How to BBQ

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As the days get longer and hotter, the pools are opening up, shorts and flip flops are becoming an everyday wardrobe need, and it’s beginning to look a lot like barbecue season.

For those who are new to grilling, have no fear, it is not as difficult as it looks. As long as safety is used grilling can be delicious for your tummy and fun for everyone else.

There are two types of grills, gas and charcoal, and using either will get you the same results.

Charcoal grills are usually less expensive but can go up to some expensive models. Charcoal grills need to be manually lit (make sure you use a chimney starter) and preheated for a minimum of 20 minutes before grilling. Cleaning is a little bit harder due to all the ashes but every time you cook you get a smokey flavor. It is tough to keep a constant temperature, but you get to play with real fire.

Gas grills are usually more expensive than charcoal grills but they are easier to clean. A more complicated grill means more parts can break and you can have the option of smokey flavor or not. The grill does need to be preheated, and once you have heated it make sure you scrape off all the burnt and charred goo.

You can grill pretty much about anything, not just hamburgers, hot dogs and steak. When grilling meat make sure to use tongs or a spatula instead of a fork, so the juices stay intact. You can grill any type of vegetables and grilling corn on the cob is great because it already has a shell. Salmon is the best fish to grill due to its natural firmness.

Some last-minute tips: Try to limit flipping your meat and don’t press down on them with a spatula. This releases all of the juices and once they are gone, they are gone. For a great smokey flavor, soak some wood chips in water and then place on the charcoal and close the lid. If you want to baste your food, make sure you save it for last so the sugar does not caramelize or burn.

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