Barbecue University™
The 10 Commandments of Perfect Grilling
When I published the now iconic Barbecue! Bible in 1998, I felt like I had truly climbed the mount. I spent over three years researching the world’s most prominent barbecue cultures in 25 countries, yielding an ambitious book that has influenced grillers and pit masters for more than two decades both here and abroad. I have condensed these experiences with live-fire cooking into ten invaluable “commandments,” which I’m sharing here. They’ll be sure to get the new grilling year off to a great start! Happy New Year from all of us at Barbecuebible.com.
Steven Raichlen’s 10 Commandments of Perfect Grilling
1. Be organized.
Have everything you need at grillside—the food, marinade, basting sauce, seasonings, and equipment—before you start grilling.
2. Gauge your fuel.
There’s nothing worse than running out of charcoal or gas in the middle of grilling. When using charcoal, light enough to form a bed of glowing coals three inches larger on all sides than the surface area of the food you’re planning to cook. (A 22 1/2-inch grill needs one chimney starter’s worth of coals.) When cooking on a gas grill, make sure the tank is at least one third full.
3. Preheat the grill to the right temperature.
Remember: Grilling is a high-heat cooking method. In order to achieve the seared crust, distinctive flavor, and handsome grill marks associated with masterpiece grillmanship, you must cook over a high heat. How high? At least 600 degrees F for high-heat direct grilling. When using charcoal, let it burn until it is covered with a thin coat of gray ash. Hold your hand about three inches above the grate. When the grill is hot enough to cook, after two to three seconds, the intensity of the heat should force you to snatch your hand away. If you are using a gas grill, preheat it to high (at least 600 degrees F); this takes ten to fifteen minutes. When indirect grilling, preheat the grill to 350 degrees F.
4. Keep it clean.
There’s nothing less appetizing than grilling on dirty old burnt bits of food stuck to the grate. Besides, the food will stick to a dirty grate. Clean the grate twice: once after you’ve preheated the grill and again when you’ve finished cooking. The first cleaning will remove any bits of food you may have missed after your last grilling session. Use the edge of a metal spatula to scrape off large bits of food and a stiff wire brush to finish scrubbing the grate.
5. Keep it lubricated.
Oil the grate just before placing the food on top. Use a tightly folded paper towel soaked in oil, or rub it with a piece of fatty bacon, beef fat, or chicken skin. Or, lift it off the hot grate, spray it with oil—away from the flames—then return it to the grill.
6. Turn, don’t stab.
The proper way to turn meat on a grill is with tongs or a spatula. Never stab the meat with a carving fork—unless you want to drain the flavor-rich juices onto the coals.
7. Know when to baste.
Bastes and marinades made with oil and vinegar, citrus, or yogurt can be brushed on the meat throughout the cooking time. If you want to use a marinade for basting, to avoid cross-contamination set some of it aside before you begin marinating the meat. Never use a marinade that has contained raw meat as a baste or a sauce. When using a sugar-based barbecue sauce, apply it toward the end of the cooking time. The sugar in these sauces burns easily and should not be exposed to prolonged heat.
8. Keep it covered.
When cooking larger cuts of meat and poultry, such as a whole chicken, leg of lamb, or prime rib, use the indirect method of grilling or barbecuing. Keep the grill tightly covered and resist the temptation to peek. Every time you lift the lid, you add to the cooking time.
9. Give it a rest.
Beef, steak, chicken—almost anything you grill—will taste better if you let it stand on a cutting board for a few minutes before serving. This allows the meat to “relax,” making it juicier and tastier.
10. Never desert your post.
Grilling is an easy cooking method, but it demands constant attention. Once you put something on the grill (especially when using the direct method), stay with it until it’s cooked. This is not the time to answer the phone or mix up a batch of your famous mojitos.
Above all, have fun. Remember that grilling isn’t brain surgery. And that’s the gospel!
About the Book
The Barbecue! Bible 10th Anniversary Edition
Redesigned inside and out for its 10th anniversary, The Barbecue! Bible now includes full-color photographs illustrating food preparation, grilling techniques, ingredients, and of course those irresistible finished dishes.
