How to have the best barbeque this summer

Whether you are a BBQ pro or have never used one before, here we speak to Johan Åkerberg one of the co-owners of Holy Smoke BBQ in Sweden to give you his top tips so you can enjoy the best grills this summer.

If you are a beginner

+ Raw material - Make sure there is intramuscular fat in the protein you are preparing.

+ Seasoning - Keep it simple and only use salt and pepper. Much of the BBQ flavour comes from the wood used to make the fire. If you want to use glaze, add it when you lift off what has been BBQed.

+ Temperature - It is important to try to maintain a constant temperature throughout the entire cook.

If you have had some experience

+ If you use charcoal - take a little time to find a good one and stick with it. You can also decide here how it will taste.  

+ Time - Make sure you have plenty of time, so you don't have to rush the cook before serving.  

+ Avoid opening and closing the smoker to have a look all the time. The temperature will go up and down making it more difficult to control the result. The expression "if you're looking, it ain't cooking" is not for nothing.

The barbeque pro

+ The choice of wood - depending on what you're cooking, its flavour is determined by the type of wood used. In Sweden, we have plenty of fruit trees that often have a nice flavour! We use oak.  

+ Wrap - When you are satisfied with the bark (the black surface on the protein you have barbequed) on your BBQ, wrap it in butcher paper or foil towards the end of the cook in the smoker. Make sure the wrap is tight all the way around so there are no air gaps.  

+ Rest - It is important to rest what you have barbequed for a longer period of time to get the best results. If you take off something with an internal temperature over 90°C, it should be rested until the temperature drops to 65-70°C as slowly as possible, about 2-3 hours. This ensures the juiciness is maintained.

The key tools to have in your kit

+ A good thermometer that measures the temperature quickly, so you don't have to keep the grill/smoker open too long.  

+ Proper gloves to work with, preferably heat-resistant.  

+ A sharp knife for trimming and cutting.

Vegetarian tip

+ Don't be afraid of the hot embers and charred vegetable skins. Place the vegetables with their skins directly on the embers or on a wire mesh and cook them. Try delicious root vegetables such as large potatoes, celeriac, swedes, carrots.  Then remove them, cut off any charred areas and serve the "fillet" with a good sauce, seasoned butter, oil, salt and pepper.

Burnt Ends Teriyaki style in Liba Flatbread

2 kg Pork belly or pork tenderloin, diced about 4 x 4 cm
Salt
Black pepper
4-5 dl Teriyaki sauce (own favourite)
2 dl Brown sugar
½ dl Apple cider vinegar
1 bag Liba flatbread
2-3 dl Aioli (homemade or purchased)

Topping: 

Coriander, fresh
Spring onion, thinly sliced
Sesame seeds, roasted
Lime wedges

Fire up a smoker or grill with indirect heat to about 110-120°C.  

Place the diced pork in a tray and season with salt and pepper.  

Place the tray or the diced pork on a rack in the smoker/grill and close it.  

Smoke the diced pork for about 3 hours.  

Take out the tray or put the diced pork in a tray.  

Mix in the teriyaki sauce, brown sugar and vinegar and put the meat back in the smoker/grill.  

Continue smoking for 1 to 2 hours, checking and turning it every 30 minutes. Cover the diced pork with aluminium foil if it starts to get too "burned".  

After an hour, test to see how tender the pork is. When you are satisfied and the diced meat has a nice colour, it is ready to serve.  

Spread some aioli on newly heated liba flatbread, add the burnt ends, top with coriander/spring onion/sesame seeds and a squeeze of lime, make it into a roll and enjoy.