King Charles’s former chef reveals one BBQ mistake many make

With temperatures set to rise and sunshine forecast across much of the UK this weekend, many households will be dusting off their barbecues for the first big cookout of the summer. But according to a former chef to King Charles III, one common mistake could be ruining people’s burgers, sausages and steaks before they even hit the grill.

Visen Anenden, the former head chef at Highgrove, has shared his top barbecue tips ahead of the warm weather, including one common mistake that risks undercooking your food.

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Speaking to Heart Bingo Online, Visen said one of the biggest errors people make is failing to let meat reach room temperature before cooking.

He said: “It should come out about 30 to 45 minutes beforehand so it reaches room temperature.”

According to the former royal chef, allowing meat to warm slightly before cooking helps it cook more evenly and reduces the risk of the outside burning while the inside remains undercooked.

Visen also stressed the importance of understanding heat control when using a barbecue, whether cooking with gas, charcoal or briquettes.

“With charcoal, people often spread it too evenly,” he said.

“It’s better to let it burn down properly, then push it to one side or manage zones of heat. If it’s all directly under the food, you risk burning the outside while leaving the inside undercooked.”

He added that many people also underestimate the importance of using the barbecue lid properly.

“With a covered barbecue, you want to maintain a steady temperature, usually around 180 to 200 degrees for most foods,” he explained.

“That allows the heat to circulate and cook things evenly rather than blasting them from below.”

Even sausages, he said, do not need to be heavily charred to cook properly.

“As long as the heat is controlled and you keep turning them, they’ll cook perfectly well,” he added.

Alongside his cooking advice, Visen also shared simple ways to elevate classic barbecue favourites without making things overly complicated.

For burgers, he recommends pressing finely sliced raw onions directly onto the meat before grilling to create extra flavour as they quickly sear into the patty.

He also suggested adding toppings such as light cheese, pickled jalapeños, gherkins and beetroot slaw to transform even basic supermarket burgers into something more impressive.

“Sausages are similar, just don’t whack the heat up too high or make things too complicated for yourself,” he said.

With gardens and parks expected to fill up as the warm weather arrives, Visen’s advice could help amateur grillers avoid some of the most common barbecue disasters this weekend.