So you’ve bought yourself an outdoor cooker, some meaty steaks, and a load of fresh ingredients to make the most of this weather. So why are you getting frustrated with all these recipes? You can’t even get your charcoal lit without it blowing away in the wind, let alone cook anything! This is where outdoor cooking tips and tricks come in handy. Think you won’t be able to make anything tasty? Think again! With the right knowledge, your meals could be even tastier than indoors. Read on for our ultimate outdoor recipes guide.
Table of Contents
- Know your ingredients
- Different types of outdoor cooking
- Know your tools and equipment
- How to use a Chimney starter
- How to cook with charcoal
- Which grilling bag is right for you?
- Now you know the basics – here are some tasty recipes!
- Grilled Steak with Onions
- Barbecued Chicken
- Grilled Corn
- Grilled Pineapple
- Grilled Corn on the Cob with Lime Butter
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Tacos
- Chicken Wings with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
- Bacon Wrapped Shrimp Skewers
- Grilled Salmon with Lemon Dill Aioli
- Grilled Chicken with Peach Salsa
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
- Smoky Brisket
- Sweet Potato Fries
- Grilled Corn with Chipotle Butter
- Conclusion
Know your ingredients
When you’re cooking outdoors, the most important thing to remember is to know your ingredients. If you don’t, you could be in for some nasty surprises. Make sure you know how long it takes to cook each ingredient, and how much it takes to feed your guests. Let’s take a look at some common ingredients and how you should be cooking them.
Meat
This one is obvious. If you don’t know how long to cook your meat, you could be in for a very nasty surprise! Make sure you know how long your steaks, chops, and burgers take to cook to avoid them being undercooked or over-cooked.
Fish
If you’re cooking fish outdoors, it’s best to go for something like salmon. It cooks pretty quickly, so you don’t risk it being undercooked. Salmon is best cooked on the barbecue. It’s delicious with a dollop of butter, lemon, and some fresh herbs.
Potatoes
Potatoes are a classic outdoor food. But there’s a right and wrong way to cook them. You can either cook them in foil with some butter, herbs, and other seasonings, or you can cook them with a barbecue fork.
Vegetables
Vegetables are great to cook on the barbecue, especially if they take a while to cook. You can either add them to a sandwich or make a barbecue salad.
Different types of outdoor cooking
Indoor cooking is all about choosing the right recipes and making sure you’re cooking the ideal temperature. Outdoors, things are a little different. It’s about the type of fuel you’re using, the right temperature and knowing when to put your food on. Here are the most common types of outdoor cooking.
Barbecuing
Barbecuing is slowly cooking food over a low heat with charcoal. It’s great for slow-cooking meat and vegetables.
Grilling
Grilling is cooking something quickly over a high heat. It’s great if you’re in a rush or want a really crispy crust on your food. It does tend to dry out food, so make sure you’re using the right marinades for flavour.
Roasting
Roasting is cooking something in the oven that’s been cut open. You can do this outside using your barbecue. It’s great for long-cooking meats.
Smoking
Smoking is cooking food in low heat for a long time. It’s great for meat that might take a while to cook, such as ribs or chicken.
Know your tools and equipment
If you’re cooking outdoors, there are a few tools and equipment you might want to add to your inventory. While you could easily make do with a few kitchen items, they might not be great for the job.
Scissors
Scissors are a great tool for cutting open bags of charcoal. They’re also handy for cutting through thick cardboard boxes and plastic packaging.
Bag opener
If you’re cooking with charcoal, you might want to invest in a bag opener to open those bags. You can use a knife, but that can be really challenging.
Spatula
You can use a spoon to flip steaks, but you’ll be much better off using a spatula. You can easily flip and move food without breaking it or making a mess.
Long tongs
Long tongs are a great investment. They’re perfect for moving hot food around, such as skewers and things on the barbecue. They’re also handy for grabbing things that are out of your reach.
Long barbecue fork
A barbecue fork is a great tool for turning your food on the barbecue. It’s longer than a regular fork, which stops you from burning your hands when you reach inside.
Thermometer
A thermometer is essential if you’re cooking meat. You can use it to make sure your steak is cooked to perfection.
How to use a Chimney starter
If you’re starting a fire, the best way to do it is with a Chimney starter. It’s much easier than trying to light your barbecue and waiting for it to heat up. First, put your charcoal in the starter. Make sure you leave a space at the bottom. Once your charcoal is ready, pour it into your barbecue. Make sure to leave that space at the bottom. Here are a few tips for getting your charcoal the right temperature. If you’re cooking something like chicken, you want it to be around 350°F. You’re looking for an ideal grilling temperature. You don’t want it to be too hot, as it will dry out your food, or too low, as it will take a long time to cook.
How to cook with charcoal
There are a few different ways you can cook with charcoal. You can do it the old-fashioned way and use a grill, or you can buy some specialty equipment.
Grill
Using a grill is great if you’re only cooking a few things. If you’re cooking a big meal, you might find it gets in the way. It’s also difficult to get everything evenly cooked.
Wok
A wok is one of the best tools to use with charcoal. They’re great for stir-frying, and they’re deep enough to hold lots of charcoal. They’re also easy to move around.
Smoker
Cooking foods low and slow is a great way to make tender meat. It’s perfect for things like ribs, chicken, and pork.
Which grilling bag is right for you?
If you want to cook something in a bag, you’ll need to use a grilling bag. There are a few different types of bag that cater for different types of food.
Vegetable steamer
This bag is great for vegetables. You can steam them in this bag and they’ll be ready in no time. They’ll also stay nice and moist.
Chicken grilling bag
This bag is great for cooking large items such as chicken. It’ll keep the chicken moist, and it’ll be ready in no time.
Pizza bag
What’s better than pizza on the barbecue? A pizza bag! It’s great for cooking your favourite pizza at home. You can make it exactly how you like it.
Now you know the basics – here are some tasty recipes!
Grilled Steak with Onions
You can’t go wrong with a delicious steak. To make it even tastier, add some caramelized onions. They take a while to cook, so you can start them before you put the steaks on the grill.
Barbecued Chicken
This is a great dish that’s perfect for feeding a crowd. It’s super easy to make and it won’t take up much of your time. You can easily double the recipe to feed even more people.
Grilled Corn
This is an ideal side dish for any barbecue. It’s quick to make and it’s full of flavour. It’s also super cheap to make.
Grilled Pineapple
This is a great dessert for summer. It tastes amazing, but it’s super healthy. It’s also very easy to make, so it’s perfect for beginners.
Grilled Corn on the Cob with Lime Butter
This recipe is so simple and delicious, you’ll never go back to boring old corn on the cob again. Just make sure to use fresh lime juice instead of bottled lime juice. If you don’t have fresh limes, you can substitute lemon juice.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Tacos
You’re going to love how easy this pulled pork taco recipe is to make. It’s perfect for summer because it uses ingredients that you probably have on hand.
Chicken Wings with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
This chicken wing recipe is so simple to make, you’ll wonder why you haven’t been making them before. They’re delicious served hot off the grill or cold as an appetizer.
Bacon Wrapped Shrimp Skewers
These shrimp skewers are perfect for summer entertaining because they’re easy to prepare and serve. You can use any type of shrimp, but we recommend using large shrimp with tails intact. If you’d prefer not to eat the shells, just remove them before serving.
Grilled Salmon with Lemon Dill Aioli
To make the lemon dill aioli, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Stir until well combined. Add the chopped fresh dill and stir again. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Grilled Chicken with Peach Salsa
If you’re looking for a recipe that’s simple to make, yet delicious, then this grilled chicken recipe is perfect for you. It’s also one of the easiest ways to use peaches when they’re at their peak.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
This pulled pork recipe is so easy to make that you’ll wonder why you haven’t been making it before. It’s made with slow cooker pulled pork, which means you won’t need to spend much time cooking it.
Smoky Brisket
If you’re looking for a quick and easy dinner idea, try this smoky brisket pulled pork recipe. It’s perfect for summertime grilling because it uses a slow cooker.
Sweet Potato Fries
This sweet potato fries recipe is one of our favorites. They’re crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Plus, they’re loaded with flavor thanks to the honey mustard dipping sauce.
Grilled Corn with Chipotle Butter
If you’ve never grilled corn before, try these tips to make sure you grill them perfectly every time.
Conclusion
The weather outside is finally getting better and you can use your outdoor kitchen. Cooking in your back arden is a great way to bring your family and friends together. Cooking outside, however, does have its challenges. Follow the tips, tricks and recipes in this guide, and you’ll be able to cook delicious food outside all year round.
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