Barbecue Problems

Charcoal Barbecue issues - and how to solve them 5

Cooking in the open air - fun, easy and trouble-free - or is it?

Well, yes, more often than not it is, but sometimes barbecue chefs do encounter a few problems.

But don't worry, we’re here to sort them out.

Hot spots

Hot spots happen on both gas and charcoal Barbeques.

With a charcoal fire, it is possible to distributed the coals to try to balance out the temperature, but if it continues to be an issue, you’ll possibly need to get rid of food from the grill until the fire has died down, or just transfer food around the grill, identifying cooler places if your food is in danger of getting burnt on the outside instead of cooking equally all the way through.

When you’re a novice togas barbecuing and have a brand new gas bbq, you may find that you simply burn food because the gas Barbie is extremely efficient and sometimes cooks a bit too well especially if you’re not accustomed to it.

Over time you may also find that your gas grill develops hot spots, causing an uneven cooking area. Just as with the charcoal grill, you will need to move food within the grill, putting it in cooler spots if it is vulnerable to overcooking or cooking too fast.

A gas grill that doesn’t light

First, make sure you have got gas in your tank! Seems obvious we all know, however it’s the first thing to verify.

Once you learn you have plenty of gas, check that the igniter is emitting sparks.

If it isn’t, check that there is nothing blocking the burners.

If you cannot see any problems you will need to get a repair person to check the cabling for you.

Always exercise extreme caution when checking your gas grill and as with anything involving gas or electricity, if you are unclear it is advisable to call in a specialist.

Corroded grills

If you use a charcoal grilling or gas barbecue keeping it well taken care of will lengthen its operating life and make life easier for you.

It’s depressing to go out into the garden after work only to find that the bbq requires a thorough clean before you can begin cooking.

Get into the habit of cleaning and drying all essential parts when the barbecue has cooled down and you’ll always be able to turn on the Gas Barbecue at a moment’s notice.

A barbecue cover may protect it from the elements as well, unless you have a shed, garage or outhouse to store your barbeque grill.

Raw gas odours

You have a leak somewhere! Turn off the barbecue immediately and contact an expert.

Disintegrating hamburgers

Do your burgers fall apart on the grill? In the event that you’ve made your own burgers (and they generally result in the greatest result unless you’ve splashed out on great burgers from the butchers or a farmers’ market), its worth looking at what sort of meat you’ve used.

Should you use top-quality, expensive mince, you might be missing out on fat content.

The fat helps to bind the burgers togethe, therefore the next time use a less expensive mince that has a higher fat content.

Frozen mince also tends to break down faster, so utilize fresh mince, and try to find mince that has not been ground too finely.

If you want to always be ready for an al fresco meal, use fresh mince to make your own burgers and once they have been prepared, then freeze them.

Many people use an egg for binding the burger ingredients together, so it could be worth trying when mixing your burgers - and steer clear of adding big bits of onion or pepper, as these can cause the whole patty to split when cooking.

As an alternative, chop vegetables finely - a food processor does a good job of this if you have one.

Do not forget to place your burgers in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to help set them in their burger shape prior to cooking.

Throughout cooking, try not to move or flip burgers too often, as this will also cause them to fall apart, If your fire is even and not too hot, this won’t be necessary

Food sticking to the grill

First, use the best-quality grill you are able to, as inexpensive grills often encourage sticking.

Also, make sure to oil your grill - a cooking spray makes it simple (but make sure you spray before you start the Barbeque).

Furthermore steer clear of moving your food too much, and don’t try to push it down onto the grill with your spatula.

on the outside, uncooked in the centre

This is a catastrophe barbecue cooks - and a formula with regard to food poisoning.

Never serve food that is not thoroughly cooked all the way through.

The trick is to get your Barbeque to an even temperature.

If you’re cooking with charcoal, allow enough time for the coals to turn white - this will give you the most even temperature.

Move food to outside edges of the fire if it appears to be cooking too quickly - or raise the grill up higher so that it is further away from the fire.