Barbecue Guide: How to Grill Meat & Vegetables Safely and Deliciously

Grilled meat or vegetables have long been an integral part of our outdoor recreation. And surely each of you has a brazier, barbecue, or grill at your summer cottage. If not, then it's time to get one! In this article, I will tell you where it is best to place a brazier, how to use it, and safety rules for grilling.

Barbecue: where to put it, how to cook?

Where to place a grill or barbecue

If you have a portable grill or barbecue, choosing a location is simple: based on your mood and convenience. And, of course, do not forget the safety rules listed below.

You can set it up near a gazebo (making sure the wind won't blow smoke toward your guests), near benches, or even in the middle of the lawn, with blankets or portable chairs arranged around it.

For a stationary oven, you will need to choose the location more carefully, as it will be there for a long time. Think everything through so that you and your guests can cook and relax comfortably.

It makes the most sense to put the brazier near the kitchen entrance or where you store supplies. You should place it so that wooden structures and overhanging branches are as far away from the stove as possible, and the smoke doesn't bother your neighbors or family. The furnace should be equipped with a wall or screen to protect the fire from the wind.

It is advisable to equip the area around the stove with a stone or tile pavement, which should be accessible from the paths leading to the house, the gate, and the toilet.

Around the stationary barbecue, it is customary to set up a table, seating, and a place for preparing food.

Where to place a grill or barbecue

Fuel for barbecues and braziers

Traditional fuel for barbecues is charcoal or charcoal briquettes. Ready-made charcoal or briquettes, as well as firewood, are well-suited for a regular brazier. Many people are tempted to burn cut branches, twigs, and knots from trees and shrubs in the brazier, but it is better to use only large logs for cooking kebabs. Small branches burn quickly and form a lot of ash and soot, which blocks the heat from reaching the oxygen. The coals under the layer of ash will cool soon.

Keep in mind that pressed charcoal briquettes burn hotter and longer. It is better to lay the charcoal in layers rather than in a pile and light it in several places at once.

Fuel for barbecues and grills

If you line the tray with aluminum foil, it will reflect the heat and make cleaning easier.

Fuel should be stored in a dry place. If a stand and a canopy are sufficient for firewood, coal, or briquettes, they are best stored indoors in a thick paper bag—plastic bags condense moisture, so coal should not be stored in them. Do not store coal in rooms that smell of paint, gasoline, exhaust fumes, or other strong odors, as it easily absorbs smells and then transfers them to food.

There are barbecue and grill models that run on natural gas or electricity. They are easy to regulate in terms of temperature, produce almost no mess during cooking, heat up quickly, and are ready to use within 10-15 minutes of being turned on. However, it is usually much more difficult to “get” gas when it runs out or to cook when there are problems with electricity, which are not so rare in our country houses. And you won't get that exceptional “smoky” taste in such grills!

How to cook barbecue and kebabs

Once the charcoal has been lit or the wood has burned through, you need to determine when to start cooking. It is easy to check the temperature of the charcoal with your hand.

Hold your hand 15 cm above the coals. If you cannot hold it there for even a second, the temperature is high, over 350 °C. Wait a couple of seconds — the temperature is 250-300 °C. Three to four seconds means a temperature of 180-220 °C. If you can keep your hand over the coals for 5 seconds or longer, the temperature is low, less than 150 °C.

Shashlik is cooked high above the coals, about 15 cm away from them. Therefore, it can be cooked almost immediately after the wood burns through, at a high temperature. Could you make sure that there is no open flame? It must be extinguished immediately by blocking the oxygen supply with a damper, sprinkling salt on it, or sprinkling it with water.

The meat for the kebab is skewered evenly so that it does not hang down or stick out anywhere. At first, the skewers should be rotated constantly, making sure that the meat does not char, but quickly forms a crust that prevents the meat juices from escaping. As the temperature drops, each side of the meat should be held over the heat for a longer period to cook it through. If the meat starts to burn, sprinkle it with water or marinade to cool it down.

How to cook barbecue and kebabs

Cooking time depends on the size of the pieces of meat. You can determine whether it is ready by cutting off a small piece: if the meat juices are clear, with no traces of blood, remove the skewers. Do not overcook the meat over the heat; otherwise, the kebab will be dry.

Barbecue is cooked low over the coals, at a distance of 5-10 cm. The coals should have a temperature of 200-240 °C. It is essential to maintain a uniform temperature throughout the cooking process by adjusting it with the ventilation flaps and using a blower.

Meat for barbecue is cut into wide, flat pieces across the grain. Each piece should be 2-2.5 cm thick. Different types of meat, poultry, fish, and seafood have different cooking times. Pork should be cooked thoroughly, while beef can be cooked to your liking — rare, medium, or well done. Be careful with seafood, as it cooks very quickly and can become “rubbery” and tasteless if overcooked.

Turn the food over using special tongs and a spatula. To check if the meat is ready, it is better not to pierce it, but to press it with tongs. The degree of doneness is determined by the degree of elasticity, which experienced barbecue chefs do with great skill.

Fish and seafood

Fillets and steaks about 2 cm thick are cooked for 6 minutes, small fish whole for 15-20 minutes, king prawns for 6-8 minutes, and regular prawns for 2-3 minutes. Squid should also be cooked for no more than 2-3 minutes.

Chicken

Breasts and fillets are cooked for 10-12 minutes, thighs for 20-25 minutes, wings and legs for 15-20 minutes.

Beef (2.5 cm thick steaks, medium or rare)

Beef fillet should be fried for only 8 minutes, tenderloin for 10 minutes, bone-in cutlets or ribs for 12 minutes.

Pork

Pork should be fried thoroughly, but never overcooked. Bone-in cutlets should be cooked for 8 minutes, chops for 8-10 minutes, and tenderloin for 15 minutes.

Lamb

Lamb is tender meat and cooks very quickly. Thin lamb chops should be fried for only 4 minutes, tenderloin for 6 minutes, and bone-in cutlets for about 8 minutes.

How to cook barbecue and kebabs

Safety rules

Barbecuing involves certain risks. You can burn yourself, your clothing or hair can catch fire, or embers can fly off. You may also miss the right moment to start cooking, and it will be difficult and time-consuming to prepare the grill again. Therefore, follow these safety and preparation rules for cooking kebabs and barbecuing.

Prepare all ingredients in advance as much as possible.
ONLY one person should be in charge of the grill.
Children and pets are strictly prohibited from entering this area!
Get ready well before your guests arrive.
Set up the barbecue on a solid surface as far away from wooden fences and buildings as possible.
Use a special lighter, not a regular one, and definitely not gasoline.
If your barbecue is gas-powered, thoroughly learn the rules for storing gas cylinders.
Do not wear any loose clothing, scarves, or ties—all of these can catch fire.
Do not move a lit barbecue!
All kitchen utensils must have long handles ONLY.
Do not leave the barbecue unattended for a second!
Do not rush! First, the coals must heat up properly. Double-check that your chicken or sausages are well-cooked. Start cooking when the flames have died down and the coals are covered with ash.

Before you invite guests to a picnic, practice using the stove and cooking meat for yourself and your family. Practice until you feel confident that you have learned how to cook edible meat using this new method. After all, trying out a new dish in front of guests can be very stressful if your first attempt is unsuccessful.

Safety rules for using a barbecue