Safe and Successful Barbeque Cooking

Most of us enjoy a barbeque - getting outside and cooking on hot coals with the aroma of lighter fluid drifting on the air. The smell of summer! We've put together a basic guide for safe and successful cooking on a BBQ - whether at home or out-and-about.

Position your BBQ away from foliage etc and away from strong draughts. There is nothing worse than being a guest downwind of a smoky BBQ! The Chef's comfort must be considered too - he  (why is it mostly a he?) wants to cook with the smoke and flames blowing away from him, not into his face.

Use good quality charcoal/ briquettes that have been stored well and are dry. That half open sack in the back of the garden shed may not be a good idea if you want guaranteed lighting.

Clean your BBQ - get rid of the old ash from your last session. Open the dampers/vents.

Spray your piled coals with lighter fluid - or use something like Flamers ( a natural fire lighter made of wood shavings) if you don't like the smell of chemicals. There are also firelighters you can use - use enough and be patient.

Again be patient. The BBQ is ready when it has changed from a red glow in the middle to grey/ white all over. This should take about 30 minutes so you should warn your guests how long it will be before they can eat - they may have arrived hungry.

If you didn't clean your grill after the last session use a wire brush to get rid of the worst then put on the heat and let the BBQ do the rest. Your tools too should be clean but that goes without saying. Have oven gloves or an oven cloth ready to use to save the chef's fingers.
A discreet bucket of cold water close to the BBQ is a good idea ready to use and avert potential burns and other mishaps.

If this is a planned BBQ then the food etc will be already prepared. Keep it out of the sun and as cool as possible. To be truly safe maybe keep it in the kitchen until the BBQ is ready. Cover salads etc with cling film until people are ready to tuck in. Give the chef plenty of room to cook, a table specifically for this purpose is a must with plates ready for cooked food. 

Soak your bamboo skewers in water a good 30 minutes before putting on the grill to cook or else your kebabs will just be little piles of cooked food.

If you're out-and-about you'll probably be using a disposable BBQ or a portable Lotus Go-Anywhere-Grill if you're keen. Be safe - choose your spot carefully away from bushes and long grass. If you are a true boy scout you could peel back a slice of turf and replace it when you've finished - and nobody will know you've been there.  Dispose of the used BBQ sensibly - make sure it's cold and put it in a bin. Don't abandon it. Treat nature with respect .

Most important of all is to make sure the food is cooked. Especially with chicken if cooking it on the bone. Any sign of pink and it goes back on the grill or gets thrown in the bin, same for sausages Don't spoil a great BBQ by taking a risk.

Keep your garden tidy by keeping a glass bin and a rubbish bin within reach. Most guys drink beer straight from the bottle and you don't want to go out days later and find some empties in the flower bed or crown caps on the lawn!

If you've kids around get out the garden games. A putter and plastic golf balls (or proper golf balls if the grown-ups want to show off their prowess at getting a hole-in-one) for golf practice. Got an old tent  in the attic? Get the kids to put it up for their own den. Football may not be conducive to undisturbed eating.

Use plastic glasses and disposable plates. Saves the washing up.