncovered his secret weapon and enthusiastically said "Lighter fuel, this will have the barbecue going in seconds!" With the poise of a highly trained swordsman, Douglas sent a jet of lighter fuel through the air and across the whole length of the barbecue. Douglas was right! The barbecue erupted into flame. I was very impressed. Unfortunately, seconds later so did the cardboard frame and then the surrounding trees! Luckily there were enough of us there to safely put out the flames and to carry on with the barbecue.

A few years later I began barbecuing for myself and always remembered Douglas and his flaming trees. Apart from not erecting a cardboard frame around your barbecue and keeping it well away from trees, there are some simple rules to follow to ensure that you start your charcoal barbecue in safety.

If you're setting up a barbecue for the first time, read the instructions carefully first.

Carefully choose where to set-up your barbecue. Make sure that it's on level ground and don't try to move it once it's lit.

Don't attempt to start your barbecue in very high winds. Not even with a cardboard frame!

Don't try to barbecue indoors. I know people that have tried to barbecue in a shed and in a garage! Extremely dangerous.

Use proper firelighters to start your barbecue. They're better than rolled up paper and won't fly away in the wind.

Only ever use purpose-made firelighters and fuel on your barbecue. Never use petrol, white spirit, or paraffin. Not only is it extremely dangerous but it also taints the flavour of the food.

Everyone loves a barbecue but don't forget that the grill gets extremely hot. Follow the rules above and keep safety in mind. You'll experience a great barbecue, your guests will have lots fun and you'll enjoy yourself.
house. His farther, Douglas, was an expert at barbecuing, with many years
experience, we thought! It was a hot summers day but with a light breeze, so Douglas, with all that experience, decided to erect a cardboard frame about one foot high around three sides of the barbecue. The barbecue grill itself, which was fuelled with charcoal, was positioned next to, and underneath, some trees in the back garden. Not having seen a barbecue being lit before I was keen to watch, and moved in closer. Douglas placed the firelighters in the grate, set fire to them and arranged the charcoal in a pyramid over them. A number of years later I found out that this was the classic way to light a barbecue. Now, Douglas, in an attempt to speed up the process uncovered his secret weapon and enthusiastically said "Lighter fuel, this will have the barbecue going in seconds!" With the poise of a highly trained swordsman, Douglas sent a jet of lighter fuel through the air and across the whole length of the barbecue. Douglas was right! The barbecue erupted into flame. I was very impressed. Unfortunately, seconds later so did the cardboard frame and then the surrounding trees! Luckily there were enough of us there to safely put out the flames and to carry on with the barbecue.

A few years later I began barbecuing for myself and always remembered Douglas and his flaming trees. Apart from not erecting a cardboard frame around your barbecue and keeping it well away from trees, there are some simple rules to follow to ensure that you start your charcoal barbecue in safety.

If you're setting up a barbecue for the first time, read the instructions carefully first.

Carefully choose where to set-up your barbecue. Make sure that it's on level ground and don't try to move it once it's lit.

Don't attempt to start your barbecue in very high winds. Not even with a cardboard frame!

Don't try to barbecue indoors. I know people that have tried to barbecue in a shed and in a garage! Extremely dangerous.

Use proper firelighters to start your barbecue. They're better than rolled up paper and won't fly away in the wind.

Only ever use purpose-made firelighters and fuel on your barbecue. Never use petrol, white spirit, or paraffin. Not only is it extremely dangerous but it also taints the flavour of the food.

Everyone loves a barbecue but don't forget that the grill gets extremely hot. Follow the rules above and keep safety in mind. You'll experience a great barbecue, your guests will have lots fun and you'll enjoy yourself.

Les runs The Barbecue Hut website that provides useful information about barbecue grills and smokers, and also includes a wide selection of recipes.
He is also author of The Char Grill Chat newsletter.
Website:
http://www.barbecuehut.com
Newsletter:
http://www.barbecuehut.com/chargrill_chat

Barbecue Success With The Rule Of Thirds

Ever been to a barbecue party where the ‘chef' placed as much food as he could possibly fit onto the barbecue grill, every so often stabbing the food with a fork and juggling it around so that it cooks evenly? Ever noticed how, within a few minutes, the flames start gently flickering under the food, the chef proudly standing back admiring the char grill effect that he's creating? Ever notice the panic that sets in when the flames suddenly leap up and around the food burning it black on the outside and leaving it raw on the inside?

The difference between great char grilled barbecue food and burnt offerings lies in a few small precautions. The chef that we've just described made a few fatal errors that could easily have been avoided. Before discussing the errors though, lets consider the equipment that we're talking about. Although the same can happen with gas as with charcoal, gas grills can be turned lower, or off, when the flames start getting out of control. The flames can also be controlled if the barbecue grill has a tight fitting lid, as with a Weber kettle grill. However most people seem to cook on an open top barbecue grill with the lid, if it has one, open. Note that we're talking about a barbecue grill here, where the food is cooked directly over the hot coals. True barbecue uses indirect heat with the food fully enclosed as though in an oven. So, the barbecue grill that our imaginary chef is using is an open top, charcoal, barbecue grill.

Now lets have a look at our imaginary chef's errors.

First, he filled the grate with charcoal along its entire length, providing a constant heat source, with no area of lower heat to place food if it started to burn. A simple solution is to use the rule of thirds. Imagine the grate of your barbecue being in thirds. Fill two thirds of the grill with charcoal and leave the remaining third empty. Cook your food over the hot coals and when your food is ready, or starts to burn, or creates out of control flames, move it over to the section above the empty grate. The food will stay warm but won't cook any more (or possibly it will but much more slowly), and wont cause any flare-ups. A further refinement can be had, if you've a large enough grill, by placing a double level of coals in one third of the grate, a single level of coals in the middle, and no coals in the final third. You now have three levels of heat!

A further mistake was to overfill the grill. Completely filling it leaves no room to manoeuvre the food. You're not able to turn it for even cooking and you've no space to move the food to a lower heat. Assuming that you're using the rule of thirds as described above, , when you first start cooking, leave empty the area of the grill above where you've placed no coals. You've then space to move the cooked food into. Secondly, don't pack the cooking part of the grill with food. Leave room to comfortably turn your food.

A second problem caused when over filling the grill is to use foods that require different cooking times. When the coals are first ready to use, they're at their hottest. This is the time to cook small, thin items of food that can be cooked in a short time with a high heat. These include items like sausages, burgers, kebabs and small pieces of meat off the bone. Don't forget that food, such as burgers and sausages, drip fat and juices onto the charcoal during cooking and it's this that causes flare-ups. So you'll need to constantly watch the items of food and move them to an area of lower heat if necessary (did I mention the rule of thirds? ). After the heat has died down somewhat, start grilling food that takes a little longer to grill like chops and steaks and meat on the bone. Finally when the heat is even lower, grill food like fruit kebabs that really only need heating through.

Last, but not least, our imaginary chef stabs his food with a barbecue fork to turn it over. During the initially few minutes of grilling, the heat seals the surface of the meat, sealing in the juices. When the meat is stabbed the juices flow out onto the coals, causing the meat to dry out and become tough, and producing a flare up which burns the food. When turning food, always use barbecue tongs.

With a charcoal barbecue controlling the heat is difficult. Instead you need to ensure that you cook your individual items of food at the most appropriate time and that you have separate areas of heat. Use the rule of thirds to provide separate areas of heat. When cooking your food, first grill quick cook food when the coals are at their hottest. Second, cook food that requires cooking at a mid temperature for a longer time. Thirdly, cook food that needs a low heat. Another rule of thirds!

The difference between great char grilled barbecue food and burnt offerings lies in a few small precautions. The chef that we've just described made a few fatal errors that could easily have been avoided. Before discussing the errors though, lets consider the equipment that we're talking about. Although the same can happen with gas as with charcoal, gas grills can be turned lower, or off, when the flames start getting out of control. The flames can also be controlled if the barbecue grill has a tight fitting lid, as with a Weber kettle grill. However most people seem to cook on an open top barbecue grill with the lid, if it has one, open. Note that we're talking about a barbecue grill here, where the food is cooked directly over the hot coals. True barbecue uses indirect heat with the food fully enclosed as though in an oven. So, the barbecue grill that our imaginary chef is using is an open top, charcoal, barbecue grill.

Now lets have a look at our imaginary chef's errors.

First, he filled the grate with charcoal along its entire length, providing a constant heat source, with no area of lower heat to place food if it started to burn. A simple solution is to use the rule of thirds. Imagine the grate of your barbecue being in thirds. Fill two thirds of the grill with charcoal and leave the remaining third empty. Cook your food over the hot coals and when your food is ready, or starts to burn, or creates out of control flames, move it over to the section above the empty grate. The food will stay warm but won't cook any more (or possibly it will but much more slowly), and wont cause any flare-ups. A further refinement can be had, if you've a large enough grill, by placing a double level of coals in one third of the grate, a single level of coals in the middle, and no coals in the final third. You now have three levels of heat!

A further mistake was to overfill the grill. Completely filling it leaves no room to manoeuvre the food. You're not able to turn it for even cooking and you've no space to move the food to a lower heat. Assuming that you're using the rule of thirds as described above, , when you first start cooking, leave empty the area of the grill above where you've placed no coals. You've then space to move the cooked food into. Secondly, don't pack the cooking part of the grill with food. Leave room to comfortably turn your food.

A second problem caused when over filling the grill is to use foods that require different cooking times. When the coals are first ready to use, they're at their hottest. This is the time to cook small, thin items of food that can be cooked in a short time with a high heat. These include items like sausages, burgers, kebabs and small pieces of meat off the bone. Don't forget that food, such as burgers and sausages, drip fat and juices onto the charcoal during cooking and it's this that causes flare-ups. So you'll need to constantly watch the items of food and move them to an area of lower heat if necessary (did I mention the rule of thirds? ). After the heat has died down somewhat, start grilling food that takes a little longer to grill like chops and steaks and meat on the bone. Finally when the heat is even lower, grill food like fruit kebabs that really only need heating through.

Last, but not least, our imaginary chef stabs his food with a barbecue fork to turn it over. During the initially few minutes of grilling, the heat seals the surface of the meat, sealing in the juices. When the meat is stabbed the juices flow out onto the coals, causing the meat to dry out and become tough, and producing a flare up which burns the food. When turning food, always use barbecue tongs.

With a charcoal barbecue controlling the heat is difficult. Instead you need to ensure that you cook your individual items of food at the most appropriate time and that you have separate areas of heat. Use the rule of thirds to provide separate areas of heat. When cooking your food, first grill quick cook food when the coals are at their hottest. Second, cook food that requires cooking at a mid temperature for a longer time. Thirdly, cook food that needs a low heat. Another rule of thirds!

Les runs The Barbecue Hut website that provides free and useful information about barbecue grills and smokers, and also includes a wide selection of free recipes.
He is also author of The Char Grill Chat newsletter.
Website:
http://www.barbecuehut.com
Newsletter:
http://www.barbecuehut.com/chargrill_chat