Grilling tips for our top 5 favorite BBQ meats

Warmer weather is always a perfect time to start your outdoor cooking. Barbecuing means easy meals, casual entertaining and simple clean-up.With a barbecue you can free yourself from the kitchen and enjoy the great outdoors with friends and family.

Owner Direct has come up with some tips for griling our top five favourite BBQ meats:

Beef : A fresh (not frozen) steak on the barbecue is a common favorite. Use the pressure test to check your steaks. When you are getting close to having a done steak, press it with your index finger or the flat side of a grilling fork to get a feel for it. A rare steak will be soft. A medium steak will be firm but yielding. A well-done steak will be firm. Once you get the hang of this trick, you will be able to remove steaks from the grill at just the right second.

Pork : Another favourite among avid barbecue enthusiasts. The most popular cuts for the grill are ribs, pork butt and shoulder. Acidic ingredients in marinades, like red wine, lemon juice, and balsamic vinegar tenderize and increase the juiciness of meat. Marinate meats in a non-metal, shallow bowl, or in a sturdy, resealable plastic bag, turning occasionally for optimum marinade exposure.

BBQ Time!

Chicken : To grill chicken, place it on the hottest part of the grill first and sear it for 3 minutes on each side. Then move it to a slightly cooler area and baste it often, turning it frequently until done. Wait to add barbecue sauce until the last 10-15 minutes of cooking, as the sugars in the sauce tend to caramelize or burn if subjected to high heat for a prolonged period of time.

Salmon : Salmon is by far the most popular fish to grill. It has a hearty, almost steak-like texture and a flavor that goes well with a variety of barbecue sauces. Rule of thumb when cooking fish is 10 minutes per inch of thickness.

Lamb : For flavorful, tender lamb kabobs, use chunks of meat from the leg or shoulder and marinate them overnight. When using less tender cuts of meat, stretch the meat to determine which way the grain runs, and then cut across the grain.