The residents of the block of 9 flats where I live have clubbed together and bought a barbecue, and will soon be using it for the first time. Advice, please, on basic barbecue cookery.
The specific model I got can be seenhere
A few quesions:
How much charcoal should I use? I have a 3 Kg bag, would half of that suffice? All of it?
How long will charcoal burn?
After I light the barbecue, hoe long should I wait before I start cooking? About 20 minutes?
how long does it take to cook
Sorry, posted before I’d completed the message.
To continue…
How long does it take to cook
You want an even layer of charcoal in the bed of the barbecue no thicker than about 2 briquets high. Once the coals have turned completely grey, they are ready for you to start cooking. Cooking time is dependant on coal temperature (which in turn is affected by winds) and the height of the grill above the coalbed, so some trial-and-error is probably needed initially. Food on the center of the grill will cook faster than food at the edges, so the thicker food, like chicken breasts and steaks should go in the middle, while the thinner stuff, like hotdogs and burger patties should go towards the edge. Charcoal burns a long time, so you can expect at least a couple hours on average.
Light up the charcoal but don’t cook on the flames, or you’ll get a thick layer of burnt stuff and raw meat inside. Wait until it dies down and becomes red-hot embers, that’s about the right temperature.
Chicken is notoriously hard to cook on the barbie; there’s a danger of food posioning. It’s easier to microwave it until it’s almost cooked, and then finishing it off on the BBQ .
Potatos and corn is easier to cook if you wrap them up in foil. Put a knob of butter and salt too.
Just chiming in for grate question: The charcoal goes on the grate at the bottom, the ashes fall through.
For a block party, Buy two bottles of barbecue sauce - use 3/4 to marinate / pre-coat the meat for at least an hour (in the fridge) but leave 1/2 bottle to baste. Having a small cup and brush helps when basting.
You can separate the meat throughout if you’re the skittish type or planning on eating undercooked pork or chicken for some reason. Otherwise just throw it all in a bowl and shake it around with the barbecue sauce.
Tender pork and chicken on the barbecue require constant moisture. The radiant heat from hot glowing coals is superior to a windy gassy fire or large direct flames that create grill hotspots and tend to strip moisture out of the meat, making it tougher.
IMO it’s better to use (cheaper) cuts of these meats with a bit of fat to them, such as pork ribs, or chicken legs and thighs. Pork chops and chicken breasts contain more protein, making them more difficult to cook tender.
Avoid breaking skin or surface of meats with forks, etc. Use tongs for turning. At first, allow surface of small pieces (or edges of large pieces) to become semi - dried while the underside shows only the cooked color of the marinated meat (and grill marks).
Flip and baste, being careful not to touch any uncooked meat with basting brush.
Flip as soon as underside develops full color of cooked meat, then re-baste.
Continue to frequently flip and re-baste until meat is cooked to desired doneness, watching for “burn marks” between the “grill marks”. Seared meat and burnt sugar in the grill mark yield a very dark stripe when compared to the marinade. But “in-between” colors represent the results of different chemical reactions, many of which add to the taste. Flavors in the barbecue sauce will also be enhanced by the “browning” process.
If you’re the skittish type, a meat thermometer can reveal whether the meat is cooked to 175-180F, which is safe for both these meats. Otherwise, cook it 'til it’s “done”; checking by occasionally slicing through thickest part of a portion to check doneness.
BTW, Steaks are a different story.
Not exactly what you asked, but relevant and important nonetheless: check the rules and regulations of your building and locality regarding placement of the grill.
E.g. grilling on a balcony (if your flats are so equipped) is not a good idea for a number of reasons (fire hazard, smoke drifting into yours and nearby units, flying flaming briquets if grill is accidentally tipped over, etc.) and may be prohibited by law or regulation. My condo association prohibits using grills within 25 feet (7.5 meters) of any building.
Enjoy your new grill safely.
Zenster’s liable to be along any minute and provide you with tons of helpful of advice, until then, I suggest you check out The Barbecue Bible series of books. (He’s got one for beginners called How To Grill. It covers both grilling and barbecuing, and all his books have some really, really tasty recipes.
Since this is about cooking, I’ll move this thread to Cafe Society.
bibliophage
moderator GQ
Here’s how to do ribs.
Barbecued Pork Spareribs
Authentic Memphis Style
Two words: chimney starter.
Personally, I never use B-B-Q sause to marinade. For chicken, it’s better to use an italian dressing, it keeps the chicken moister. For steaks, soak it in a little soy sauce with whatever spices you like for about 15-20 minutes before cooking. This will make the steak tender.
Two (more) words: liquid oxygen.
Unfortunately, the video seems to have been a victim of its popularity, and is no longer available. But there are some pretty cool stills.
A good description of the procedure can be found here. (You have to scroll down a little.)
Not for the faint of heart, but your coals are ready in 3 seconds!
Check out this website. It should answer some questions.
And please don’t confuse grilling with barbecue. In some states that could get you shot. 
Grilling is what amatuers do if they don’t like drinking a lot of beer or don’t have a smoker.