Barbecue Tips
At Maggi we love any kind of barbecue opportunity - whether that's an impromptu gathering with a few friends last minute or a fully planned party its a great moment to share some delicious food and some good times! Follow our tips below to maximise flavour and minimise the stress.
PREPARE YOUR BBQ KIT
We're not fans of gas barbecues – they work great for controlled cooking, but you might as well be in your kitchen! Go for charcoal for full bodied smoky flavour. If you want to take the flavour to the next level add some wood chips (available online). There are loads of flavour options – from beechwood, hickory, apple, cherry and mesquite. They make a great present for any budding BBQ masters. You can soak the chips in water to prevent them burning up too quickly or my top tip is to create a foil parcel (use strong or double layer foil) for them – leaving only a small hole open in the top for the smoke to come out.
Look for a BBQ with a lid – this will help to seal in all the smoky flavour, melt any cheese over your burgers and retain heat (when its windy!) and moisture, for a succulent, juicy result.
Tool up – invest in some sturdy BBQ utensils and an absolute must-have item for successful lighting is a chimney starter - a metal cylinder with a handle. The charcoal is loaded into the chimney and you can light it with just a few pieces of newspaper – its much quicker (especially when windy!) as the coals heat evenly inside the cylinder and you can safely add the hot coals to the grill.
If you want to be completely sure that your food is hot in the centre – find a food probe, they’re not expensive and you can find lots of light, portable and quick read versions online for only £10!
TIMING
Patience! There’s nothing worse than taking some quality ingredients and reducing them to an unidentifiable charred lump. Its essential to wait until the charcoals are ashy and any flames have died down. ‘Flamegrilled’ is really misleading as only ashen coals will give the right heat level to cook your food to perfection. If you don’t have a chimney – create a sort of pyramid with the coals (with a few air gaps) on top of the fire lighting material (natural or traditional) and let them get really hot before spreading out over the base of the barbecue.
COOKING
Marinade – professional chefs are always looking for ways to boost flavour – firstly by adding it and secondly by controlling the cooking. Get to know your grill and also how long the food needs to cook for (it can be easy to get distracted!). If cooking meat, allow it a little moment to rest before serving will increase tenderness and succulence. For plant based the opposite is true, jump on it the moment its finished cooking!
Grab yourself some of our Maggi Chilli Sauces use them as marinades or for dunking, dipping or filling into hotdogs or burger buns. Plain salt is so last year…Perk up your veg kebabs with Maggi Liquid Seasoning for full on roasty flavour!
If you’re new to barbecuing or only have a small grill – you can part cook items before finishing them on the barbecue to give you more control, more washing up but can take the stress out!
SUSTAINABILITY
Most disposable barbecues are not recyclable – but you can find biodegradable options made from birch and similar materials online. Stock up with a few so you’re not forced into grabbing the non eco versions for your next impromptu away from home cook up.
Use UK charcoal which is sustainably sourced – look for a ‘grown in Britain’ symbol.
Avoid food waste – we all love leftovers but try to cook what you realistically need, chill any leftovers and eat them the following day or send them back in food containers with your guests.
COOLING DOWN & CLEANING
When you’ve finished with the barbecue the best way to clean it is when its still warm but not so hot its going to burn you. We know its really tempting to leave it until the following day, but we promise you that it will take half the time and effort if you attack it sooner! Bicarb is also your best friend for cleaning – sprinkle it onto the grill, leave a few minutes then spray with warm water and then use a scourer sponge to remove the grime. Should be sparkly new in no time 😊