Top BBQ Tips: Whatever the Weather

In need of some summer BBQ tips to get your cooking session off the ground? We all like to picture ourselves as barbecue connoisseurs, but too often those attempts don’t exactly go to plan. From meat that’s burnt on the outside but not cooked on the inside, to chicken that’s frighteningly pink - there are lots of things to be avoided. But don’t fret, with a few of our top BBQ tips, you'll be cooking up a feast like a pro.

After all, barbecuing is like mastering an art, you have to learn the basics and then perfect your skills as you go along. 

Stock up on the tools needed for BBQ cooking

They say a bad workman blames his tools. A good workman, on the other hand, is well prepared. Before you get started, it's worth making sure you have the right tools needed for BBQ cooking. If you want to look the part and be able to cook with ease you'll need to get these sorted beforehand. The last thing you want when you’re trying to look like an uber cool outdoor chef is to flip a burger off the side of the barbecue or keep losing sausages to the flames. Trying to turn sausages with a fork is no good either.

Avoid burning yourself and make BBQ cooking as hassle-free as possible.

• BBQ tongs
• temperature probe to check the meat is cooked
• a herb brush, gloves, metal skewers
• a colourful apron - just so everyone knows you’re the chef.

Buy high welfare meat 

The best meat for BBQs is good quality, high welfare meat. You’ll enjoy your meat more if you know it’s high welfare, and it’s always good to know where ingredients come from. Did you know all our own brand chicken is reared on British soil and comes from farms that exceed the quality assured standards set under the red tractor scheme? Where you can, choose organic or free-range meats for your BBQs this summer.

Need some assistance? Try a BBQ app

When it comes to cool BBQ ideas, apps are the way forward. If you want to be super-efficient and get BBQ tips on the go, download a BBQ app to give you a helping hand. Check out apps like Grill Time, Meat Temps or Grill It – you’ll get all BBQ tips and help you need in the palm of your hand.

Marinade

One of our top BBQ tips is to use a marinade. No one likes bland meat, not when you can infuse it with a tasty marinade. Marinating meat doesn’t just add flavour, it also makes the meat more tender. Win win! Mix it up and keep things interesting by trying a few different BBQ marinades – from super spicy to more subtle flavours. That way, you’ve got hot, mild, sweet and sour all covered! 

Rest that meat

Grabbing food while it’s hot is difficult to resist. But trust us, a little patience pays off. Letting the meat rest for a couple of minutes once it has been taken off the grill will let the juices soak right in, perfect for letting that flavour develop just a little more. So you can really enjoy your BBQ cooking efforts.

Try something new

Why not add some fresh recipes to your BBQ repertoire? After all, it’s great to have something new to look forward to. Grilled veg skewers and mushroom burgers can make a great complement to all those meat-based classics. Try out some of these vegetarian BBQ recipes for some inspiration.

Don’t forget dessert

With all the focus on savoury flavours, it’s easy to forget about those sweet treats! Make sure you’ve got a tasty dessert prepared in advance. This strawberry cheesecake recipe is the perfect way to follow up all that filling BBQ food. Kids will love these fun strawberry or raspberry milk-pops. They’re so easy to make, why not let the kids get involved too?

Got all the summer BBQ tips you need and ready to get going? Just pop down to your local convenience store to stock up on ingredients and you’re good to go. Happy Barbecuing!