Summer’s just around the corner and with all that (potentially) nice weather, comes plenty of chances to enjoy a BBQ or two. However, there’s a big difference between throwing a barbecue and throwing a great barbecue. A lot of it comes down to practice. Practice and our handy set of tips, that will instantly elevate your BBQ game.

If you don’t have a BBQ or are looking for a new one, you might find these guides to the best pellet grills and best apartment balcony grills, useful. If you’ve got a BBQ and just want to crack on, let’s move along.

Make Sure You Have the Right Tools for the Job

Although every BBQ legend’s setup is different, there are a few items and tools that every self-respecting grill master should have at his or her disposal. That includes:

Long-handled tongs – Rather than just settling for a cheap and cheerful pair of small tongs, invest in a good-quality pair of long-handled tongs. This will make it easier, and safer to move those heavier pieces of meat and poultry. The long handles ensure that your hands and arms are far away from the coals and the grill, preventing you from avoidable burns.

Temperature Probe – Temperature probes are ideal, because although you may want to cook your beef cuts rare, there are other meats and poultry that you need to get the cooking spot-on. You also must take into consideration that you’re cooking for more than just yourself.

Barbecue Gloves – Another safety measure, barbecue gloves are important as they are made from heat-resistant fabric and material that gives your hands then protection they need from those flames, when you must move food, pans and occasionally rearrange the coals.

Plan and Prepare

While it often feels as if the best BBQs are the ones that seem to have little to no planning at all, that’s not how it works. Planning and preparation are vital. Especially when it comes to deciding how much meat you need to buy and cook. First, figure out how many people will be in attendance and then allow for one of each item (including any kebab skewers) per person. This will ensure your guests don’t go hungry and if someone doesn’t like a meat or item, it just means there is more to go around everyone else.

Don’t worry if you have too much because you can always use the remains for leftovers.

Marinate Your Meat

If you’ve ever watched some of those Pitmaster and BBQ programmes, you’ll know that all good pit masters marinate their meat. It’s the best way to ensure those cuts of meat are moist and crucially, have flavour. Overnight marinating is best, but even a few hours before cooking will give your meat that extra touch of class and taste that will have your guests licking their fingers with delight.

Don’t Take Meat and Fish Directly from the Fridge to the Fire

If you are keeping your raw fish and meat in a fridge, you need to take them out at around 20 minutes before you intend on cooking them to give them a chance to reach room temperature. When you try to cook meat that’s too cold, it could burn the outside way too quickly.