Essential Barbecue Kit
According to Melissa Thompson, author of Fired Up, you don't need much to barbecue—just a grill, fuel, and a lighter. However, today's game is advanced, with endless tools to enhance the pursuit. She recommends buying a barbecue that accepts different accessories, allowing you to build a collection over time.
Temperature/Thermometer Probe
As the saying goes: cook to temperature, not to time. A probe tells you what's happening beneath the surface.
Wire Brush
Thompson never brings her grill indoors to clean. A wire brush cleans it quickly—just let the oil burn off when lighting the barbecue, then give it a good scrub.
Metal Tongs (Long-Handled)
Silicone-tipped kitchen tongs won't cut it on the grill because food slips off easily.
Chimney Starter
A chimney starter speeds up lighting coals by concentrating ignition beneath a column of coals. Lumpwood charcoal can be ready in less than 10 minutes, making quick cooking realistic with a charcoal barbecue.
Firelighters
Avoid petrol-based ones; opt for firelighters made from wood wool and wax. They can burn for up to 10 minutes, giving your fire plenty of time to get going.
Helpful Kit
Fireproof Gloves
A decent pair of gloves specifically for the barbecue makes everything run more smoothly.
Basting Mop/Brush
Basting is frequent in barbecue. Mops and brushes come in various forms—anything is better than nothing.
Metal Skewers
Choose skewers with flat and twisted areas to help secure food better than thin round ones.
Grill Basket
These sit on the grill and are brilliant for small items like prawns or veggies that might fall through the bars.
Pro-Level Kit
Rotisserie
A rotisserie cooks food evenly, resulting in beautifully moist meat with lovely flavour.
The Set-Up
Choosing a set-up depends on what you are cooking, how long it needs, and at what temperature. The most common mistake is throwing lit charcoal onto the grate and hoping for the best. This makes the grill very hot and leaves no cool area for food that's ready. The solution is to "zone" your grill for direct and indirect cooking. Thompson uses three main charcoal set-ups:
50:50 Method
The most common: add coals to just one half of the grate, leaving the other half without.
Clear Channel Method
Coals on either side with a clear channel through the middle. Ideal for individual small pieces cooked indirectly, or long, slow cooks in a pan.
Bullseye Method
Coals piled in the middle for direct cooking to get a sizzle, then pushed to the sides for indirect cooking.
Fired Up by Melissa Thompson is published by Carnival at £22. To order a copy for £19.80, visit guardianbookshop.com.
