A good barbecue is about control: knowing where the heat is and using it well. Burnt outside, raw inside is the classic mistake — and it’s easy to avoid.
Set up two zones
Pile the coals on one side of the barbecue and leave the other side empty. Now you have:
- A hot zone for searing and quick-cooking food, like steaks, burgers, prawns and halloumi.
- A cooler zone for cooking thicker food through gently, like chicken pieces and sausages, without burning the outside.
On a gas barbecue, run one side on high and the other on low.
Wait for the right moment
Charcoal is ready when the flames have died down and the coals are covered in a layer of grey ash — usually 20–30 minutes after lighting. Cooking over flames burns the outside before the inside is cooked.
Prep the grill
Scrub the grill bars clean with a brush while they’re hot, then wipe them with a little oil on kitchen paper (use tongs). Food sticks less and you get better char lines.
Cook meat safely
- Chicken, pork, sausages and burgers must be cooked all the way through: no pink meat, juices running clear and steaming hot in the middle. A thermometer should read at least 70°C for two minutes (or 75°C) in the thickest part.
- If you’re unsure, start chicken and sausages in the oven, then finish them on the barbecue for flavour.
- Keep raw and cooked separate: use different plates and tongs, and never put cooked food back on a plate that held raw meat.
- Keep raw meat in the fridge until you’re ready to cook, and don’t leave food sitting in the sun.
Marinades
Oil, garlic, herbs and spices can marinate for hours. Marinades with a lot of acid (lemon, lime, vinegar) should only be used for a few hours — any longer and they can make meat mushy. Never brush leftover raw-meat marinade onto cooked food unless you’ve boiled it first.
Vegetarian food that holds its own
- Halloumi, sliced thick, grilled hot.
- Corn on the cob, finished with butter, lime and chilli.
- Peppers, courgettes and red onions on skewers.
- Portobello mushrooms brushed with garlic oil.
- Grilled peaches or pineapple for dessert.
Cook vegetarian food first on a clean grill, or on its own tray, so it doesn’t touch the meat.