I’m never more delighted than when I get to have a cookout at my house, not only because it’s the way of cooking that I prefer but also because it’s a great opportunity to hang with friends and a beer with folks that I maybe only get to see once or twice a year. It’s actually healthy to eat outdoors.

I’m really fortunate to be part of a great bunch of peeps, friends from my school days, friends I’ve met over the years, and family. Everyone gets along really well together and we fill the day with many laughs. We all live busy lives so it’s difficult to get together frequently and a barbecue cookout in the summer sure helps. It keeps all the kids outdoors as well which saves on the cleaning up!

Friends for over twenty years, barbecue parties every summer yet still not everyone can cook a decent grill. There have been some friends who took over the grill and my eyes suddenly dilate with horror seeing chicken wings dowsed in flames and worst of all, one of my friends expecting me to eat them!

The flames appear because the coals are not ready, fat starts to drip and up it goes! The more flames, the more fat and the more fat, the more flames. Food black on the outside, raw on the inside. Have you been there? Well here are my recommendations so that you never have to go there again.

Whether its a charcoal or gas barbecue grill it’s all about patience and the preparation of the coals. In a gas grill, the flames heat up the lava bricks and it’s the bricks that radiate the heat to cook the food so the simple tips for gas:-

1. Give it time and gas on full whack to get the coals up to temperature.

2. When the coals are hot and you’re ready to cook, turn the gas down just to maintain the temperature in the coals and keep them well away from the food.

Despite me saying be patient, gas is still wonderfully quick and convenient to have a cookout but never should it be instant. Anyway, why hurry?

For charcoal barbecue grills there’s a certain knack to preparing the fire:-

1. Pile up the charcoal to get it all burning at the same pace
2. Coals are ready when they are white (not black)
3. Before cooking, spread the coals out and don’t worry, they will still give off heat.
4. Start off with the food rack on its maximum height and bring it down gradually.
5. If you’re cooking on a kettle, remember to reduce the aperture of the bottom draft.

Not only does it take patience to get the perfect BBQ but it also takes time and experience, thankfully my husband has mastered it! So please don’t give up, it really is worth the effort when you get it right.

One final tip whilst you’re in training and put your food in a barbecue basket. If you do get some flames you can lift large quantities of food simultaneously off the grill without too much hassle.

So now you have the tips for success to enjoy your cookout this summer!