16
17
Hood Thermometer
Temperature for Ideal Grilling:
approx. 170ºC
Cooking Surface Temperature
approx. 270ºC
Great chefs will tell you that most meats need to “rest” away from the heat of the barbeque before slicing
for a few minutes to allow the moisture pushed to the surface to redistribute. If you don’t rest the meat,
moisture that has pooled near the surface will run out and the rest of the roast will be quite dry.
Use the few minutes while resting the meat to open the barbeque hood, turn all burners to
HI
for up to
5 minutes to burn off food residue. After 5 minutes, turn the barbeque
OFF
. While the cooking surfaces
are still hot, take a long handled brush or scraper and remove remaining oil and food residue. You should
use an oven mitt to avoid burns. 5 minutes now will save 30 minutes next barbeque.
Barbeque Tip
Always remember to switch the barbeque OFF once you are finished cooking.
Don’t be afraid to open the hood often to check progress. You are in full control of the temperature by
turning burners higher, lower or
OFF
as required. The gas burners will respond instantly and powerfully
to your control.
Most importantly, use the hood thermometer as a warning guide that the barbeque is too hot. For grilling
most foods, aim to keep the thermometer below 200ºC to avoid burning. Never let the temperature reach
into the "very hot" zone or the barbeque will overheat and burn your food.
A separate probe thermometer is available as an accessory from all Barbeques Galore stores. This takes
the guesswork out of knowing when your food is cooked.
(A) Direct Cooking Method (continued)
LOW
OFF
OFF
LOW
(B) Indirect Cooking Method
Always remember to switch the barbeque OFF once you are finished cooking.
Ideal Hood Thermometer
Temperature for Roasting:
approx. 160ºC
Roasting Rack Temperature
approx. 185ºC
Ideal Hood Thermometer
Temperature for Browning
or Crackling: approx. 200ºC
(10 minutes only)
Roasting Rack Temperature
approx. 225ºC
Ideal Hood Thermometer
Temperature for Smoking
approx. 90ºC
Roasting Rack Temperature
approx. 115ºC
Place the roast on its rack in the drip pan onto the hotplate.
Contrary to some beliefs, the slower and lower (temperature) the food is
cooked, the more even, tender and juicier the results will be. Importantly,
use the hood thermometer as a warning guide that the barbeque is too hot.
For roasting most foods, aim to keep the thermometer around 160ºC to avoid
burning. Note that the temperature at the roasting rack will be around 25ºC
higher than the temperature measured at the hood thermometer.
For short periods of browning only, or for 10 minutes to make pork crackling,
aim for around 200ºC. Note that temperature at the roasting rack will be
around 25ºC higher than the temperature measured at the hood thermometer
and most foods will quickly burn at this setting.
For smoking, lower temperatures and longer cooking times will result in
more intense smoke flavour and more tender meats. Aim for around 90ºC.
Note that temperature at the roasting rack will be around 25ºC higher than
the temperature measured at the hood thermometer. Always use a probe
thermometer to ensure that the meat has cooked all the way through to the
right temperature.
NEVER
allow the temperature on the hood thermometer to exceed 250
°
C, or the barbeque will overheat
and burn your food. A separate probe thermometer is available as an accessory from all Barbeques Galore
stores. This takes the guesswork out of knowing when your food is cooked.
Covered Cooking
Covered Cooking
This is when you place the food only above burners that are
OFF
. The other burners are adjusted in combinations of
LOW
and
OFF
to maintain constant lower roasting temperatures.
This method is ideal for thicker cuts of meat, legs of lamb,
pork, shoulders of beef, whole chickens and whole fish.
Moist, hot air rises from the lit burners and circulates around
the food, trapping juices and flavour. Even cakes and breads
can be cooked in your barbeque this way. Cooking low and
slow lets the food cook completely through without burning
on the outside, yet remaining juicy and tender on the inside.
Best results are achieved by placing your roast in a rack and that rack in a drip pan. The roast is elevated
to allow heat to circulate all the way around, and water, wine, juices, herbs can be added to the drip pan
to help flavour the roast and make a baste or gravy.
Preheat the barbeque with the hood closed for 5 minutes.
Importantly, once the barbeque is pre-heated and the hood is closed, heat is trapped around the food,
so the burners that are on will mostly only need to be on
LOW
and in many cases, more of the burners
turned
OFF
. Heat from the lit burners will circulate all through the hood cooking quite evenly.
On a 2 burner barbeque, 1 burner under the grill on
LOW
and 1 burner under the hotplate
OFF
is usually
the best setting for roasting.
On a 5 burner barbeque, 2 burners under the grills on
LOW
and the other 3 burners all
OFF
is usually
the best setting for roasting. The hotplate is best positioned in the middle of the barbeque, If on one side,
then the drip pan may need have a half turn during cooking for even browning.
