by Freyda Tartak

Created on: December 13, 2011   Last Updated: December 18, 2011

Grilled meat on the barbecue is one of the joys of a warm summer afternoon. Truth be told, there are a fair number of people out there who enjoy a great grilled steak all year round. Part of that satisfaction comes from meat that did not stick to the grill. There are a few tricks to keep the meat and the grill friendly, without becoming too attached to one another.

Clean-up, stay clean

Though a popular practice, not actually removing the grills from the barbecue and simply scraping off the grills rather than washing them as you would any pot or pan ensures that there is always a layer of charcoal on the grills. This means that even if the current steak has not burnt you will be eating something burnt. Start with a clean grill and your chances of a clean steak will be that much greater.

Rub it the right way

Cut a potato in half and rub the potato all over the grill. Do this while the grill is still cold otherwise you will burn your fingers off.

Lube it up

Spray non-stick spray such as PAM on the grills, just as you would put oil on a frying pan prior to cooking.

Go sugar-free

Sugar has a very low melting point. As soon as you put barbecue sauce on your meat you are guaranteeing that the surface layer will burn to the grill a lot sooner than you will be ready to take the meat off the grill. Read the ingredients on any marinades and rubs carefully. If it has sugar, save it for just before the meat is about to come off so that the sauce becomes caramelized and the flavour fuses into the meat.

Get it hot, hot, hot

All of the above are great tips but the single most important thing you can do to avoid meat sticking to the grill is cooking at the right temperature. Make sure that the grills are hot enough so that a drop of water will sizzle on contact. Then reduce the heat just prior to cooking so that it is at the proper temperature. 

If the grills are hot enough, the surface of the meat will cook faster than the juices have time to rest, locking them in rather than forming an adhesive bond. Once the layer is cooked it will start to burn, causing the meat to char on the outside and stay raw on the inside. On the other hand, by lowering the temperature it allows the inside to continue cooking while the outside takes on a nice brown colour.

Sear the outside of the meat on all sides to seal in the juices. Once this step is complete, leave it in place for half the time and flip only once. You know what they say: "If you're looking, it ain't cooking!"

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