When it comes to grilling outside, BBQ tips that impress are essential.
When it comes to grilling outside, BBQ tips that impress are essential.

Man. Meat. Flames. Men seldom cook in the kitchen, but head outdoors, start a fire and stand back. It’s a biological imperative. The Frugal Yankee is no exception. So we’ve put together some basic tips as well as some BBQ tips that will impress even the most blasé amongst your friend and relatives. They are designed to create absolutely tasty repasts and enhance our reputations as impressive impresarios of the BBQ grill.

1) FLUID DYNAMICS

If you use starter fluid or quick start bricquets (not recommended), be sure you wait at least 45 minutes before grilling. Other wise the chemicals could get into the food.

2) HEAT TEST

Hold you hand three inches over the grill and start counting “Mississippi one…Mississippi two…Mississippi three… Mississippi four etc” If the “ouch” moment comes at two or three, the grill is hot enough.

3) GREASE THE BABY

Using the large fork, spear 12 an onion. Dip in oil and then oil down the racks before you place anything on it. You can also do this with wadded up paper towels and oil, but it is not as impressive.

4) MILKING IT
For really juicy burgers, add a 1/2 cup milk to 1 lb of burger. Make the burgers about 3/4″ thick. SEE: THE JUICE RULE on how they should be cooked.

5) SKEWERED

Instead of metal, bamboo or wood, use sprigs of rosemary as skewers for seafood or lamb; cinnamon sticks for pork or peaches; lemongrass stalks for chicken, shrimp or swordfish.

6) BEER BASHING
Take a long neck bottle of beer, open, place thumb over it. Shake it up. Slowly release the thumb and send spray over the meat. If done properly, you should get some admiring glances from some admired babes.

7) NATURAL BRUSH
Use a sprigs of thyme or other herb to make a natural brush. Use the brush to slather the meat. It’s impressive and adds flavor.

8) SKEETER SCAinter-1TTERER
Toss dried thyme on the hot coals/flame. It fills the air with a pungent aroma and keeps mosquitoes from crashing the party.

9) THE JUICE RULE

Great for burgers and steaks. Wait for the juices to percolate. Juices flow to the top. First time = rare, 2x medium, 3x well done.

10) PATIENCE
Let meats stand for 5 minutes after taking off the grill before cutting or serving.

Epilogue: SQEAKY CLEAN
Using a long handled wire brush, scrape the grill and racks down immediately after cooking. If there is no wire brush, ball up some aluminum foil, hold in tongs and use that.

This is just an appetizer. We have more BBQ Tips at FrugalYankee.com

If you have some you’d like to share, please do.