BBQ 101: Prep for the perfect winter barbecue

CHOOSE THE RIGHT BARBECUE GRILL



There are a variety of barbecue options, including charcoal, gas, and electric grills. However, chefs argue that both electric and gas grills lack the smoky flavor that charcoal gives.

- The charcoal grill uses briquettes or lump charcoal as fuel. The briquettes are used for slow and low cooking, while the lump charcoal is used for hot and fast cooking. Sigdi, a type of small charcoal grill, is easily available in markets and is convenient to use at home.

- There are two types of gas grills; natural and propane. While a natural gas grill uses gas that is used in your kitchen to cook food, a propane gas grill has a tank attached beneath the grill where the propane is stored.

- Electric grill uses electricity to heat the food.

Manav Khanna, a seasoned BBQ specialist, says, “While electric and gas grills heat up quickly and controlling temperature is much easier, I would still prefer charcoal grills because of the smoky flavor we get from charcoal. To use a charcoal grill, one has to be a little patient and careful with the heat.”


Grill Price Range

- Electric barbecue: Starts at Rs 3,000

- Gas barbecue: Starts at Rs 10,000

- Charcoal barbecue: Starts at Rs 2,000



STARTING THE FIRE



For gas and electric grills, starting the fire only requires pushing the knobs and turning the switches on. However, for a charcoal grill, starting the fire is the most crucial step. The quantity of charcoal should be 3/4 of the size of the grill or less. This allows some space between the charcoal cubes and the meat. Manav Khanna suggests that arranging a mountain of charcoal is essential to ensure all the coal catches fire initially. Charcoal can be ignited using a blowtorch or lighter cubes. In case of their unavailability, a few charcoal cubes can be burned on the gas stove or any other open flame. Once the cubes are burnt sufficiently, they should be placed in the middle of the charcoal heap, facilitating a quick ignition. Once the coals turn to ash, use spatula tongs to spread them evenly.

Fanning the coals at regular intervals will help the fire spread. For optimal usage, divide the grill into three sections: one with the most burnt charcoal cubes, another with mediumly burnt ones, and leave some free space where new cubes can be added to balance the temperature. The most burnt section is for hard meats like lamb, while the mediumly burnt section is ideal for grilling seafood or vegetables.


TIPS AND TRICKS TO GRILL IT RIGHT

PREHEAT

All types of grills require you to preheat them for 15-20 minutes. Check readiness by swaying your hand above the grill. Apply a thin layer of oil to the grates to prevent sticking.

MARINATE

Marinate the meat for at least 45 minutes with spices and oil. Vegetables do not require marination for a longer time. Shantanu Jagtap, a chef, suggests steaming veggies and meat for some time to make them softer.

ARRANGE ON GRILL

Place the marinated meat and veggies on the grill, flipping them at regular intervals. Monitor cooking with a meat thermometer, ensuring chicken reaches over 75 degrees and seafood hits 44 to 45 degrees.

THE RIGHT SAUCES

Applying oil, butter, and sauces at proper intervals will add some more flavor to the food. Sauces that have jaggery or sugar in them should be applied once the food is grilled to ensure it does not have a sweet taste; other sauces should be applied halfway.

REST BEFORE YOU SERVE

Once the food is cooked, remove it from the grill with spatula tongs and let it rest for a few minutes before serving it hot on your plates.


I keep spraying a solution of oil, water, and vinegar on the meat from time to time to prevent it from drying. It is also good to carry a towel to hold the grill
-Manav Khanna



It is important to maintain the moisture of the meat or vegetables while you barbecue. I suggest covering the meat with banana leaf, or foil paper to retain the moisture
-Shantanu Jagtap



RECIPES

Grilled Lobster Moilee

Ingredients: Lobster, salt, cabbage, oil 20 ml, mustard seeds 1 gm, curry leaves 10-12, ginger 15 gm, turmeric 4 gm, thinly sliced onion 100 gm, tomato slices 75 gm, coconut milk 150 ml, chopped coriander 5gm, salt to taste, lime, chopped dill.

Other requirements: skewer

Marination: Not required

Process: Blanch the lobster for two minutes, take out the tail, and season it with salt and oil. Skewer it so it stays in shape while cooking.

Cooking:

a) Lobster - Grill it on low to medium heat until the internal temperature is 40-45 degrees and the lobster is ready.

b) Grilled cabbage - Add salt to the slices of cabbage and keep it on the side for some time so it releases water. Squeeze out the water and grill on a sieve until it has some char. Take it out and you can season it with fresh chopped dill.

c) For the moilee sauce - Heat the oil on low flame. After the oil is warm enough like we do for any normal tempering, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, turmeric, thinly sliced onions, tomato slices, and ginger. Later, add coconut milk to it and let it simmer for some time. Add coriander leaves for garnishing, strain the sauce and it’s ready to go with the lobster.

Serve: Grilled lobster moilee can be served with cabbage on the side and the moilee sauce.

(Recipe by chef Manav Khanna)

Quick bites: Veggie barbecue Starter

Ingredients: Sweet potatoes, beetroot, carrots (either one of your choices), olive oil, chaat masala or any other spices as per preference

Other requirements: skewer and foil paper

Marination: Not necessary. Steam the veggies for 4-5 minutes (recommended).

Cooking: After steaming the veggies, apply olive oil, chaat masala, or any other spices you prefer. Keep it wrapped in foil paper over the grill for 30-45 minutes and keep it flipping after every 7-10 minutes

Serve: The inherent taste of beetroot, sweet potatoes, or carrots mixed with the chaat masala and smoky barbecue flavor will make for a great starter or a side dish.

(Recipe by chef Shantanu Jagtap)

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