You can make

a simple holiday meal a gourmet event on the barbecue. But before you

break out the charcoal and the funny hat, here are some things to consider.

* Marinades:

the longer something sits in a marinade, the stronger the flavor. Marinades

with an acid content like citrus or tomato juice act as a natural tenderizer.

Therefore, dense meat like beef benefits from overnight marinating, whereas

seafood, being porous, should marinate only about 20 minutes. Any marinating

time over 15-20 minutes should be done in the refrigerator.

* Never leave

a grill unattended, as it will get very hot and can cause burns. Flair-ups

are common and could start a fire. Always keep a fire extinguisher handy.

* Before you

start, clean the grill with a long-handled wire brush on a heated surface.

* Fire up the

grill in advance. When the charcoal is hot it will have a thin white ash

coating.

* While it's

heating, prepare your food. Make sure it's at room temperature before

cooking (but don't let it sit longer than 20 to 30 minutes), and trim

any excess fat off the meat.

* As a general

rule, cook thin pieces of meat at a high temperature and fast, grill thicker

pieces slowly on indirect heat so the inside can cook completely.