THERE’S NOTHING LIKE the smell of the BBQ heating up to really feel like summer’s here.

We know – summer in Ireland is not reliable at the best of times, but we do get some nice days and when we do, we take advantage of it in a way only a sun-starved nation can.

With BBQ.

Aw, yeah.

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We want to know how you BBQ in style in the comments below, but first a quick round-up of some of our ideas of how to hold the best BBQ evah.

1. Hot hot heat

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No, we’re not talking about the weather – although that always helps.

Your grill needs a while to heat up, so factor that in when you’re calculating what time dinner will be ready at.

You don’t want your coals to be ‘flaming’ – the hottest heat comes when the coals are white hot, that is – grey and glowing.

2. Marinade

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Ok, chances are you’ll realise at 3pm that it’s hot enough for a BBQ and your meat will be lucky to be salted before hitting that grill, but planning a little in advance if at all possible and leaving your meat to sit for a few hours, or ideally overnight, in a marinade – even one as simple as BBQ sauce, will make all the difference when it’s cooked.

3. Brush away…

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When you’re marinading your meat, save a little marinade to brush over the meat as it’s cooking – it’s add extra layers of flavour on top of what you’re already getting from the meat and smoke.

So, now tell us – what are your best BBQ tips? Let us know in the comments below.