Top 12 BBQ grilling tips from professional chefs!

Posted by Nicholas Kyrkostas on October 17th, 2022

Grilled meat dishes are mouth-watering recipes. People across the globe love to have them on their tables. Not only the variety of meat dishes but other kinds of food can also be prepared on the grill.

This article focuses on some practical ways shared by professional BBQ chefs such as Nicholas Kyrkostas to up your BBQ game. Those who are new to BBQ grilling can find these tips helpful.

1. Keep your grill well-cleaned

It’s crucial to maintain a clean grill, as it can enhance the taste of your food. In case it is uncleaned, it can add bitter flavoring to your meal. This is because the charred remains of the last cooked grilled meat get transferred to the freshly cooked meat. Also, oiling the grates can reduce the problems with sticking. As a result, one can get those professional grill marks on the meat.

2. Avoid using the lighter fluid

Using lighting fluid can add a chemical taste to your food. Hence, it is best to skip it. A starter chimney and natural hardwood lump charcoal are the better options. Though it takes a little longer to heat up, the result will be a delicious smoky flavor in your meat. Also, make sure you give your coals a chance to heat up properly before you put the fresh meat on the fire.

3. Give attention to the hue of the smoke

The hue of the smoke plays an important role in making your food tasty. Having clear and blue smoke depicts that you are cooking in a perfect cooking environment. If the smoke is dirty, it can leave meat and vegetable dark in color with a not-so-good and heavy smoke taste.

4. Know when the meat is cooked

People often make the biggest mistake when grilling. That is, they do not know when to stop cooking. It is best to turn off the flame at the right time when the meat is ready. Many different tricks can help. But the main thing is to continue grilling till it is cooked. The better you do it, the easier it will be to know if it is cooked!

5. Allow the meat to come to room temperature before cooking

Before you put meat on the fire, ensure it is at room temperature. It will prove to be a key ingredient to having a successful barbeque on the table. Moreover, it can be cooked in less time. As a result, there will be lower chances of drying out the meat.

6. Don’t play around while you cook your food

Some people habitually flip out the meat too much while it is on the grill. But it's not a good idea to flip the meat again and again. It is best to leave it and allow it to cook for a little longer on one side. Make sure the crust is formed on one side before you flip it.

7. Remove the membrane present on the back of the ribs

Professional chefs such as Nicholas Kyrkostas know his barbecue ribs very well. He advises that you remove the membrane that is present on the back of the ribs before you put them on fire. This allows the smoke to get into the meat in a better way. In addition, it will make the meat soft and delicious. To add flavor to the meat, one can use BBQ rubs or sauces.

8. Don’t touch the meat again and again

Touching the food too much is another biggest mistake that most grillers make. Remember, the food will develop a nice char and crust before it is cooked properly. But people become impatient while waiting by a hot grill. And so they try to touch and move the food again and again.

9. It is good to sear before grilling

Those trying to grill the ultimate burger should sear it on both sides to get an extremely delicious burger at the end. But don’t let it flare up. Also, it is best to mix the meat thoroughly. This can ensure that both of them can get stuck together before grilling.

10. Not only the mat but season the grill too

You can try experimenting with new things and ideas. Some chefs throw herbs, garlic heads, and other seasonings directly onto the grill with the key ingredients. This tip can transfer the unique flavor to the meat.

11. Choose oily fish over other fish to cook on the grill
Once you wash the fish to be cooked, pat its skin dry. Then, brush it lightly with olive oil. After you put it on the grill, do not touch it again and again. If you are cooking a salmon filet, leaving its skin side for at least 7-8 minutes is best.

12. It is better to cook chicken and the skin separately

Some professional chefs prefer marinating chicken without the skin. They grill the meat and pan-fry the skin separately to get a crisp flavor in the meat. In the end, they toss them together after they are cooked properly.