10 tips for the perfect bbq

With various spring festivities well underway, the barbecue season is now officially open! Bbq lunches and dinners are always a great way to spend time with friends or relatives. However to get the most out of these social occasions, there are some rules to follow. In this magazine we have already given you some ideas about “barbecue etiquette” or how to get the best embers. Today we want to introduce you to the top 10 tips for the perfect grill, as reported in an interview with ANSA by a real expert in the field, chef Marco Sacco who boasts not one but two Michelin stars. Let’s take a look at the rules for preparing perfectly grilled meats and vegetables and how to serve them. How to prepare the perfect grill

1. Use the right tools. First, you will need to have a bbq that best suits your needs and the number of guests for which you will be cooking, as well as all the necessary tools (bbq tongs, carving fork and knives as absolute essentials). By the way, until 30^th June you can take advantage of the Palazzetti barbecue special offer: if you buy Gargano 3 or Gallipoli 3, you will also get a free set of high-quality stainless steel cooking accessories.
2. Wood or charcoal? It depends on how much time you have because the first one involves a much slower process. Chef Marco Sacco said: “Personally, I’d always suggest using wood, the type you can buy in so-called bundles, which heat up immediately and create the perfect fire for caramelizing meat and maintaining its succulence.”
3. The importance of marinating. It focuses on a technique for seasoning and softening “Mediterranean” foods, but, remember to differentiate according to the type of meat.
4. The choice of meat. Your menu will depend on taste (yours and your guests’). Work out the cooking time of the various types of meat to decide the order in which to start cooking!
5. When to add the salt. According to the chef, it should only be added at the end of cooking, otherwise the meat will release a lot of water, which will be detrimental to the success of the bbq.
6. What about your side dish? The advice is to cut up some vegetables the evening before, such as courgettes, onions, peppers, aubergines and carrots, leaving them to overnight in a simple marinade of oil, pepper and lemon juice.
7. There are two ways of cooking: on the grill or in the embers. Have you never tried this second way? According to the chef it’s perfect for cooking onions or potatoes, giving them a truly unique taste.
8. Set the mood for the day. Grilling is one of the most sociable ways to cook. To make the day even more special, you can choose a theme which incorporating both food and decorations.
9. About your mise en place. Crockery, napkins and decorative items, everything should be themed, but without going overboard: the beauty of these occasions is simplicity!
10. Finally social media. Chef’s latest advice may seem a bit strange, but it is certainly very topical: “If our bbq equipment (forks, knives, the bbq itself) works for us during cooking, why not let them go social? Those posts where you cut the meat and allow a glimpse of your cooking, whose mouth doesn’t water?” If you have a Palazzetti barbecue, don’t forget the hashtag #PLZlovers!