Barbecue Essentials

Be the GRILL MASTER …. With a few TRICKS you’re the one in control.

Nonstick grilling

Brush cold grill with vegetable oil or coat with cooking spray to prevent foods from sticking. Preheat grill on high for 5 minutes; reduce heat to medium-high to cook.

How hot is hot?

If you don’t have a barbecue temperature gauge, use this trick to check grill temperature; if you can hold your hand 5 inches (12 cm) from grill for 5 to 6 seconds heat is low, 3 to 4 seconds means medium and 1 to 2 seconds means hot.

Keep a lid on it.

Barbecue with lid closed for even cooking and energy efficiency.

An investment in safety

Cook like a pro: here are the 3 types of thermometers that will help you cook like a chef. The top left and middle thermometers are really all you need. (Image to the right) Look for these thermometers at houseware suppliers.

It’s a modest investment to know when your foods are cooked just right.

Programmable Digital Thermometer (top left):
• Oven safe.
• Lets you monitor cooking without opening the oven AND it signals when your food is cooked to the doneness you select.
• Leave the thermometer stem inserted into the food while it cooks.
• Use for casseroles, roasts and meatloaves.

Digital Instant Read (middle):
•Not oven safe.
•Use to test temperature near end of cooking – insert thermometer stem into centre or thickest part of food to check.
•Ideal for thin or small pieces of meats such as steaks, burgers, and meatballs.

Oven Safe Dial Thermometer (bottom right):
• Oven safe.
• Lets you monitor cooking by checking.
• Leave the thermometer stem inserted into the food while it cooks.
• Not appropriate for use with thin cuts or pieces of meat such as steaks, burgers and meatballs.

End the Doneness Debate.

Use food thermometer to know meat is done just the way you like it cooked to a safe temperature too.

Check out below how to check the temperature of steaks, burgers and roasts.

Steaks:

Near end of cooking, remove from heat and insert instant-read thermometer stem sideways into the centre of steak or centre of thickest part of food. Insert to a depth of at least 1-1/2 inches (4 cm).

For medium-rare the temperature should read 145°F (63°C) at the least.

After cooking, let steaks rest before serving.

Click here for additional Grilling Know How tips.

Burgers:

Ground Beef should be thoroughly cooked to a safe and savory 160ºF (71° C). Colour is not a reliable indicator of Ground Beef doneness. Never eat ground beef raw.

Use a digital instant read thermometer for burgers done best — cooking them to the right doneness — but not overdone — after all, we all want a juicy burger not a hockey puck on a bun! ‘Burgers Done at 71’ is the jingle to remember — cook your burgers to an internal temperature of 71°C (or 160°F).

Click here for additional Burger Know-How tips.

Barbecue Roasting: Indirect Heat and Rotisserie Roasting

Rotisserie Roasts:

Take the guesswork out of cooking and use a thermometer to cook beef just the way you like it.

OVEN SAFE

You leave the thermometer stem inserted into the meat while it cooks so you can monitor the cooking progress. They come with a dial face read or as a digital-read thermometer with cable and monitor.

The digital model lets you monitor cooking without opening the oven door – most models even send out a signal when your meat is cooked to the doneness you select.

DONENESS for INDIRECT HEAT BARBECUE ROASTING

Medium-rare 140°F (60°C)
Medium 155°F (68°C)
Well-Done 165°F (74°C)

Click here for additional Rotisserie Roast Know-How tips.