It’s high summer, which means barbecue season is officially upon us. An excellent time of year – until it comes your turn to host and you’re tasked with donning an apron and manning the grill. But rather than viewing the role of grill guardian as a burden, reframe it as an honour: this is a chance to show off your skills and treat your friends and family to a mouthwatering meal (or at the very least, something more elevated than bog-standard burnt burgers). To help you up your grilling game, we’ve enlisted the expert guidance of meat maestro Richard H. Turner, a restaurateur and meat merchant. Follow his simple pointers and you can’t go wrong.
Choose the right barbecue
“There’s quite a lot to take into account when you get a new barbecue, such as its size, how often you use it, your budget and how much space you have in your outdoor area. Luckily, there are a lot to choose from, and if size is an issue there are quite a few options that are pretty impressive for how small they are, such as The Big Green Egg, which provides that smoky flavour we’re all looking for with our barbecued food!
In terms of selecting the type of fuel, charcoal barbecues are obviously hailed for giving you that classic barbecue flavouring and are very much the preferred option. If you do have the space for a larger model, I’d recommend investing in a barbecue grill from Ox Grills that comes with a ‘Gridiron’ grill, the design of which maximises Maillard or colour on grilled food which contributes to flavour.”
Consider where you buy your meat from
“If you can, buy from a butcher. This way you can ask them any questions and for advice. As a rule of thumb, if they don’t know simple answers such as what breed their meat is, how old the animal was at time of slaughter or how long it has been hung for, they’re not a good butcher and you should go elsewhere to find a better one!”
Experiment with cheaper cuts
“You don’t need to spend a fortune to eat well. Some of the most flavoursome parts of the animal are also the most affordable – cheek, tail, flank and skirt, for example. Brisket is a barbecue classic, and cuts like onglet or bavette make an excellent alternative to sirloin.”
Be mindful of temperature
“In terms of how hot the barbecue should be, you should be able to stand next to it without it being unbearably hot. If it is too hot to stand next to, leave it to cool a little bit before grilling anything. As for the temperature of the meat, a meat probe will be your best friend. Google the optimal temperature for your meat in question, and as long as you keep an eye on the internal temperature of the meat whilst it’s cooking, it will always come out perfectly.”
Don’t complicate things
“My best tip for mastering the barbecue is to keep it simple. Barbecue is as old as man and gadgets are superfluous. Buy decent, sustainable charcoal made without accelerating fuel, and if you’re unsure, sniff it. Good charcoal should smell clean and chemical free. Buy decent ingredients, particularly meat, then you’ll need to do less to it – just season and cook gently over smouldering charcoal. And remember to not overcrowd the grill – you need to leave plenty of space between each piece of meat so that oxygen can reach the charcoal.”
