Meat and fish

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Whilst there are many techniques for grilling, and you will hear a hundred different theories from a hundred different barbecuers, the common belief is that knowing when to turn the food over is crucial. For steaks, burgers, and chops, we believe the less you turn the meat the better. Some people belive that to begin with, you should sear the meat on both sides in the middle of the barbecue. Because, they state, this helps to keep all the flavour and juices in the meat. However, we do not agree with this. Our advise is that you should aim to turn steaks just the once. In our experience, the more you turn the meat the slower the cooking time and the tougher it becomes.

Meat

1. Turn steaks and burgers just the once. Get level with the meat, lift the corners slightly, and if there are black marks then it's time to turn.
2. With a one turn policy, the second side of the meat will take less time than the first.
3. If you like brunt grill marks on your food, turn the meat once.
4. If you prefer golden brown food, turn regularly.
5. If sause or fat drops on the charcoal, then move the food before flare-up occurs.
6. Do not use forks to turn the meats, piercing the meat will lose all the juices and toughen it.
7. Make sure the grill is hot enough before placing the meat upon it. One of the chief causes of dried out meat is insufficient heat at the beginnining. The aim is to ensure all the juices are seared into the meat at the start of the grilling session.
8. Let your meat rest for a few minutes after it is cooked. This will help the juices redistribute and produce a more tasty meat.
9. The denser the meat, once seared, should be cooked at a lower temperature spot. Otherwise it will be charcoal on the outside and raw in the middle.

Fish

1. Vegetables and fish should be cooked in the middle at a high heat.
2. Soft fish, like trout and cod, require a hinged rack.
3. Firm fish, like tuna and salmon, can be directly placed onto the grill, but only if care is taken.
4. Turn fish only once, otherwise it will break apart.
5. Only marinate a fish for twenty minutes before cooking it, or it will be slowly cooked by the acids in the marinade.
6. Shellfish should be placed on the hottest part of the grill, and will be ready when the shell opens.

Vegetables

1. If you do believe in searing, once seared, vegetables and fish should be cooked in the middle at a high heat.