Meat/Grill Preparation:

• Avoid flare-ups by trimming excess fat from steaks and chicken.
• To reduce sticking, brush a light coat of oil onto your meat just before placing it on the grill.

Direct Grilling Method:

• Direct grilling, with meat directly over the flame, works best for foods less than 1" thick (hamburgers, steaks, chops, sausages, vegetables).

Indirect Grilling Method:

• Indirect grilling is best for larger cuts of meats like roasts, whole chickens, or whole fish. Here are some tips for indirect charcoal grilling:
  • Once the charcoal briquettes are hot, spread coals around the outer edge of the barbecue, leaving none in the center.
  • Place an aluminum drip pan with 1/2-inch of water in the empty center space. The added moisture helps prevent the meat from drying out, and ensures that it stays tender and juicy.
  • Place the grill over the hot charcoal. Center the meat on the grill over the drip pan.
  • Cover the grill. Hot air will circulate around the meat, similar to roasting, allowing you to cook meats more slowly and evenly.

• To maximize the juiciness of meats, use tongs instead of a fork during cooking. Piercing meat with a fork will cause the juices to run out during cooking.
• Use a meat thermometer to help determine that you are cooking your meat adequately:
  • Place the tip of the thermometer through the side and into the thickest part of a steak or roast. For poultry, place the thermometer into the thigh or breast. In either case, make certain the thermometer is not touching bone.
  • As a guideline, steak cooked "medium" should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F. Chicken breasts should be cooked to 170°F, and chicken thighs to 180°F.
• Apply barbecue or other sauces during the last 10-15 minutes of cooking. Putting the sauce on too early may cause it to burn.
• After grilling large cuts of meat, allow meat to "rest" for approximately 10 minutes before cutting. Doing so will make carving much easier and give "cleaner" cuts.

• After handling raw meat, wash hands, utensils, cutting boards and other food preparation surfaces with hot, soapy water.
• Don't place cooked meat onto a plate that previously held raw meat.
• Use only clean utensils to handle and cut cooked meats.
• If using a basting brush to apply barbecue sauce or marinade, be careful to avoid brushing sauce onto raw meat and then placing the brush back into the bottle. When in doubt, use a small container of sauce for application to raw meat, saving the remainder of the bottle for use once the meat is cooked.
• Follow all instructions for grill and charcoal use.

Meat Preparation:

• When possible, cut large pieces of meat into smaller portions before seasoning. This will provide more surface area to season and give you more flavor.

Marinades:

• Marinades are a great way to add flavor to your food. You can use store bought marinades or salad dressings – or make your own. Key ingredients to any good marinade is an oil and an acid (lemon, vinegar, wine, etc.). Then just add your favorite herbs and spices.
• When using dry seasonings, be sure to apply to all sides of your foods for maximum flavor. Nobody likes half flavored food.