With the good weather we have in mind that barbecues are what triumph on our tables. Since primitive times it has been a way of cooking food and today this way endures for the flavor it provides. It is a smoky flavor that fascinates us. For this we will give you the best tricks to succeed at barbecues, because we are sure that more than one of you did not know him.
It must be taken into account in if we prefer the barbecue or the grill. They are two options that work great, but they have their differences. We know the grills as the typical one we use, where its corresponding grid is and nothing else. The barbecue is just like the grill, but with a cover. For many people this is an advantage, since by providing the lid we are creating a grill with better cooking and even causing a much better smoke in the food.
What is the best fuel for our barbecues?
Fuel is the star piece of our barbecue. Most of us use the traditional charcoal supplied to us in stores, as many are created from oak, they light quickly and create an authentic barbecue flavor.
However many prefer to use firewood, to be preferable the one of oak, since it is the result of an almost perfect flavor. The only disadvantage is that we have to create embers as it is wood and therefore it will take twice as long to prepare our barbecue. Another wood that we can use is the vine, the one from the vineyard, with a very characteristic flavor and to be able to make meat and rice dishes.
How to prepare the meat
If the numbers of the guests are known, it is important to calculate the kilos of meat that we are going to need. For each person, between 350 and 400 g of meat is calculated. For example: if 10 people are going to attend, you can calculate almost 4 kilos of meat, including 2 kilos of chorizo, black pudding, bacon... and another 2 kilos of lean meat. On the other hand, these other tips are important:
How to cook meat?
- Take the meat out of the fridge 1 hour before cooking.
- When the barbecue is ready with the embers is when you have to add the meat to cook it.
Can we salt the meat before or after? It is a question that has two nuances. It is recommended not to salt the meat until the meat is removed from the barbecue. The reason is because it loses its juiciness while cooking and ends up being very dry. But the Argentines do the opposite, they usually salt their meat before putting it on the barbecue and it turns out wonderful. Our advice: if the meat is not very thick, it is better to salt it after cooking.
There is nothing better than preparing meat and letting it taste its own way, but there are people who like to go further and add other seasonings and spices. You can add garlic powder, black pepper or aromatic herbs. Many of the dressings taste better if they are marinated in the meat, at least one night before.
Another idea is prepare some homemade sauce, since it is a very good option to optimize the result of the barbecue. In our recipe book you can try our chimichurri sauce or romesco sauce.
Act quickly. cook all the meat type chorizos first, bacon, black pudding, chicken wings, Moorish skewers… The meat with much larger pieces will be roasted later, so that the first ones are eaten first and the second meats are cooked.
There is no need to be in a hurry when cooking the meat., since it is preferable to cook slowly. If there are very large pieces, they can be placed at the beginning, next to the starters, so that they can be cooked over time.
A very curious fact is that there are people who use the thermometer to know when the meat is at its exact point of cooking. They even use state-of-the-art devices to monitor the temperature and can eSend notifications to the phone. As soon as the warning arrives, they only have to approach, turn the meat and serve.
Recommendations for turning off the barbecue
You have to let the barbecue turns itself off. Although it seems that the embers are extinguished, you have to be careful because there can be a lot of heat inside. You don't have to throw water over it, just cover it with the same lid so that it turns off by itself. If you don't have a cover, you'll have to set aside any firewood or charcoal that has not been burned and wait for the embers to go out.
Clean the grid well, since the remains can negatively affect future barbecues. We can clean it when it is still somewhat warm, to take advantage of the heat. We can use brushes with steel bristles or a similar tool so that it can be thoroughly scratched. You can also use a sponge with two sides, with a soft part and another that contains a soft scourer.