Getting The Most From Your Barbecue
Preheating Your Barbecue
Like an oven, preheating your barbecue before cooking produces better results. Because your hood retains heat so efficiently, preheating your barbecue is quicker with the hood down.
Turn the outside two burners to high. Close the hood, and allow to preheat for about 8 minutes, Then reduce the burner settings to achieve and maintain the required temperature, by following these guidelines.
Maintaining The Right Cooking Temperature
These two charts tell you how hot and how long to cook various types of meat, and the approximate burner settings to help you achieve these results.
As you can expect, there are many variables involved. A little experience is all you’ll need to feel perfectly comfortable and in control of your barbecue.
| Type of Meat | Cooking Temperature |
Beef | 180°C / 355°F |
Lamb | 180°C / 355°F |
Pork | 170°C / 340°F |
Veal | 160°C / 320°F |
Poultry | 180°C / 355°F |
Seafood | 150°C / 300°F |
Two burner | Both burners slightly below medium |
Three burner | Middle burner off |
| Two outside burners to medium |
Four burner | Two inside burners off |
| Two outside burners to medium |
Five burner | Three inside burners off |
| One outside burner to high |
| Other outside burner to medium |
You may find it useful to purchase a meat thermometer to help take the guess work out of cooking.
Meats such as beef, lamb, veal and pork should be about 70ºC/160ºF when medium. Chicken and Turkey should be
Most importantly, do not allow your barbecue to overheat. Your hood is designed to keep the heat in, and so requires constant monitoring.
Do not use more than 2 burners on high at any one time. As a guide, for a 4 burner barbecue in moderate weather:
Two burners on low produces | 150°C/300°F |
Two burners on medium produces | 195°C/385°F |
Two burners on high produces | 240°C/460°F |
During cold or windy conditions, more heat is required.
Finally, resist the temptation to keep opening the hood while cooking. This will help to maintain a constant temperature, and minimise cooking time.
Do not allow your barbecue to overheat, as this may damage some components.
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