The GofG Grill Guide: A How-To For DIY BBQ

by ZARAH BURSTEIN · August 12, 2010

Who wants to sit in a restaurant when you could have a great meal in the company of good friends in your own backyard?! Well then grab your "Mr. Good Lookin' is Cookin'" apron and check out Team GofG's (super) simple DIY guide to BBQ.

While there are plenty of fine dining establishments in the Hamptons to get your dose of meat and seafood, sometimes you’re looking for a day when you want to have an ideal classic summer moment of laying out poolside to work on your tan and throwing some "steak on the barbie." With the help of a BBQ connoisseur (aka friend who knows how to work a grill) at an East Hampton home, we have come up with a list of very basic (meaning you should probably already know this) how-to's for achieving the perfect barbeque meal.

Put on your apron, grab the raw meat out of the fridge, fire up the grill, and let's learn how to cook a mean meal that can be on the table in minutes (Rachel Ray would be proud).

TIP #1: Start off with a completely clean grill. Don’t place foods on the grill until the temperature is correct or else your food will dry out or burn.

TIP #2: Gather all of your ingredients. Use cooking spray to prevent the meat from sticking when you are rotating or removing it. Caution: NEVER spray cooking oils or non-stick sprays directly over an open flame. That is, if you want to keep your eyebrows intact.

TIP #3: Marinate - in moderation - with light seasoning and sauces. Italian dressing on burgers usually does the trick!

TIP #4: Make sure that the meat is dead and plucked (we told you these were basic steps).

TIP #5: Don't poke your meat while it is cooking or press down on your burgers with a spatula. Poking holes will cause the food to dry out and become unappealing in the end. You don’t want to have to re-cook burgers for the picky eater.

TIP #6: The real secret to a juicy steak is to get it cooked fast and to get it off the grill the second it's done. Letting a steak sit on a grill too long whether it's cooked through or not will dry out the meat.

TIP #7: Use extreme caution with plates and utensils used for raw meats to avoid the spread of many unwanted illnesses. Food poisoning in a share house? Awkward.

And...voila! A DIY BBQ in minutes. Now wasn't that easy? Of course...don't forget to invite us over to help you eat!