Tips on How to BBQ Like a Pro

How do you make sure your grilled meats are always tender and juicy? When’s the perfect time to add seasoning? From selecting to cooking your cut of meat, here are 10 tips to ensure you grill perfect steaks on the BBQ—every time.

How To Grill Meat to Perfection?

Bring Your Steaks to Room Temperature

Remove meat from the fridge up to one hour before cooking. Although not essential, this helps reduce thermal shock and ensures steaks cook evenly—so every piece will be hot and perfectly rare in the middle.

Season Only Mid-Way Through Cooking

Add spices too soon and the heat from the BBQ will diminish their taste. Bad idea! Wait till you’re about mid-way through cooking to add seasoning. Note, too, that dry rubs are less flavourful on thick cuts of meat. For best results, marinate steaks in liquid beforehand.

On One Side and the Other

Your meat will be tender if you only flip it once. You’ll get beautiful grill marks on each side without mangling your cut.

Touch Steaks for Doneness

No need to slice steaks open to see if they’re done. Just touch each piece or take its temperature. If using a thermometer, be sure to insert in the fleshiest part of the meat, horizontally, avoiding contact with the bone. Keep in mind that temperatures will go up 2 to 3ºC while steaks rest.

Rare

Slight resistance to pressure from finger, seared on the outside, 75% red inside.

Medium-rare

Slight resistance to pressure from finger, seared on the outside, 50% red inside.

Medium

Medium resistance to pressure from finger, blood droplets pearl on surface when touched, 25% pink inside.

Well done

Firm to the touch, surface and inside completely brown.

Let Steaks Rest Before Serving

Resist the urge to serve steaks hot off the grill. They’re not quite ready yet! Let them rest at room temperature for a third of the time it took to cook, allowing them to reabsorb their juices and reach optimal tenderness. You can cover your steaks with foil to ensure they stay warm.

Get Inspired by Our Recipes for Meat on the BBQ

Filet Mignon Brochettes with Turmeric Potatoes and Chimichurri Mayonnaise

See the Recipe

Picanha Steak Tacos with Chimichurri

See the Recipe

Grilled Tomahawk Steak with Green Peppercorn and BBQ Onion Relish

See the Recipe

Angus Steak with Herbs

See the Recipe

How to Grill a Whole Fish

Cook Fish on a Reusable Grilling Mat!

Using a grilling mat to cook fish fillets on the BBQ will prevent them from breaking up.

Get Your Frying Pan Out!

A cast iron pan is perfect for cooking fish on the BBQ.

A Practical BBQ Tool!

Feel bones in your fish fillet? Simply use a tweezer to remove them.

Tips for Perfectly Grilled Fish!

Before you start grilling, score the fish by making three incisions at an angle on the side facing up. This will help the fish cook more evenly.

Try Spice Blends

Spice blends usually don’t contain a lot of salt which means you can sprinkle them over your fish fillet before frying it in a pan on the BBQ with a bit of olive or canola oil. It’s quick, easy, and tasty!

Set the Timer!

Keep in mind that white fish will quickly dry out if you leave it even a minute too long on the BBQ!

Get Inspired by Our Recipes for Fish on the BBQ

Grilled Whole Stuffed Fish with Sundried Tomatoes, Feta, and Herb Butter

See the Recipe

Maple Glazed Salmon Steaks

See the Recipe

Mackerel Toast with Canned Tuna, Charred Cherry Tomatoes, and Pickled Shallots

See the Recipe

Grilled Sea Bream with Coriander and Lemon Vinaigrette

See the Recipe

Greek-Style Grilled Trout

See the Recipe

How to Cook Veggies on the Grill

Slicing Your Vegetables

Cut your vegetables into similar sized pieces. This will ensure they cook evenly on the BBQ.

Pouches Full of Flavour!

Place your vegetables on a square sheet of aluminum fold and add a generous drizzle of olive oil and some fine herbs. Then fold the sheet onto itself to create an airtight pouch.