Lack of sleep

Your regular backyard cook is no expert in the barbecue or grilling field. He has no shows on the Food Network. He's got no barbecuing cookbooks out. Nor has any of those been part of his lifetime goal.

No, your average outdoor cooking lover makes more mistakes with bbq grilling than you could ever envision. The beef ultimately ends up dry and tough time after time, despite marinating for a long time. Or the meat is burnt or cooked too long.

These mistakes are occur time and again as your average backyard cook usually does not know any different. He does not automatically have learned to barbecue.

Here are some of the more common mistakes and do's and don'ts made in barbecue grill cooking:

1) If you began with frozen meat, ensure the meat is thawed completely. Trying to cook the inside of a still-frozen part of meat is next to impossible without burning the outside.

2) When using a charcoal grill, try to start off the flame without charcoal lighter fluid. Lighter fluid flavor will always get into your meat no matter how much you cook the coals down first. A chimney starter makes beginning the fire a breeze. It also allows you to add charcoal along the way if the hot coals burn up along the way.

3) Never poke the bbq meat with a fork after cooking has begun. This is one of the most usual mistakes and one of the most deadly for your barbecue. When poking with a fork, the tasty mix will get out of the meat and straight into the bottom of the barbecue pit or grill. Your meat will be dry and less tender. Use a long pair of tongs to turn the meat.

4) Lower the heat. Except for grilled meats, that require a quick searing, cook slowly over low to medium heat. Lower heat is much more manageable and it will make the meat soft and juicy.

5) Quit lifting the lid to look at the meat. Each time you do that it alters the temperature inside the bbq grill or pit. Air from you opening the lid acts like a sponge and dries the meat up. Opening the lid also increases your odds of flare-ups.

6) This is more of a food safety mistake. Do not put the cooked meat back on the same dish or platter which the raw meat was on without cleaning it first. Mixing the cooked with the raw simply begs for someone to get sick.

7) After removing the meat from the bbq grill or pit, let it rest for at around 5-10 minutes. Cutting into or chopping the meat soon after pulling it from the cooker will cause all the juices to flow out of the meat and onto the plate.

Of course, these are not all of the mistakes made by the inexperienced backyard cook, but are a few of the more common. But if you will prevent doing these yourself, you will get rid of many of the things that cause barbecue failures.

Your guests and family members will ponder how come your grilled or barbecued meat is so much better then it used to be. And, who knows? Maybe the Food Network will come looking for you (bring it on Bobby Flay!).

It's barbecuing season... are you ready? Late summer and early fall is my favorite time of the year as it's full of soccer, friends and lots of great food! Ensure you get a good portable grill for tailgating or camping or going to the park. The Weber Baby Q is the best portable gas grill, but there are lots of good lightweight charcoal grills too. Happy grilling!

Ceramic Grills: The Big Green Egg Cooker Vs. Other BBQ Grills
If you love to grill, you've probably heard of the Big Green Egg smoker and grill. The versatility of the Big Green Egg - the ability to grill, smoke or bake with your Egg - makes this one of the best grills that you can buy...

All Clad Slow Cooker - Obtain Definite Quality In Addition To Comfort
A great kind of cooker is the All Clad electric slow cooker. It has a capacity of up to six point five quarts, the handles are made up of stainless steel.

Thanksgiving Wouldn't Be Thanksgiving Without A Turkey
Thanksgiving wouldn't be Thanksgiving without a turkey. I love turkey as much as the next person, but sometimes the Thanksgiving turkey can get a little boring.

Barbecue Grills: Which Grill Should You Buy, Charcoal Or Gas?
If you are shopping for a new grill, you will be faced with many options to choose between. However, there is one choice which you will need to make fairly quickly in your quest for the perfect grill. That decision is whether to buy a charcoal or gas grill.

Just How A Countertop Convection Oven Performs And Also The Reason Why Each House Needs One
A countertop convection oven functions just the same as a normal oven, except that it has a fan inside the chamber that circulates the hot air around.

Weber 371001: Gaining Smokehouse Flavour At Home
If you want to smoke your own meats at home, but have failed at it in the past, or you are scared that you might fail at it, then I know just the thing for you!

Scanpan Reviews Of Course Talk About The Good Quality, Non-Stick Traits Of This Fabulous Cookware
If you have read the numerous Scanpan reviews out there on the internet then you would no doubt know by now that Scanpan is a very trusted brand in the cookware industry for a number of very good reasons.

Just How A Countertop Convection Oven Operates And What You Should Look For When Buying One.
A countertop convection oven is a great appliance that everyone should have in their home. They are much better than traditional ovens, because they use convection as a way to cook.

Why Use The Old Smokey Electric Smoker
For many people when they go to make something in a smoker it can be difficult to figure out how to do it properly. This is when some people will need to know about why to use the Old Smokey electric smoker.