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Spring Grilling Tips: Pt.1

Fact: Melburnians are spending more time at home lately than ever before. And if you’re getting a little bored of preparing food in the kitchen, why not break out the barbecue or grill? We asked our resident grill master, Kinsan of Wasshoi Bar and Grill and our expert butchers for a few spring grilling tips to help get you started.

Does it matter what type of grill or barbecue you use?

You can use any type of grill or barbecue to create tasty dishes. Kinsan likes to use a charcoal grill as it contributes to the delicious flavour; but make do with whatever you have at home. A small gas barbecue is perfect if you’re in an apartment, or, if you’re super lucky, you may have a built-in coal barbecue in your backyard.

Tips for grilling

When it comes to grilling, practice makes perfect, and getting the right temperature is key according to Kinsan.

“Use the heat to control the cooking speed and quality,” he says. “Don’t make the heat too high or you will burn the surface of the produce before it’s cooked through. But you also don’t want the heat too low, or you will lose all the moisture from the food.” 

What are the best meats to grill?

Kinsan likes to use cuts of steak, as they have the best flavour when grilled. “I personally like beef scotch fillet as it’s a reasonable price and has a great flavour.

“Alternatively, I like a lamb rack grilled to medium-rare with salt and pepper, served with whole grain mustard.”

Steaks are also Ash from Gary’s Meats’ favourite meat to grill. “I always look for a steak with more marbling as it will have more flavour. When you are cooking, flip the steak every 30 seconds – it’s far easier to tell how long you’ve been cooking it for. After grilling, rest the meat for 5-10 minutes under some foil. The meat tenses up on the BBQ, but after resting it will relax and you get the tenderness back.”

Don’t be scared to experiment. Extra time at home allows for plenty of practice and trying new things.

Tips for preparing meats to put on the barbecue

Before you grill meat, Kinsan recommends you make sure the portions are at room temperature before cooking. Season the meat with whatever you prefer and then coat the portions with oil to prevent them from sticking.

Ash agrees that the steak needs to be room temperature before you grill. “Take the steak out of the fridge 1-2 hours before grilling. I advise salting the steak just before putting it on the grill. If you add the salt too early, it will draw moisture from the meat.”

Keeping the skin on chicken portions is the recommendation from Mark at Kevin’s Fresh Poultry. “If you are going to grill or barbecue a chicken breast or thigh, keep the skin on so the moisture is retained. It will shrivel up during the cooking process, so you can always remove it before eating.” Or do as we do and leave the skin on to enjoy all that crispy deliciousness – yum!

Ready to select your meat? Visit Bracher Arcade on your next Market visit, or head to Food Lovers’ Direct to shop online and have your meat delivered straight to your door.

And if you’re in need of a little grill-spo, check out our top recipe picks below.

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