Following on from our first tip about the right cooking temperature for your BBQ; in tip-2 we look at why food preparation is vital

Food preparation is vital

Marinating food means that it tastes great plus it grills better. Apart from enhancing the flavour, marinating also helps protect food against high grill temperatures. Normally the longer the better and this is why, here at Wyatts, we pre-marinate many of our cuts of meat for you so they are all ready for you to enjoy. However, a simple tip if marinating meat yourself is to place it in a sealed plastic bag, massage in marinade and place in fridge as this cuts marinating time by half.

‘Man cannot live by meat alone’ and you can introduce some real colour to your BBQ food with vegetables. Red, green or yellow bell peppers are great flame-roasted and enhance flavours. Once skin has blackened, place in a plastic bag to cool. The skin will then easily peel-off. Green and yellow courgettes, also grill well as do chillies, asparagus and aubergine.

Enhancing that true smoky BBQ taste is also best done on charcoal by throwing wet wood chips and herb branches on the coals. Try different types of wood; apple or vine clippings are good. A similar effect can be achieved on a gas grill with a lava rock bed although not quite as good.

Go back and read our first BBQ-tips piece and watch out for the next in the series.  And of course any BBQ starts with obtaining the best meat, and that’s where the team here at Wyatts butchers can help; as we’ve always got the best produce in the county and at really competitive prices.