Barbecue Tips

If something is worth doing, it's worth doing properly - and a barbecue is definitely worth doing! In this section we provide a wealth of tips from the experts to make sure your next barbecue goes with a sizzle. Follow these hints and tips and you won't go far wrong...

For succulent juicy results, remove meat and poultry from the fridge an hour before cooking (but keep out of direct sunlight)

Don't pack kebab skewers end to end; thread the food loosely to allow pieces to cook through.

When setting up for your barbecue, avoid windy positions - gaps between buildings or caravans can cause unwanted draughts. Always allow plenty of space around your barbecue.

Be considerate to your caravan neighbours - avoid excess smoke by trimming off excess fat and draining food that has been marinating.
Before placing food on the barbecue for the first time, give the barbecue a good burn off for ten minutes then wipe with clean vegetable oil. This will burn onto the grill or griddle and reduce the likelihood of food sticking.

Fancy barbecuing the Sunday roast? Invest in a food thermometer so that you know when a large joint is cooked through.

Pork, sausages, burgers and chicken must always be cooked through thoroughly. They may look cooked on the outside but can still be raw in the middle. Check by piercing the meat with a knife - if the juices run clear then the meat is ready.

Tips from Calor

Preparation and Cleaning

Tips from Calor Remove the base rock and racks, scrape out any debris from last season. To prevent grease marking the patio, this is best done on the lawn. Alternatively, if the rocks or bricks are very greasy, turn them over and burn off the residue. Then replace, according to manufacturers instructions.

Ignition

Spark ignition failure is a common occurrence after the winter break. To rectify the problem you should:

Check the ignition cable is pushed well onto the connections at both ends. Clean the tip of the ignitor and the area around it.

If the barbecue still fails to light, try lighting it manually according to the manufacturers instructions. If successful, this will confirm that the problem lies with the ignitor.

Blockages

Brush the holes in the burner with a stiff brush to remove any build up of grease. As spiders seem to be attracted to barbecues, check for webs and eggs as these can restrict the gas and airflow.

Check the gas supply pipes and if you see cuts and cracks have them replaced by a Calor Gas dealer.

Sometimes problems are experienced with flare up. This can be identified as a yellow tipped creeping flame, often with a smoky tip. In many cases this is due to low pressure, caused by dirty or blocked burner parts, or in some cases, dirt and grease around the area of the gas jets. Cleaning will generally rectify this.