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Buy the best quality meat you can. You’ll really notice the difference.

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Buy your meat from your local butcher rather than a supermarket. They’ll have a better range, better quality and can cut the meat to order.

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With the possible exception of chicken, never barbecue meat straight from the fridge. Give it an hour to come to room temperature.

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If you have a warming rack in your gas bbq, place your raw steaks on it while waiting for the hotplates to heat up. This slightly roasts the meat and makes it more succulent.

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Use canola oil on your grills and cooking racks. It’s healthier, can heat to a higher temperature and won’t affect cast iron grills like olive oil can.

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If you marinate your meat before cooking, make sure the marinade has drained off completely before cooking the meat. Otherwise you’ll get lots of steam and tough meat.

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When cooking steaks on a grill, cook on a high heat and turn once only when the juices appear on top. Remove when the juices appear again.

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When using a kettle bbq, make sure all the briquettes are ashed over before starting to cook.

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When cleaning a grill, just use a stainless steel wire brush to scrub off any excess meat. Leave a little grease for the next barbecue.

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When using a kettle bbq, keep the lid on at all times. Don’t be tempted to continually check on it – this just lets all the heat out.

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If your gas bbq has a hood, close it during cooking to allow the meat to partially roast while grilling. This greatly enhances the flavour and tenderness.

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After cooking your steaks, let them rest for about 5 minutes. This will make them nice and juicy.

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After cooking your roasts, cover them with tin foil and let them rest for about 10 minutes before carving. This will retain the juices and make them easier to carve.

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