Overview: BBQs are extremely popular all over Canada and they can provide a great way of feeding friends and family in both summer and winter. Wait… winter you said? That’s right, with temperatures in Calgary dropping well below zero there’s never been a better time to light up the grill! Find out some top winter BBQing tips here.
If you’re one of the many Calgarians who spend the winter months longing for summer, then there’s good news – you can still BBQ in the winter! This may be old news to some of you, but for others it may sound like madness. There are plenty of reasons why winter grilling is great, and once you enjoy your first hot rack of ribs on a cold winter’s eve you’ll only be wondering why you never started sooner! Here are some tips to keep you BBQing through the winter.
Stay Warm
This may seem obvious but there’s nothing like catching a chill to ruin your winter BBQ experience. Make sure you have a thick jacket, toque and some easy-to-put-on shoes at the door nearest the BBQ to keep you warm while you watch over the steaks. You can even find some gloves too, but make sure they’re not too thick otherwise your grilling skills may be compromised.
Stock Up On Fuel
With the cold winter temperatures in Calgary falling as low as -40C, don’t underestimate the extra fuel you’ll need to grill. BBQs aren’t designed for insulation and if it’s below -20C with a wind blowing you can be sure that you’ll go through more fuel than usual.
Heat Up Your Grill
On a warm summer’s evening it may only take a couple of minutes to get your BBQ up to prime cooking temperature but on a cold February night, this can take significantly longer. If you’re planning on a big night of grilling, make sure you give the BBQ enough time to heat up otherwise you’ll be cooling down your ribs rather than cooking them!
Be Quick or Be Slow!
With temperatures on the chilly side, it’s best to be either really quick or really slow when it comes to winter BBQing. Need more explanation? There are two types of food that work well for winter grilling: those that cook really quickly, and those that need to be slow cooked. With the former, you can go outside, cook each side really quickly, and bring them in to eat in under 15mins – just before you hands get too cold. These foods include bratwurst, hot dogs, fish and maybe even steak depending on the thickness and how you like it cooked. On the other side of the spectrum, there’s the slow option. This involves a short but involved setup period where you heat your grill and prep your meal, but once the meat is on the BBQ you can leave it for an hour or two, just checking every half hour or so to make sure things are all going to plan. Good meat for this includes whole turkeys and chickens, as well as big joints of beef and pork.
Bottom Line: If your favourite part of the summer is getting some quality time behind your BBQ, then the good news is that you can do it all year round! By following the tips above you can enjoy your favourite BBQ meals all year round and turn into a verified winter griller!
To find out more about BBQ installations and gas line installations, along with a breakdown of whether natural gas or propane is best for your BBQ, contact Lone Star Plumbing and Heating today on 403-295-3028.
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