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COOKING TECHNIQUES
PREHEATING THE BARBEQUE
The cooking system and grids require heating prior to adding food.
1. Light your barbeque as outlined in the ‘LIGHTING’ instruction
section.
2. Once lit, preheat your barbeque on the HIGH setting with the
lid down for 6 to 10 minutes.
NOTE: OPTIONAL SIDE BURNER DOES NOT REQUIRE TO BE
PREHEATED. NEVER OPERATE SIDE BURNER WITH SIDE
BURNER LID CLOSED.
3. Turn the burner control knobs to the appropriate heat setting
prior to adding your food. Preheating your barbeque is not required
when you are cooking food using indirect cooking techniques.
MAIN CASTING LID POSITION
Although keeping the main casting lid up or down when cooking
on your barbeque is a personal preference, you will find that you
will have fewer flare-ups, and your food will cook in less time
(therefore using less fuel) if the main casting lid is down. Keep
the main casting lid down when cooking food that requires a long
cooking period over a low flame, such as indirect cooking.
COOKING TEMPERATURES
HIGH
Setting: Use the HIGH setting to preheat the barbeque, sear
meat such as steak, & to burn off any cooking residue from the
grids after cooking your meal. HIGH is rarely used for extended
cooking.
MEDIUM
Setting: Most grilling or roasting of meat and
vegetables, as well as any baking, is best done at a medium heat.
LOW
Setting: A low temperature is used when cooking lean meat
or delicate items such as fish. All smoke cooking is done at low
heat. For the best results, invest in a Meat Thermometer
BARBEQUE COOKING METHODS
Your barbeque is more than just a place to grill your burgers and
hotdogs - the possibilities are as endless as your imagination.
But, before you start experimenting, here are some frequently
used terms that will help:
DIRECT COOKING
Direct Cooking is also known as grilling and involves cooking food
directly over the flame, such as searing a steak (see below). It
should take under 25 minutes and food should be turned once
halfway through the grilling process. Other good candidates for
this cooking method are thin cuts of meat, sausages, vegetables,
kabobs and fillets.
For Direct Cooking
• Preheat grill by setting all burners to HIGH.
• Place food on the cooking grid, then adjust all burners according
to recipe instructions.
• Lid should remain closed for duration of cooking time.
• Test for doneness at end of specified time.
How to Sear Meats
Searing adds colour and flavour to meat, not to mention an
unmistakable texture where the food contacts the cooking grids. It
is used for larger cuts of meat such as chicken breasts, steaks and
pork chops. Place meat over Direct High heat for 2 to 5 minutes
per side, depending on the size of the cut. Reduce heat and finish
cooking to desired doneness with lid closed. Larger cuts such as
roasts will need the indirect cooking method after searing for best
results (see below).
INDIRECT COOKING
Indirect Cooking means the food is cooked away from the direct
flame by placing it on the opposite side of the lit burner and
allowing the heat to tumble within the closed confines of the
barbeque, similar to a convection oven. Provided your barbeque lid
is closed, you can roast and even bake in it like you would an oven,
only with the advantage of grilled flavour and texture.
Food cooked via the indirect method should require 25 minutes or
more of grilling time and does not need to be turned during the
process. Whole chickens, roasts, turkeys and larger cuts of meat
benefit from this method as do fish fillets or any meat that is too
delicate to be put over direct flame.
For Indirect Cooking
• Preheat the grill by setting all burners on HIGH.
• Turn off the burner(s) over which you want to cook your food.
Adjust the other burners according to recipe instructions.
• Lid should remain closed for duration of cooking time.
TIP:
Poultry, roasts or large cuts of meat should be put on a
roasting rack which has been placed inside an oven-safe or
disposable heavy-gauge foil pan. Drippings may burn over longer
cooking times, so add water to the pan to reduce the risk of flare-
ups. As with any roast, drippings make excellent gravies or sauces.
