W L
THE BUTCHERS CUT
BY MUFFS OF BROMBOROUGH
MUFFS OF BROMBOROUGH BBQ TIPS
I must admit I ' m bit of a geek when it comes to BBQs , it ' s definitely my favourite way to cook . I find it really engaging as you need to monitor the food constantly and be prepared to take action at any time to rescue that stray sausage that ’ s taking a bit too much heat !
It ' s also sociable as you usually get a few spectators chipping in and eyeing up what food they are going for . And it ' s outside in the sun ( if your lucky ). OK to be fair we take what we get when it comes to British weather but we soldier on . As I write this the weather is beautiful and the shop is heaving with customers clambering to get all the BBQ meats for the weekend . As you can imagine we have some serious connoisseurs when it comes to meat and they come to us for the very best . I thought this month I would share with you some of the tips I have picked up over the years to help make your BBQ the best it can be .
1 . Mise en place
The first tip and probably the most important one is Mise en place . This is a French term taught to all chefs on the first day of catering which basically means “ to put in place ”. This goes double for BBQs as your outside away from the kitchen . The idea is to have everything from equipment you need to marinating your food the night before or peeling and chopping any required veg or salad . All it takes is a bit of forethought about what you are going to need to hand when you begin cooking .
To give you an idea of what I mean , think of things like what utensils you will need : Tongs , spatula , knife , chopping board , baking tin , plates etc . Next cleaning - so you will need a washing up bowl with water and a cloth to wash your hands and keep your work area tidy . Kitchen roll , wire brush for the bars of your grill , oven cloths , also if you have a trestle table to keep everything close at hand .
Try and think of everything you will possibly need as the cooking experience will be much more relaxed and enjoyable . When it comes to the food prepare all your salads beforehand and stash away in the fridge . When it comes to the meat I like to assemble it neatly on a tray in the order I intend to cook it and cover with a damp kitchen cloth to keep the bugs off . I think you get the idea , basically the key is to have everything “ en plas ” so you can focus 100 % on the cooking .
2 . Fuel
Sorry guys I know there are some amazing gas BBQs out there but I ' m coal all the way I ' m afraid . Gas BBQs will definitely be easier to regulate in terms of heat but I don ’ t think you can beat the flavour and aromas you get from good old fashioned coal .
Generally you will find the lumbar or briquettes . Lumbar is much easier to light and is ready to cook on quicker but equally it burns out quicker as well .
I do feel you get a much better smoke flavour from the lumbar as well so this is my preferred fuel . Briquettes do last considerably longer and probably get a bit hotter than the lumbar so this dose have advantages . I don ’ t think you could go wrong with a mixture of the two but if I have to chose I would go for lumbar .
When it comes to lighting the coal if possible try not to use the chemical accelerants . These can leave a residual taste on the food and especially if you are using something like a ceramic egg to cook in , you will find it hard to remove the smell as it will permeate the ceramic . There are more natural methods available like the wood wool kindling . I use an electric BBQ lighter that is brilliant . You can pick them up online for about £ 30 It only takes about a minute to light and you will never need to buy the fire lighter again .
If you want to go the extra mile try some wood chips . Just soak them in water for about an hour and drop a few on the coals during the cooking process to create a more smoky finish .
3 . Temperature Regulation
Firstly it ' s worth saying your coals should be grey with the glow of embers before you begin to cook . You are using the residual heat from glowing embers not flames . I have a clean tray at the ready in case any fat released from cooking ignites . You can remove the food quickly before losing control of things . Flames will not only burn the food but leave an acrid taste , not good . The obvious way of regulating heat is by adjusting the height of the grill bars . Start off high above the coal and lower if needed . Another good tip is to pile the coals up . At one side of the BBQ , you could have a big mound of coals tapering off to nothing on the other side . This is a great way to “ reverse sear .” If you don ’ t know what this is then definitely look it up online because it ' s the best way to cook nice thick steaks . Finally if you don ’ t have one it ' s worth having a digital thermometer probe . They are handy day to day in the kitchen but ideal for the BBQ . Especially if your cooking large amounts for a big gathering or bone in chicken to ensure it ' s adequately cooked . Just insert the probe into the thickest boniest part of the meat and ensure it reads at least 75 o C .
4 . The Meat
Remove the meat from the fridge a good hour before you start cooking . This will help ensure a good even cook throughout . The last thing you want is a seared outside and raw in the middle .
Take your time , cook in smaller more manageable batches and keep to one side on a baking tray . Once all the food is cooked you can always put it back on at the end to reheat slightly . Stay in control by constantly turning and checking , take your time to get a good even cook , If the flames start just take everything away and allow it time to settle down again .
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