With the glorious weather we've been having recently, many will have made the effort to dust off their BBQs and get grilling in the sunshine.
But we all know what the good ol' English weather can be like; one moment there's sun, the next moment a storm has appeared, ruining the BBQ party that you've been planning all week!
Ross Bearman, ex-Chef, expert on the grill and founder of Ross and Ross Gifts, has rounded up some tips on how to nail that indoor BBQ - so that you won't have to cancel your BBQ party ever again!
1. Cast iron is king!
If you think indoor grilling means you need to stock up on all the new gadgets - I can safely say there’s no need. Your trusty cast iron pan is perfect for searing any meats and vegetables.
Ensure your pan is well heated before you start grilling, you’ll want to hear a satisfying sizzle when the meat hits the pan. If your pan isn’t quite hot enough, you may end up with an unevenly cooked and dry piece of meat.
2. Be Generous with the Oil!
It’s super important to oil both sides of whatever you’re grilling, whether that be meat, vegetables or even any loose herbs you may use for marinating. Rapeseed oil is a great one for grilling as it can withstand high temperatures, allowing for a high grilling point.
However, I’d recommend our Original BBQ Oil- which can not only withstand incredibly high temperatures, but it is also infused with garlic and smoke- this will really elevate the meat, making it taste like it’s just come off a charcoal BBQ.
3. Crack open the window, it's about to get smoky!
As you’ll need to get your grill pan up to a certain heat, you’re going to be creating a fair amount of smoke. Make sure you crack open the windows and have your extractor fan on high so you don’t end up setting the alarm off. If you’re still worried about all that smoke, you can try replicating those smoky flavours using our BBQ rubs, BBQ Jams, and/or BBQ salts instead!
4. Get those rubs and salts at the ready!
I’d recommend steering clear of sauce marinades when taking the BBQ indoors, as the sugar content tends to create a fair amount of smoke. Instead, look for BBQ rubs, jams and salts to use for marinating your BBQ food of choice!
Using a rub means it will stick to the surface of what you’re grilling much better than a marinade would. If you’re grilling chicken, using a marinade can actually cause the meat to be steamed rather than seared, creating a rather soggy final product.
5. These cuts of meat are best for the BBQ!
When it comes to suitability for the grill, the most expensive cuts are not necessarily the best. Leaner cuts can become tough and leathery whereas cuts with a good marbling of fat will remain mouthwateringly tender as it cooks. Rib-eye, tri-tip and strip steak are all cuts which work well for grilling.
What is marbling?
Marbling refers to the small deposits of fat that run through the meat, rendering down as the meat cooks to keep it moist and to distribute flavour. Intensively grown supermarket meats tend to have less marbling than slower grown breeds.
It's easy to see the marbling in a piece of meat when it's cut into steaks or chops, but it can be more of a gamble with larger joints of meat. Try feeling the joint when it is fridge cold. If it feels particularly firm, it's likely to contain more fat and better marbling.