The seven deadly sins of barbecue

Skimping on cleaning
If a barbecue isn’t cleaned properly, residue will build up over time. This will eventually cause foods to stick, ruining what should be a beautiful crust on your meat.

Not preheating
Just as with an oven, always allow your barbecue to come up to the right temperature before beginning to cook.

From fridge to fire
Meat should be allowed to come to room temperature before it hits the grill; most good barbecue recipes will account for this.

Poking holes in the meat
Don’t stab your meat with a fork! Use tongs to move items like sausages, keeping precious juices inside the meat.

Too many balls in the air
Stick to cooking one type of food at a time but doing it perfectly. Different foods require different cooking times, temperatures and basting, so give your attention to one at a time, resulting in better food.

Straight-away serving
Let it rest! Meat will be infinitely more tender and juicy if you allow it to rest for 10 minutes after cooking.

Forgetting food safety
Just because you’re cooking outside, don’t forget to use separate utensils, boards and plates for raw and cooked meats, and wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw meat. Never leave raw meat sitting out for more than two hours, and make sure it’s all cooked throughout before serving. Cross-contamination and undercooked meat are the main reasons for food poisoning at barbecues.