A good BBQ is decided at the butcher's counter. Pick cuts that cook fast and forgive a bit of flame, marinate them the night before, and cook everything that's minced or chicken all the way through.
The best cuts for the grill
| Cut | How to cook | Roughly |
|---|---|---|
| Lamb chops, 2cm thick | Direct heat, hot | 3 to 4 min a side |
| Seekh kebabs or kofta | Direct heat, turning every 2 to 3 min | 10 to 12 min |
| Lamb tikka (boneless leg cubes) | Direct heat, turning | 8 to 12 min |
| Chicken thigh skewers | Direct heat, turning | 12 to 15 min |
| Chicken wings | Indirect with the lid down, then direct to crisp | 20 to 25 min |
| Chicken drumsticks | Indirect with the lid down, then direct to char | 35 to 45 min |
| Whole chicken, spatchcocked | Indirect, lid down, then direct to char | 45 to 50 min |
| Lamb ribs | Simmer or bake until tender first, then direct to crisp | 5 to 10 min on the grill |
Times depend on your fire and the thickness of the meat, so always check: cut the thickest piece open, or use a thermometer.
How much to buy: about 300g of meat per adult in total, half that for children. Our crowd calculator works it out.
Marinades
- Yoghurt-based marinades, like chicken tikka and masala lamb chops, need at least 2 hours and are best overnight.
- Always marinate in the fridge, never outside in the sun.
- Throw away marinade that has touched raw meat, or boil it hard before using it as a sauce.
- Shake off excess marinade before grilling. It burns before the meat cooks.
Setting up the coals
- Light the coals and wait until they're covered in grey ash, usually 20 to 30 minutes. Flames mean it's not ready.
- Push most of the coals to one side. That side is for direct heat: chops, kebabs and charring.
- The empty side is for indirect heat: wings, drumsticks and whole chicken cook through there with the lid down, without burning.
The Scottish weather plan
Rain coming in? Start drumsticks and wings in the oven at 200°C for 20 to 25 minutes, then take them straight to the BBQ to finish cooking and char. Don't part-cook meat and leave it to cook later: it has to go straight from the oven onto the grill.
Keeping everyone safe
- Use separate plates and tongs for raw and cooked meat.
- Keep raw meat in the fridge until you're ready to cook it.
- Chicken, mince, kebabs and burgers must be cooked all the way through: no pink, clear juices, and 75°C in the middle if you have a thermometer.
- Lamb chops and steaks can be pink in the middle as long as the outside is properly cooked.
- Get leftovers into the fridge within 1 to 2 hours.
Sources: safefood, checking meat is cooked; Food Standards Scotland, chilling food.