During the warmer weather, many people choose to cook on the barbecue as opposed to heating up the house. Unfortunately barbecuing is not as easy as flopping a meat or vegetable on the grill and it is done. Barbecuing does take a little time to know just how to make your food taste spectacular. These simple tips should help you to have the perfect bbq, each and every time.

Common Outdoor Cooking Mistakes

1. Cooking Meat Frozen- A rule of thumb is to always make sure that your meat is completely thawed out and at room temperature before tossing it on the grill. Meat that is frozen will likely be burnt to a crisp before the meat is done. Meat that is placed on the grill straight from the fridge may not be cooked in the center. It may also become dried out and leathery.
2. Allowing the Lighter Fluid to Burn Off- One common mistake that those who use charcoal briquettes often do is not allow enough time for the lighter fluid to burn off before placing the food on the grill. Flame broiled foods do taste different than food cooked on a gas grill, however, you must wait until the briquettes are burning brightly before adding you meat to the grill.
3. Never Poke Meat with Fork- Never place a fork near your barbecue. This way you will not be tempted to poke your food with a fork while turning it. Only use a pair of tongs to turn the food over. Using a fork to turn the food will only cause it to dry out as the juices within the meat will be released.
4. Sitting Time- Many people who barbecue are ready to dig in once the grill is turned off. This is a terrible mistake. Allow your grilled food to sit for a moment without any heat as this will give it a chance to regulate itself to the air temperature. By doing so, the juice that is inside the meat will flow throughout the meat completely.
5. Using the Same Plate- Do not use the same plate for uncooked and cooked food. Make sure to have different plates for each type of meat as well as individual plates for cooked and uncooked foods. Using the same plate can cause food poisoning in some cases.

Remember these 5 common barbecue mistakes the next time you plan to fire up that barbecue. By doing so, you will enjoy barbecuing more often as you will enjoy the food more and be more organized as well.