Guide
Golden September: products for the transition from summer to autumn
by Stephan Lamprecht
Are you doing barbecues right?
15.6.2022
In summer, there only seem to be two ways to have a perfect day: swimming or having a barbecue. I’m surrounded by smoke signals and dust clouds from every direction. The charcoal has been glowing non-stop, yet plenty of mistakes are being made on the grill above it.
Nevertheless, if I’ve learned anything from social media, it’s that criticism is always called for – even if you couldn’t do any better yourself. So I judge my uncle’s sausages – silently, at least. The sausages he grilled at far too hot a temperature, turning them black. Or the shreds of halloumi that remain stuck to my friend’s grill instead of making it onto a dinner plate.
Six pro tips
I judge them silently because, unlike some Twitter users, I’m aware that no-one likes taking advice from a backseat driver. I’d better ask an expert. Claudine Nyaguy is a Swiss grill master, who’s shown me how we can all be better on the barbecue.
1. Baking paper, not aluminium foil
Aluminium foil is a practical packaging material and much easier to handle than cling film. But it’s also energy-intensive to produce and doesn’t work well with all foods. Acid and salt dissolve aluminium particles from the foil, which can transfer to the food. Too much aluminium in your body can have a negative impact on your health, so you’re better off switching to baking paper.
2. Only wood makes a difference
It actually makes no difference whether you have an electric, gas or charcoal barbecue. After all, charcoal is, surprise surprise, completely charred and possesses no flavourings, essential oils or vegetable matter whatsoever. In other words, nothing that could lend the food any flavour. With fresh wood, it’s a different story. Barbecued food will genuinely taste different over a real fire.
There’s a second big mistake made with fish: «Never cut the skin, otherwise the fish will lose its juiciness,» Claudine explains.
5. Bring meat up to room temperature
Give your meat at least an hour to get to room temperature. Going directly from the fridge to the barbecue causes a temperature shock in your steak. The consequence? The meat becomes tough. It only makes sense to put cold meat directly onto a barbecue if the cut has a thick layer of fat. That way, the flavour-packed fat doesn’t escape through the bars of the cooking grate.
6. The second cooking grate gets really hot
Lots of barbecues have a second cooking grate above the main grill surface, which many people use to keep food warm. But think back to your last trip to the sauna. If you sit in the upper row, you’ll sweat twice as much as you do in the lower one. It’s no different on the barbecue. With the lid closed, the meat will get another good blast of heat.
You won’t quite become a pro with these barbecue tips, but they’ll stem the flow of silent criticism in my head. I’m looking forward to the next cookout invitation already. 😉
This article was published in a similar form on 1 June, 2019.
My life in a nutshell? On a quest to broaden my horizon. I love discovering and learning new skills and I see a chance to experience something new in everything – be it travelling, reading, cooking, movies or DIY.
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