Summer is almost here, bringing longer evenings, warmer weather and the perfect excuse to fire up the barbecue! Whether you’re hosting a large group of family and friends or enjoying a small evening gathering, a BBQ is one of the best ways to experience incredible flavour and make memories together.

Here at Edwards of Conwy, barbecuing is one of our favourite methods of cooking. From impressive tomahawk steaks to crowd-pleasing burgers and sausages, we’ve put together our top BBQ cooking tips to help you achieve the very best results from our produce.

 

Important: Always use a meat thermometer when barbecuing to ensure your meat is cooked safely and to your desired result.

 

The Ultimate BBQ Cooking Guide

How to BBQ a Tomahawk Steak

A tomahawk steak is one of the ultimate show-stopping BBQ cuts. Its generous size and impressive bone make it the perfect centrepiece for any summer gathering.

One of the best ways to cook a tomahawk steak on the barbecue is the reverse sear method. This technique allows the steak to cook evenly throughout whilst creating a beautiful golden crust.

Method:

1. Cook the steak slowly using indirect heat on the BBQ or in the oven.
2. Allow the internal temperature to gradually reach your desired level.
3. Once nearly cooked, transfer the steak directly over hot coals or a high-heat grill.
4. Sear on each side until a rich golden-brown crust develops.
5. Allow the steak to rest for 5-7 minutes, preferably on a wire rack to keep the bottom crust from getting soggy! Loosely cover/drape with foil, but not too tightly, so that the steam can easily escape, to protect the crust.
6. Remember that any piece of meat will continue to cook and rise in internal temperature, even when removed from the heat source by around 3°C. Please consider this when cooking, we wouldn’t want a “medium” steak finishing up as “well done”, would we!   

How to BBQ a Butterfly Leg of Lamb

Our butterfly leg of lamb is made for barbecuing. The lamb is deboned and prepared to an even thickness to ensure it cooks consistently across the grill.

Method:

1. Preheat your barbecue and allow the coals to become hot.
2. Sear the lamb for approximately 5 minutes on each side.
3. Move the coals to the edges of the BBQ to create indirect heat.
4. Place the lamb back on the grill and close the lid.
5. Cook for 20-40 minutes, depending on your preferred cooked level.
6. Rest for around 5-7 minutes after cooking before carving and serving.

This method produces beautifully tender lamb with a delicious smoky finish.

How to BBQ a Spatchcock Chicken

A spatchcock chicken is always a crowd favourite at any gathering. By our butchers flattening the bird, it cooks more quickly and evenly than a trussed whole chicken.

Method:

1. Create a two-zone BBQ by pushing the coals to one side.
2. Place the chicken skin-side up on the side without direct heat.
3. Close the lid and cook for 40-50 minutes.
4. Move the chicken over to the hot coals, skin-side down.
5. Cook for a further 5-10 minutes until the skin becomes crispy, golden and lightly charred.
6. Check the internal temperature before serving.

The combination of indirect and direct heat creates juicy meat and perfectly crisp skin every time.

How to BBQ Iberico Pork Chops

Barbecuing is one of the best ways to cook Iberico pork chops. The rich marbling melts during cooking, keeping the meat succulent while enhancing its distinctive flavour.

Method:

1. Preheat the barbecue to a high temperature.
2. Sear the chops for 2-3 minutes on each side.
3. Reduce the heat to a medium temperature by moving the chops away from the coals.
4. Cook for 5-7 minutes on one side, depending on chop thickness.
5. Turn and cook for a further 5-7 minutes on the other side.
6. Remove from the grill and rest for 3-5 minutes loosely covered with foil before serving.

How to BBQ Sausages

Sausages are a barbecue classic, but they can quickly dry out or split if cooked over excessive direct heat.

The secret is to use indirect heat first, allowing the sausages to cook through gently whilst locking the juices inside.

Method:

1. Create a two-zone barbecue by moving the coals to one side.
2. Place the sausages on the cooler side of the grill.
3. Close the lid and cook for around 15 minutes, turning halfway through.
4. Once fully cooked, move the sausages over direct heat.
5. Grill for 1-2 minutes on each side until crisp and golden.

This technique helps prevent bursting while delivering perfectly juicy sausages every time.

As an alternative cooking method, consider boiling the sausages first, that’s correct, we said boiling! Place the sausages into a pan of simmering water and cook to an internal temperature of around 70°C. Then brown off on the BBQ to produce what is arguably the most succulent sausage ever! Sausages can be prepared using this method the previous day, simply simmer to cook, cool and refrigerate, then brown off and cook on the BBQ in the normal way.

How to BBQ Burgers

No summer barbecue is complete without burgers. While they may seem simple, a few key techniques can make a huge difference.

Method:

1. Lightly oil the grill or burger to prevent sticking.
2. Preheat the barbecue to a medium-high temperature.
3. Place the burgers on the grill and cook for 3-5 minutes.
4. Avoid pressing down on the burgers, as this releases the flavourful juices.
5. Flip once and cook for a further 3-5 minutes.
6. Rest for around 2 minutes before serving.

Our Handy Meat Temperature Guide

Always use a meat probe thermometer and test at the thickest section of the meat for best results.

Meat	Celsius	Fahrenheit
Sausages	70°C	149°F
Pork	70°C	149°F
Chicken	75°C	167°F
Steak (rare)	58°C	140°F
Steak (medium)	65°C	158°F
Lamb (medium)	60°C	140°F
Lamb (well-done)	68°C	155°F
Burgers	70°C	158°F

All temperatures are a guide only. Always ensure the meat is fully cooked through before serving.