Sponsored: Here are a few hints and tips to cooking the perfect BBQ with Silver Fern Farms New Zealand.

Silver Fern Farms 100% grass-fed in New Zealand means great flavour, tenderness and quality – that’s better for the environment and better for you. In New Zealand, the climate, clean air and plentiful pure water fuels year-round growth of lush, green pastures. The animals are raised year-round, on this pasture, with access if needed to conserved forages like hay and silage. It also means that they have been raised with the ability to wander and graze freely. The animals can eat and live as they would naturally – reducing stress and promoting better animal welfare.

With a diet rich in grass, animals at Silver Fern Farms grow strong, healthy and lean. The meat that is produced has a consistently delicious, distinctive flavour – the mark of red meat as it naturally should be. Finely textured and packed with nutrients, grass-fed meat is low in saturated fat and high in vitamins A and E, conjugated linoleic acid and omega-3 fatty acids.

Choose the perfect prime cut from Silver Fern Farms selection including beef eye fillet, medallions, flat- iron steaks, lamb loin fillets and rump, and before you fire up the grill, follow these nifty tips and tricks.

1. Bring meat to room temperature

Never cook meat cold, or straight out of the fridge. Instead, remove it from the packaging, cover and set it aside for at least 10 minutes before cooking. Putting cold meat onto a hot pan results in uneven cooking and loss of flavourful juices.

2. Don’t forget the oil

By oiling the meat instead of the BBQ, you’re able to get the grill or plate incredibly hot (without the oil burning), which results in the perfect sear. At the same time, it prevents the steak from sticking the heated surface.

3. Start with a hot BBQ

Ensure the barbecue is hot before you cook. The meat should sizzle as it makes contact with the plate or grill.

4. Avoid crowding

Try to prevent filling a flat plate or chargrill, with plenty of protein and veggies, when you barbecue. Crowding the plate reduces the heat, causing the meat to release juices and begin stewing.

5. Turn it once

To keep the meat juicy and succulent, refrain from turning the steak several times. The best method is to turn it just once, cook until the first sign of moisture appears on the upper side, then turn to cook the other side.

6. Reach for the best grill tool

Use tongs instead of a knife or fork, to turn the meat while cooking. This way, you avoid puncturing the meat and losing flavourful juices.

7. Check the degree of doneness

Rather than relying on timing to identify whether the steak is cooked to your preferred temperature, use the blunt end of tongs to prod the meat at the thickest part. With practice, you can judge the meat’s readiness by touch. Rare is soft, medium is springy and well done is very firm.

8. Let it be!

Allowing the meat to rest permits time for the juices to redistribute themselves among the meat. Meat that has rested before being served will result in a juicier piece, compared to meat that hasn’t been set aside.

Handy Tip:

Marinated meat needs to be treated differently. First of all, don’t pour marinade over the meat while it’s cooking, as this makes the meat stew and causes flare-ups. To keep the meat moist, brush it with a little of the marinade as it cooks. Always make sure to avoid brushing it on the meat during the last minutes of cooking time.

For more information, visit the Silver Fern Farms website.