The world’s best barbecue tips you need to try
Best global BBQ tips
Mix and match your meats
An Argentinian barbecue, or asado, is both a celebration of the country’s superb beef and part of its gaucho culture. One of the things that makes an asado so special is the mix of prime cuts, offal and sausages traditionally served together. One meal could easily include everything from ojo de bife (rib-eye) to morcilla (blood sausage) and provoleta (provolone cheese grilled until deliciously gooey). Capture the Argentinian spirit by drizzling traditional herby sauce chimichurri over your meats.
Try something other than beef
Many South Africans will tell you that life is unimaginable without braai. From beef to ostrich and springbok, South Africans will grill almost any meat, usually heavily seasoned with a spiced salt. A good place to start is lamb – an underrated barbecue meat that's widely available. There are several online stores, like Kezie in the UK or Fossil Farms in the US, that sell meats like kangaroo and crocodile too.
Switch to thin slices of meat
Rather than throwing thick chunks of meat on the grill, Korean barbecue tends to favour smaller, thinner cuts. Perhaps the most famous dish is bulgogi: a prime cut of beef, often sirloin, thinly sliced and marinated for tenderness. The trick to cooking it is to quickly sear the meat so it’s still juicy but has a slightly charred taste.
Kick your barbecue off with prawns
Do like Australians do and throw some 'shrimp on the barbie'. Of course, unlike the 1980s ad might suggest, they're actually called prawns Down Under. Cringey expressions aside, the naturally sweet prawns really do benefit from the char of the grill, adding a smoky flavour that's great paired with zingy lime and spicy chilli.
Barbecue on skewers
There are three essential steps to mastering Armenian barbecue, known as khorovats, where meat is grilled on long skewers. Firstly, make sure you leave enough space between every piece on the skewer so that the heat cooks the meat evenly from all sides. Secondly, the largest pieces of meat go in the middle of the skewer, where there is the most heat. Thirdly, the skewers should be placed together as close as possible on the grill so that no heat can escape from the fire.
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Stick chicken on a beer can…
Rumoured to have originated in the US state of Louisiana, beer can chicken is more than just a gimmick. It might look a little odd but this way of cooking ensures more flavour and the most tender, succulent meat. Our recipe pairs it with a tart and creamy Alabama sauce.
…or spatchcock it
It's uncertain where spatchcocking, removing a chicken's backbone and flattening the bird before cooking, originates. It's mentioned in 18th-century Irish cookbooks, there's a strong culinary tradition in Germany and France, and chicken tabaka, a dish hailing from Georgia, is much-loved across the former Soviet Union. Wherever its beginnings lie, half the world is doing it and so should you. A spatchcocked chicken cooks faster and more evenly, meaning it's more succulent. Because of the flat surface, the chicken is exposed to maximum heat, leaving the skin crispier too.
Cook meat and vegetables together
Opinion varies as to whether Turkish shish kebabs should be purely meat, or a mix of cubed meat and vegetables. We like the second approach – skewering meat and vegetables together means the marinade from the meat flavours the vegetables, and the moisture from the vegetables keeps the meat juicy. Go traditional and pair the meat with peppers and onions.
Add some spice
A common theme running through barbecued dishes from Mauritius is the addition of plenty of spice and seasoning. It also often includes a sweet element that helps caramelise the meat and creates a sticky outside layer. This pork kebab recipe incorporates fragrant cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger, as well as soy and honey for the perfect glaze.
Add flavour with a rub
An aspect of Caribbean cooking that you might be familiar with is jerk seasoning. This dry rub is easy to prepare so avoid the store-bought version and mix your own. Some versions of wet jerk marinade also use vinegar or soy sauce and, although traditionally the mix includes allspice and Scotch bonnet chillies, you can adapt the spices to taste.
Try a dairy-based marinade
Yogurt is often used to marinate meats in Indian cuisine. Give it a try at home by making tandoori chicken. The secret to keeping the meat succulent is the yogurt marinade which tenderises the meat before grilling. Although traditionally it’s roasted in a heated clay oven known as tandoor, the dish can also be cooked on a barbecue.
Marinate overnight
To achieve the tenderness a Russian shashlik is known for, you must use pork and you must have a lot of spare time to let the meat marinate. Prepare the meat the night before with lots of sliced white onion, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper, then let it marinate until the next day. This Indian-inspired recipe uses a vinegar-based marinade as well and the meat is marinated for up to 24 hours too.
Try minced meat on skewers
Whether you know it as kofta or kofte, these minced beef skewers are incredibly popular throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean, with versions in Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, northern Africa and even India. The idea is simple – mix minced meat, usually beef, with spices and onions, then form into a sausage shape around metal skewers before grilling. Our recipe pairs the meat with hummus on flatbreads, topped with a zesty mix of red onion, sumac and parsley.
Swap meat for tuna
With a firm texture and high oil content, meaty steaks of tuna are extremely well-suited to grilling – something Sicilians love to do with the glut of fish from the Mediterranean. The fish only needs a light char on the outside, plus a squeeze of lemon and sprinkling of salt to enhance its naturally delicious flavour. Pair it with a sharp, Italian-inspired vinaigrette that'll cut through the richness of the fish.
Go bite-sized
The Japanese word yakitori generally refers to any type of skewered and grilled meat. This popular street food can be prepared and cooked quickly, perfect for when you don't want to spend hours behind the grill. Experiment with different meat, fish and seafood, and serve with a wide variety of sauces, like a Japanese-style barbecue sauce, and sides.
Don't forget about the sides
Elote, a popular Mexican street food, is corn on the cob which is charred on the grill, then smothered in a spicy, creamy sauce full of garlic and cheese. It's just the perfect side, combining sweet, salty, savoury, nutty, creamy and tart flavours all at once. This recipe uses a garlic and herb soft cheese to help recreate those intense flavours elote is loved for.
Get the recipe for Mexican-style barbecued corn on the cob here
Grill plenty of vegetables
Grilled vegetables can be the highlight of a Greek barbecue. Arm yourself with aubergines, courgettes, peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes and onions, then marinate using olive oil, garlic, mint and lemon. Cook on wooden skewers that have been pre-soaked in water and serve with homemade tzatziki for the ultimate taste of Greek summer.
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