Barbecue secrets from Tawan's Corner Bar and Bistro

We pride ourselves on producing high quality tasty barbecue and we have had many customers ask us how we manage to get our barbecued meat tasting so juicy. It is just a case of selecting the best cuts of meat, preparing them well and making sure that it is cooked properly without being overcooked.

Tawan's Corner Bar purchases all its pork and chicken from Makro because we select each piece. This not only means that we can make sure we have the best but also that it is the best size which is vital particularly when barbecuing. While many people like to use thinner cuts because they are easier to cook it makes it also makes it virtually impossible to retain the juices. We try to keep our chicken and pork to at least 10mm and preferably 15mm after it has been manually tenderized.

Yes that is right we beat all of our meat because it allows us to ensure that the thickness is as even as possible. It also improves the penetration of our marinade that then allows the entire piece of meat to be flavored. The combination of marinade and tenderizing make a huge difference and only take a few minutes yet gives a fabulous improvement even to lower quality pieces of meat.

Marinating does not need to be complicated and you can use anything that you have on hand including vinegar, fruit juices or wine as an acidic base while a great way to add an exotic flavor is to use fish sauce or soy sauce instead of salt. Onions, garlic, chillies and tomatoes all help to add flavor and tenderize the meat and even using a very small amount can have subtle but tasty results when you bite into your perfectly cooked meat.

Cooking meat on the barbecue can be difficult if you do not know how to tell if the meat is cooked. The most common result is overcooked meat that is tough and chewy. The first pro tip is to take your finger and poke the meatiest part of your cheek. That soft squishy feeling is very similar to uncooked or undercooked meat, be it beef, pork or chicken. Compare that to the meaty area between your thumb and first finger that when poked has a slightly springy feel.

When cooking the meat it is important to poke it with your finger to feel as it gradually cooks. We would recommend that when you think the meat is ready ie starting to spring pack when poked that you cut into the meatiest part and check to see that it is not pink for chicken or pork  slightly pink from medium beef. It is important to remember that the meat will not stop cooking once it is taken off the heat so always take that into account for the best results.

The last pro tip is to ALWAYS rest your meat. It doesn't matter what meat it will hugely benefit from either resting under some aluminum foil or as we do at Tawan's in a warm oven at 100 to 120 degrees centigrade. We do this in the restaurant as a final quality control step where each portion is check to make sure it is cooked properly before being added to the serving area.

• Thicker cuts
• Tenderize
• Marinate
• Do not under or overcook
• Rest the meat before serving

If you are near Prachasamphan Road in Chiang Mai on a Friday night the you can see our barbecue in action. You can call us on 093167 3266 or email us at tawanscornerbar@gmail.com .