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5 Great Tips For Your Winter BBQ

Everyone loves a good old BBQ. Summer always seems like the season when everyone sits around the back garden for a mouthwatering BBQ. Winter is here, but it does not mean you cannot enjoy a delicious BBQ! Here are a few tips for having a winter BBQ.

Rethink your cooking area

During winter, it is best if you rethink and reposition your cooking area to a position nearer the house where you do not need to walk far from the house. Find a spot that is not so windy, but avoid porches, patios and overhangs to prevent fires from breaking out, and do not ever cook inside. As it is freezing during winter, and you are bound to be wearing bulky clothes and scarfs, make sure before you start your BBQ, any loose clothes are safely tucked in to prevent the danger of your clothes catching fire. 

Remember to wear proper clothing and shoes, and to get proper grilling gloves that you can work in. Most mittens and gloves are not cut out for grilling, so consider the ‘fingerless’ type that allow your fingers to be more dexterous.

Warm grill prior to the BBQ

Anyone who knows anything about grilling knows it is important to heat the grill prior to the BBQ. All grills are not the same, but you still will need an extra 5 minutes to at least get it going. Remember that during winter, the grill is frozen and some parts need to warm up before the whole system can be fully functional. You need to pre-heat it more than you would during summer as this prevents sticking.

Make sure the grill stays covered

Make sure the grill stays covered in order to preserve heat as every time you pop the grill open, you lose heat and the grill’s temperature drops. Instead, set you timer and wait for the set time to elapse before you check on your cooking. If it is not ready when you check, set the timer again, otherwise if you keep opening the grill, your food will undercook as the grill loses heat and has to recover it once you close it. Just make sure you do not over time it as it may burn. BBQ catering during winter is often a balancing act and you have to be very careful you do not end up with undercooked or burnt food!

Always have enough fuel

During the cold winter, it pays to have extra fuel around. Charcoal will burn quicker as it is windy, so make sure you have enough, and that it’s dry. If you are grilling using gas, make sure you heat it prior to the BBQ with all burners on high, for at least 15 minutes. When you have enough fuel, it ensures you have a great BBQ devoid of disappointments caused by lack of fuel. As with charcoal, make sure you have enough gas to ensure your food does not undercook from lack of fuel.

Choose easy to cook foods

Always choose foods or cuts that cook quickly. No one wants to spend hours in the biting cold cooking! Make sure the meat is in smaller cuts, it will get done quickly on high heat. Thin steaks and Kabobs get done fast, so you can definitely go for those. The faster the food gets done, the less you have to keep going back and forth from the house to the BBQ. Change your cooking time to suit the type of food you are cooking. Some foods like turkey take time to cook, so increase the cooking time slightly during winter.

All in all, BBQs during winter are very possible, unlike what most people think. All you need to do is plan a little more, and apply more caution. Make sure you have a full tank of gas if you are doing a gas BBQ. Make sure the fuel will take you through the entire BBQ as charcoal burns faster in cold weather, and also make sure the charcoal is dry, otherwise it will give you a hard time. With these tips, there is no reason why you can’t enjoy your BBQ during the cold months.