As our community know too well, we LOVE a barbecue.
Electric, coal, rustic fire pit, you name it, we just cannot get enough of them.
At our monthly Mr Perfect BBQs across the country in 35+ locations, we tend to keep it simple and delicious with snags, but some can be adventurous and are even part of BBQ clubs and competitions.
So it made sense to reach out to some BBQ experts and ask them their top tips for summer barbecuing:
Victorinox
Darren O’Rourke (Head Butcher of Victor Churchill & Vic’s Meat & Victorinox Ambassador)
- Failing to prepare is preparing to fail – to savour time socialising with guests out on the patio, I make sure I sort the salads and sides inside and assemble all the tools around the BBQ, so there’s no popping in and out of the kitchen.
- Get out of your comfort zone – “The fun thing about gathering around a BBQ is getting out of your comfort zone. Experimenting with the smoky flavours and different food groups is the best bit about barbecuing!”
- Making the cut – one rule of thumb before dishing up some real BBQ goodness is to let the meat sit for one third of the time spent on the grill. The last thing a barbecuer wants to hear is that his meat is dry. This process seals those juices for a mouth-watering dish.
Kingsford Charcoal
https://www.kingsfordcharcoal.com.au/
Adam Roberts (Co-Founder of Australasian Barbecue Alliance & Kingsford Charcoal Ambassador)
- Cheaper cuts of meat can be super flavourful – hat is unknown is that some of the cheapest cuts of meat are under-rated. Chicken wings are a cheaper cut of meat and if done properly, you can get a super flavourful taste, they are also a great value for money. Artisan sausages are also a cheaper cut of meat, but when cooked in a smoker or on the BBQ paired with quality charcoal briquettes like Kingsford Charcoal, you can get a juicy tray of flavoursome sausages.
- Seasoning your meat is essential – seasoning your meat is a step most people tend to forget before adding to their grill. Make sure you sprinkle a decent amount of kosher salt, fresh cracked black pepper and a pinch of brown sugar to the meat a few minutes before cooking. This can turn a good quality piece of steak into a delicious, amazing steak with very little effort.
- Experiment with different flavours – testing out new flavours and techniques can help you enhance your barbecuing skills, so try something new that you haven’t done before. You know what they say, practice makes perfect!
The Outdoor Chef
https://theoutdoorchef.com.au/
- Keep the lid closed to lock in moisture in the food along with that delicious smokey flavour.
- Always oil your food, not the grill. Oiling the grill results in a lot of unnecessary smoke.
- Get yourself a good food temperature probe so you know exactly when it is time to take it off the grill.
Cleaver’s Organic
https://cleaversorganic.com.au/
Ryan McBurney (Chef & Cleaver’s Organic Ambassador)
- Use charcoal – consider alternatives to using gas as your fuel source. You get the best results with lump charcoal and natural wood coals. I would recommend you use a purpose-built coal BBQ and allow time to prepare coals for the grilling process. Different woods can impart subtle flavours to the grilled meat.
- Be organised – grilling is generally a fast process, so have the necessary equipment on hand when you start so you can focus on cooking the meat perfectly. It helps if your BBQ is on level ground to avoid oil/fat running into potentially dangerous areas. If you’re cooking multiple batches of different meats, have a moist cloth you can pick up with tongs to quickly wipe the grill clean between batches.
- Season before cooking – oil and season meat and ingredients immediately before placing on the grill, this is best done in a designated tray. Cleaver’s kebabs are marinated for you already.
To find a Mr Perfect BBQ near you click here.