Charcoal grilling doesn’t have to be difficult as long as you have the right techniques, tools and a little patience. Here are some tips and tricks for the perfect barbecue.
With the rainy season behind us, it’s time to get fired up and enjoy a good cookout. In Singapore, a barbecue often involves boisterous gatherings with family and friends, all huddled together around the pit, first trying to light the charcoal, fanning the flames, arguing who should do the cooking, then getting covered in smoke and grease.
And that’s even before the meat has touched the grill. The end result, however, is often worth the sweat and heat, because the smoky and succulent flavours of charcoal-grilled foods are hard to beat. Founder and grill master of Fyregrill (Singapore’s only integrated multi-brand barbecue retail store and academy), Desmond Tan, explains why: “As the meat cooks, the drippings which contain fats, sugars and proteins vaporise upon hitting the hot charcoal and rise back up to envelop and coat the meat. Furthermore, charcoal burns at a very high temperature and can sear meat very quickly, creating a delicious and attractive crusty, caramelised exterior.” Here, he shares his expertise and dishes out several tips on how to grill your food using charcoal for the perfect barbecue.
Not All Charcoal Are Equal
Charcoal, in its simplest form, is made by burning wood in a low oxygen environment. It burns hotter, cleaner, and more evenly compared to wood. There is lump charcoal made from carbonised solid wood pieces; binchotan (often used in Japanese cooking) which burns at higher temperatures and is practically odourless; and briquettes that are made from compressed charcoal, sawdust or other combustible biomass material and shaped into uniformed pieces. Tan encourages users to try various types of charcoal and see what suits them, but advises to avoid those that are “instant” or have any kind of accelerant added to them as they might impart an unpleasant chemical aroma to your food.
Elevate Your Cooking
There are several ways to level up the flavours. According to Tan, adding a rotisserie or wok allows one to employ a wider range of techniques to cook more varied dishes such as porchetta, roast or stir-fry rather than simply slapping meat on a grill. “It always impresses people when someone cooks something unexpected on a barbeque such as smoked chicken curry, claypot rice, biryani or a dessert like a pie or tart,” he says. “Use fresh herbs, pickled vegetables or grilled fruits as an accompaniment to add sweetness or acidity to enhance your dishes or to refresh one’s palate.”
Consider using wood planks such as cedar or maple to cook more delicate types of meat such as fish. “Not only do they add to the flavour but help maintain the delicate texture of the fish,” he adds.
Smoking and “low and slow” techniques will also allow you to cook meat (preferably with more fat and connective tissues) over a longer period of time. A charcoal grill is able to achieve lower temperatures as compared to a gas grill for “low and slow” cooking by using the appropriate amount of charcoal to create heat zones.