Cooking Article

While some people really seem to have a knack for barbequing – always grilling up a perfect meal – for the rest of us
it is something that must be learned
not something that just comes naturally. Believe it or not
there is technique involved. It’s not just a matter of following your cooking instincts.

One of the main secrets of knowing exactly how to make a beautiful
tasty meal every time is knowing how and when to use high heat or very hot coals.

Though you may have heard the term "seal in the juices" when it came to barbequing
you may even have tried some techniques every now and then
but unless you’re doing it properly
you won’t be getting it right. For the best results
many barbeque chefs cook vegetables and medium-rare steaks by first using a high heat in order to sear the outside of the food and seal both the juices and the flavors inside.

Though this technique is good for foods that you don’t want to cook thoroughly
it shouldn’t be overused. If you’re cooking a meat such as hamburgers or pork ribs
they must be cooked all the way through in order to avoid bacterial contamination. Therefore
searing them to seal in the juices doesn’t do anything but give you dry
or charred food.

This can be explained by understanding the way that meat cooks on a barbeque. As it is heated
the cells and the fibers of the meat will tighten
squeezing out much of the juices. Therefore
if you’re only cooking a meat partially
searing it will help to seal in the juices by quickly cooking the outer layers of the food. However
if you should leave the food on this high heat
the inner layers will cook too quickly
vaporizing all of your precious and tasty juices. Try the technique a few times until you get it right. Pay attention to what you’re doing
so that when you do accomplish the right technique
you know how to repeat it.

When you are using high heat
the rule of thumb is to cook on each side for a maximum of five minutes (a total of ten minutes). After ten minutes
anything that you’re cooking should be moved aside to a medium heat so that it can finish cooking at that lower temperature.

There are many ways to recognize how hot your fire really is
to make sure that it’s always perfect for any kind of food that you’re cooking on your barbeque. One of the most common tests is simply to hold your hand a couple of inches away from the grill. If you’re only able to keep it there for about a second
your grill is at a high heat (that is
over 600บF). If you’re able to hold your hand there fore a few seconds
it’s at a medium heat (around 400บF). At a lower heat
you’ll be able to hold your hand there for over five seconds.

Remember
when it comes to high heat
practice makes perfect
and the perfect is well worth the practice!