BBQ Mistakes You Might Make

The UK is facing a heatwave that can only mean one thing... BBQ everywhere! With the sun shining and temperatures hitting highs of 28º over the next week, what better time to cheer up our barbie. But there may be some shortcuts that you'd better leave in the past.

According to BBQ Catering, here are the mistakes you make when preparing a barbecue.

Save time by not preheating your grill

Sure - you might feel like you're saving time, but what about 15-20 minutes? The purpose of preheating your grill is to kill any bacteria left over from the previous grill (which also reduces the chance of someone getting food poisoning). Not to mention it's much easier to measure the temperature of the grill before you place the food on it.

Do less washing dishes by using as few utensils as possible

We get it, taking a shower is not the way you want to spend your evening. But there's nothing wrong with mixing raw and cooked dishes, right? Consider bringing two sets of utensils: one to manage your raw meat and one after it's cooked. If not, simply rinse with hot soapy water while waiting for your food to cook.

Bake only at full temperature and open fire

Don't be tempted to speed up your roasting, as this often results in undercooked food. If you speed up the grill by using an open flame or by keeping the grill as hot as possible, then the outside may be crunchy and the center undercooked.

Don't clean your grill between uses

Want to extend the life of your grill? CLEAN. THAT. Not only that, for the sake of your health, it's a good idea to get in the habit of cleaning the grill between each use. We even have a little trick to make cleaning your grill even easier. All you need is onions!

This leaves fat on your meat and triggers spasms

Look - we like some flavors - but the best way to control the temperature of your barbecues and avoid flare-ups is to trim some of the fat from your food. Otherwise, your grill flame will likely be large enough to cover the food you are actually cooking, which in turn can cause your food to burn and expose it to harmful carcinogens.