Barbecue King CLASSIC 800 Instructions Manual - Cooking Hints
Cooking Hints
Keeping Your Food Moist
It’s easy to keep your food moist and succulent on a barbeque by following these guidelines:
• Use tongs instead of a fork when turning meat and poultry. A fork pierces the flesh and causes the juice
to seep out.
• Resist the temptation to keep turning meat over. Juices tend to rise to the top of a piece of meat and then
settle. Each time you turn the meat over, the juices are lost. It’s better to quickly sear the meat on each side
(about half a minute) then with the burner controls down near low, leave the meat cook on one side at a
time, turning once only before serving.
• If you like salt with your food, try adding it at the end instead of before or during cooking. Salt draws the
natural moisture out of the food and dries it out.
• Baste the food with light marinade or canola oil a couple of times while cooking, though watch out for
excessive flare-up.
• Using a roasting hood is an excellent way to preserve cooking vapours and juices, particularly since your
food cooks more quickly and evenly.
Other Useful Tips
You don’t need to be an expert to serve up a tasty, good looking meal. Try these ideas:
• Baste the food with light marinade or canola oil a couple of times while cooking, though watch out for
excessive flare-up.
• If you like salt with your food, try adding it at the end instead of before or during cooking. Salt draws the
natural moisture out of the food and dries it out.
• Although cooking on the hotplate looks easier, cooking on the grill gives you a more authentic
barbeque flavour. Natural juices drip onto the flame tamer and then vapourise, with the vapours
penetrating back into the food.
• As an alternative to simply grilling, try marinating your meat, fish, poultry or vegetables first. The longer
you leave the food to stand in the marinade, the more thoroughly the flavour will soak through. Several
pre-made marinades are available and good recipes are easy to come by. It is best to leave food standing
in the refrigerator.
• If you use a tomato or sugar based sauce for basting, apply it in the last 5-10 minutes of cooking. Using
these sauces over a longer period of time will result in over-browning.
• To prevent meat from curling, slash the remaining fat at roughly intervals, taking care not to cut into the
meat.
• Avoid burning or charring food as this has been shown to be unhealthy. Don’t leave cooked food standing
for too long before eating.
12