Barbecue season is upon us: and the air is thick with the smell of sizzling burgers. Make sure yours goes with a bang, rather than a fizzle, with these handy Hellmann’s Hacks.
1. Run out of firelighters? Try tortilla chips!
Tortilla chips make excellent barbecue kindling.
2. Cook pizza on the barbecue in addition to your burgers
Not only does everyone love pizza, it’s filling. So when your burgers come out, they’ll not be wolfed down in two minutes flat by hungry guests.
3. Invest in two types of barbecue tongs
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One set with grips for turning and handling food – and another with insulated handles for handling and turning coals. This way, your food won’t get dusty and the food grease won’t make the coals flare up.
4. Use a jar to make a mess-free barbecue rub
Avoid sticky fingers when rubbing down meat by putting it, along with your dry spices, in a jar then shake, shake, shake it like a polaroid picture until coated.
5. Throw a handful of aromatic herbs on the barbecue
Like rosemary, sage or thyme. It’ll give your food a smokey, herby flavour and make the air smell heavenly.
6. Grease your grill before you add food
It’ll not only help the food cook, it’ll stop residue from sticking to the grill and prevent your food from getting stuck – which means you won’t lose that barbecue-charred goodness that gives it flavour. Use garlic-marinated oil to give the food extra flavour.
7. Keep your meat warm with a DIY beef-case
Just tape two foil containers together and pop your burgers inside. The foil will keep them insulated and toasty warm until you’re ready for round two.
8. If you’re serious about barbecuing invest in a chimney starter
You light the coal in it, then pour it on to your barbecue. This means you can start your grill with evenly lit coals and no barbecue fluid, smoke or other chemical nasties to contaminate your food.
9. When life smokes you some lemons…
…Make smoked lemonade. Slice a few lemons and lightly roast them on the grill. You can use these lemons in a traditional lemonade recipe to give it a smokey, grown-up flavour. Or to juice and serve with a smokey-flavoured liquor.
10. Use rosemary springs to make kebabs
Thread pieces of meat and veg on rosemary sticks instead of wooden cocktail skewers – the bubbling meat juices will help infuse the meat with the rosemary’s flavour.
You can cook fruit kebabs on cinnamon sticks.
11. Write how you want your burger cooked on the inside of your bun lid in ketchup and mayonnaise…
… And your name on the inside of the bottom bun. That way the grill-master will be able to match up each person’s burger choice with ease.
12. If you want your barbecue to look pretty remember ‘10 & 2’
That’s the perfect formula to get those photogenic criss-cross marks on your meat slabs.
Think of your grill as a clock. Angle the meat so that it is pointing towards 10 o’clock. Cook halfway through. Then turn it, don’t flip it yet, so that it’s pointing to 2 o’clock.
Flip and repeat for the other side.
13. Spray your meat with a squirt bottle full of apple juice as it cooks
It will keep your meat moist, tender and give it an extra flavour kick. Works particularly well with pork.
14. For an extra moist burger add ice
Make a thumb print in your burger and add an ice chip for an extra juicy burger.
15. Make your barbecue go with a bang with some jalapeno poppers
Hollow out a large jalapeno, stuff with cream cheese, wrap with bacon then grill.
16. Worried about fish sticking to the grill?
Lay it on a bed of lemon or lime slices first. This will give the fish a citrus tang too.
17. Mayonnaise + mince = the world’s juiciest burgers
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Mix mayonnaise with your mince for extra juicy burgers.
