7 Tips to a Better Barbeque

I can't think of a better way to spend to spend a warm summer's day than with good friends and a big barbeque. Barbeque has become synonymous with being an American. It's one of life's little pleasures, not to mention the fact that barbequed foods taste great. To help everyone enjoy their barbeque experience to the fullest, I've listed 7 great tips that will help you become a backyard super chef.

1. Prior to starting your grill, spray the grilling surface with a non-stick spray such as Pam. Why? The last you want is for your foods to stick to the grill. If you've ever tried turning over chicken on the grill and had half of it stay put then you know what I mean. Using a non-stick spray also helps make clean up a snap. That's important, unless you're not the one having to clean up later.

2. Don't take your meats out of the refrigerator and immediately put them on the grill. Let them set out on the counter for 15 minutes to get to room temperature before throwing them on the grill. Why is this important? It makes for a more evenly cooked meat. Instead of just the outside being cooked, the entire piece of meat is cooked just right. Just be cautious and never let your foods sit out for more than 30 minutes or you could have food poisoning.

3. Pre-heat the grill properly. For a gas grill, let it heat up for 10 minutes before cooking. If you are using a charcoal grill, wait until the coals turn gray before grilling. If you don't, you can get a taste of lighter fluid in the food. For most charcoal grills it will take around 25 minutes for the coals to become fully ready.

4. Use a flat spatula to turn your meats over when barbequing. Never use a fork. Why is this an important tip, sticking a fork in your meats allows juices and flavor to spill out to the bottom of your grill. You want to lock those juices and flavors in. Use a spatula, or tongs, but be careful not to pierce the meat.

5. Wait to add barbeque sauce, or any other type of sauce, onto your meat until it's already been cooking for awhile. This will assure that you will not have your meat dry out on you. Of course, you can let your meat baste in your favorite sauce for an hour or so before grilling.