Defrosting – meat should be defrosted in the fridge in its original packaging for 48-72 hours, then removed from the packaging and rinsed quickly under cold water
Barbeque – for barbecuing you should use a well-aged cut of meat as it will react better to the heat of the coals
Charcoal – for best results, use citrus wood charcoal and place the meat on the grill only when the coal turns greyish in colour (this way, the coal will last longer)
The grill – it is best to use a heat retaining iron grill
Cutting – meat should be cut against the grain, otherwise the fibres are damaged. Meat should never be cut while it is in the pan or on the barbecue. Cutting meat while it is still being prepared causes the fibres to tighten
Oiling the grill – it is preferable to oil the grill with a slice of beef fat so ensure an enhanced meat flavour
How do you know when the meat is ready to be turned over? This can be determined by the moisture droplets on the upturned side of the meat. Once these droplets appear turn the meat over for a further grilling for a few minutes
Seasoning – The ideal seasoning for meat cooked on a barbecue is coarse salt and ground pepper after the meat has been grilled on both sides.

Cooking – degrees of readiness

Very Rare – the outside is lightly charred, the inside is red and cold
Rare – the outside is brown/grey, the inside red
Medium Rare – the outside is brown, the inside pink
Medium – the middle of the meat is pink but most of it is brown, the outside is well cooked
Medium Well – most of the meat is well cooked, with a very small section in the middle remaining pinkish. Meat is tougher when cooked this way
Well Done – the meat is brown throughout, the texture becomes tougher, less juicy and more difficult to chew

Preparing meat