TIPS & TRICKS FOR AN AMAZING BBQ

1. Be en place. The chef’s term for having everything in place ready to go.
   
2. Get marinating the day before and try to prepare everything to as advanced a state as you can.
   This will leave you with less washing-up and more time for your guests and create a good atmosphere on the day.
3. Marinate your meat early, the longer it stays, the greater the taste.
   In fact, it’s best to save some marinade when you make, and brush your meat or fish with the marinade every 10 minutes as it cooks.
   That way it will add moisture, trap the smoke flavor and caramelize gently as it goes.
4. Don’t wait until the last second before the barbecue diner starts to get your salads out of the fridge.
   It tastes better if it’s not too cold.
5. Add salt after grilling your meat. Salt extracts moisture what will make your meat dry and sticky.
   Don’t marinade with salt either! This is very important to the quality of your dish.
6. Always use a little oil before putting your meat on the barbecue.
   This will avoid the meat from sticking to the grill. Do not put oil directly on your grill.
   This will create a lot of smoke.
7. Diversify with oil. Add some garlic and some thyme, rosemary, or whatever herbs you prefer.
8. Use great basic ingredients. The summer months, when most barbecue bones are tickled, coincide perfectly with the season of fruit and vegetable gluts, leaving you spoilt for great ingredients both to barbecue (sweet corn, courgettes, plums, apples, etc.) and to put together into great salads to accompany your grilled meats and fish. You should always wash vegetables before use though, particularly if you aren't peeling them.
9. Stay with your barbecue. Stay for as long as you are grilling, for the best results and for safety's sake. You won't get lonely.
   Chefs never do. There are always a handful of - invariably male - guests who huddle around giving their chefs advice. Barbecuing is theatre!