BBQ Safety and Cleaning Tips From Steve Smith at The Club Hotel

BBQ SAFETY

Avoid Disasters

It may seem obvious but if you want to avoid any disasters then you need to make sure the BBQ is lit properly and is not in the proximity of anything that is potentially flammable!

Heat the Meat

Make sure that any poultry or pork items are thoroughly cooked to avoid food poisoning.

To know if you have the right temperature to cook with you just need to wait for the flames to die down, and check the colour of the coals. They should glow red underneath and be white on the top or you can buy BBQ thermometers from any good BBQ retailer.

Safety First

Generally any type of fish, lamb or beef are the safest items to cook for those concerned about becoming ill at a BBQ, as they are low risk meats. You can cook them rare, medium, well done or as you would normally. Also you should always use separate utensils for cooking and serving.

Don’t Take Risks

Any pork and chicken items are the highest risk food generally cooked on the BBQ and you need to check that they are thoroughly cooked. Also make sure they are consumed immediately. If you leave them outside on a nice day for more than 30 minutes you are running a risk of giving someone food poisoning! Also try not to serve any form of rice salad, as it will likely spend the entire day sat out in warm conditions.

Impress Your Guests

BBQs are not just about meat, any type of vegetable kebabs are great! Be bold and use vegetables such as onions, peppers, aubergines, and kholarbi.

 Don’t Leave Leftovers

Many people think that leftovers can be used the following day. This is generally a no no. Cook only what you need for the BBQ or you will just have to eat it all!

BBQ CLEANING

Preheat the Grill

Clean the grill just after preheating it, this way the grease and food will scrape off easily.

Grab an Onion

To remove all of the grit, place a half cut onion on the end of a fork and rub onto a hot grill.

Prevent rusting

Clean your grill with soapy water after cooking, then rinse and dry immediately and rub vegetable oil across the grill to prevent rust.

Don’t throw water

If you are using a charcoal grill, then do not throw cold water over the coals after cooking as this will create a mess.

Crack open a Beer

Pour half a bottle of beer over a heated BBQ then rub with newspaper for a clean grill. Then you enjoy the rest of the beer for yourself!

Create a Paste

Mix baking soda and water to make a paste then cover the grill in it with a wire brush. Let it dry for 15 minutes then wipe the grill with a dry cloth and place it over the hot coals for 15 minutes to burn off any remains before cooking the food.

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