3 Different BBQ Cooking Techniques

There are many different cooking methods involved with the BBQ with a range of techniques all designed to have different outcomes depending on what you are cooking and what flavors and textures you are aiming for within your food. Although trying a new technique may seem like a daunting task to a novice griller, this explanation should help you better understand the different methods of approach and what they achieve when done correctly.

Direct Cooking

This cooking process involves placing your food over a direct heat source resulting in fast cook times and is the most common technique used by a grill beginner due to its simple method. Searing a piece of meat and causing it to caramelize on the outside is one of the great benefits of using direct heat due to the high temperatures helping improve the taste of steaks and add extra flavour. We then recommend to lower the grill temperature to ensure the rest of the meat cooks through after the initial searing at high temperature and you aren’t left with raw meat.

Having no barbecue lid is best when cooking small/thin cuts of meat as it will lead to more caramelized and crispy food. If a BBQ lid is used on these smaller cuts of meat, the middles will cook before the outside of the food has had time to caramelize.

Indirect Cooking

This method of cooking involves having two different heat zones of the BBQ, one with the direct heat source being placed on one side of the grill and cooking the food on the opposite side of the grill getting indirect heat from the heat source. Indirect cooking methods are useful when cooking food that requires longer cooking times and is perfect for larger cuts of meat as it ensures they are cooked all the way through and makes the meat tender without the risk of burning.

Slow cooking is also useful when trying to keep food warm whilst cooking and can be ideal for cooking different foods at the same time such as a burger being cooked over the heat source whilst a joint of pork shoulder is being cooked slowly by the indirect heat. Using longer cooking times and lower cooking temperatures can result in mouthwatering meat as the moisture is more likely to stay within the food.

Having the barbecue lid closed is best when using indirect cooking as the heat becomes trapped and makes sure the middle of your food is cooked. Using a digital meat thermometer is also a good rule of thumb when using using indirect heat to ensure there is consistent temperatures within the center of the meats you are cooking. Meat thermometers are also good when making sure the barbecue doesn’t go above the maximum temperature.

Smoking

A big element to smoking on a BBQ is the different types of wood such as apple wood that can be added to charcoal grills to impart a smoky flavour and have a huge influence on how the food tastes. Indirect grilling is the preferred method when smoking meats as you have to be patient. Pork dishes such as pork shoulder can expect cooking times of over 6 hours to correctly impart the meat with flavour and get the full benefit out of the wood used.