Natural Born Griller: Red Hot Tips For The Perfect Barbecue

When the timid, Scottish sun finally peeks out from behind the charcoal Edinburgh sky, there’s really only one thing to be done.

Yes, that’s right. We need …to burn stuff.

Ladies and gentlemen, that brief opportunity of sunny delight is finally here and we are going to do what we do and make ourselves some good old fashioned, meat scolding fire.

But let’s pause for a moment and have a quick think about this. Do you really want it all to end up in flames like it did last year?

We know. It’s a painful topic. Those extra crispy burgers made your father-in-law feel more than a trifle queasy and you’re still paying him back for that little mishap with his garden shed.

Are you ready to give this another go?

Of course you are! It just needs a degree of thought and planning this time around. And that’s where we come in.

So, let’s get that charcoal burning and the taste buds yearning. It’s barbecue time, y’all. And we’ve cooked up 5 scolding tips for you to digest. Let’s have a taste!

Don’t Overcomplicate: There can be a temptation to show off a bit when it comes to cooking, particularly if you have people coming around, but try to resist. You might very well pull it off and it could be great…But it could be a complete disaster. Keep it simple. Stick with what you know. People like simple food.

Prepare Your Food: Make sure you get fresh and in date produce the day before. Lovely vegetables and great looking meat is all you really need. I if you want to do any marinating, do it the night before, so you’ll have less to worry about the next day and you can focus on the actual barbeque process. Be kind to your future self. Do everything you can do the day or night before.

Light The BBQ: Well, obviously. But, if you have guests coming around, do it before they arrive. In fact, throw a couple of little bites on to help get you in the zone. You’ll be well on top of things for the start of the party, and there will be a lovely scent of food in the air when people star to arrive. And who doesn’t like the smell of a barbeque?

Keep Station Organized: Work out exactly what you need and get rid of anything else. Much like the food you’re making, it’s much safer if you keep the whole thing simple. Be aware of where your sharp objects are. How will you keep raw meat away from the cooked? Think all of this through before you start anything. Have your surface super-organized and it will all be a lot better for you and everybody else.

Don’t Forget Your Guests: We know that you’re in charge of cooking today, but do not forget to mingle. Everyone might be here expecting food, but what they really want is to spend time with you. Have a chat. Enjoy a drink and a laugh. This is a social occasion after all. If you’ve kept everything nice and simple, this won’t be an issue at all. Cheers!

Summer is still with us, so let’s get out there and enjoy it! Crack open a beverage, dine al fresco and take in the jolly sunshine whilst you can. If you remember to prepare, a barbeque is way more fun that work. And, man, does it taste good.

Enjoy!