1 Use a cover
If your barbecue doesn’t have a hood, cover the meat with a terracotta pot or foil roasting tray. Trapping the heat helps food cook more quickly and evenly.
2 Invest in a thermometer
Undercooked meat can result in serious illness, so always check your temperatures.
3 Flatten it out
Pound boneless chicken meat to make it uniformly thinner, which will reduce the cooking time required.
Use metal skewers for cooking dishes like chicken satay.
4 Use metal skewers for kebabs
Metal will conduct heat to the centre of the food, ensuring an even cook. Unlike wooden skewers, metal versions won’t char on the grill.
5 Precook for safety
Bone-in chicken takes up to 45 minutes to cook; be safe and precook in the oven, then simply glaze and finish on the grill. You can also precook fresh sausages. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and place uncooked sausages in the water. Reduce to a gentle simmer for about 10 minutes.
This article first appeared in Food magazine.
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