The Great Australian BBQ
Good news, everyone! Barbies are back! This year’s COVID-19 concerns mean we can spend more time enjoying this great Australian pastime. We are very excited about this week’s article because we love our barbeques! Here are some great tips to have the perfect Australian BBQ:
HOW TO PREP YOUR BARBEQUE FOR BBQ SEASON
Our barbeques have been in quarantine all winter. Before you head to the butchers to get that T-bone, you will have to clean it first. Cleaning the BBQ will take time, but it is super easy.
What you will need:
Source: Bunnings
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How to clean your BBQ
- Before you start cleaning your BBQ, check to make sure the gas nozzle is turned off.
- Check to make sure there are no leaks or cracks in your gas cylinder or rubber hose. Check the ignition.
- Clean the drip tray. Use the grill brush to remove stubborn grease. Wipe clean with BBQ wipes.
- Fill the laundry tub with warm water and dishwashing liquid. Scrape off any grease with the scraper. Remove the grills and put them in the soapy water making sure you wash both sides of the grill. Leave to soak while you carry on the other tasks.
- Wash the rest of the BBQ. Barbeque wipes are great for this task.
- Line the drip tray with aluminium foil. Sprinkle some fat absorber onto it. Fat absorbers resemble cat litter, but they are a great way to absorb fat, eliminate flare-ups and minimise odour.
- Spray the grill with cooking oil. Dry-off with a paper towel.
- Your barbeque is now ready for the grilling season!
THE BEST MEATS FOR BARBEQUE
This section is for meat-lovers.
Beef cuts for barbeque
Cuts of beef vary in price according to tenderness and taste. But that does not mean cheaper cuts like rump are not delicious.
Our favourite beef cuts for the barbeque:
Rump steak – is a cheaper cut and a popular cut served in our local bars. Rump steak is lean, full-flavoured and firmer in texture than a fillet.
Sirloin steak – is also known as porterhouse or New York steak. This is a good choice of cut for the home barbeque because it is lean, tender and juicy.
Fillet steak or eye fillet or tenderloin is an expensive cut but is supremely lean with a mild and subtle flavour. Suitable if you want to impress or to indulge in a superior quality steak.
Scotch fillet or rib-eye can be boneless or with bone. It is a popular steak for home barbeques because it is juicy and meaty.
T-bone steak is the quintessential Aussie BBQ steak because it packs a punch and is tender and juicy
Flat iron steak is an oyster blade steak. It has a hearty beef flavour and is best cooked in medium-hot heat.
How to cook steaks on the barbeque
Looking for the best cut for your recipe. Try the free Meat Cuts app on Apple App Store and Google Play.
Looking for some simple but delicious barbeque steak recipes to try for your Spring
How to cook ribs
Baby back ribs and spareribs are two different cuts from the same slab of meat. Spareribs are cut from the bottom of the ribcage and can include the brisket. Baby back ribs are cut from the top of the ribcage near the backbone. Both are equally delicious if you know how to prepare and cook them.
Here are some useful tips for preparing ribs to barbeque:
- Remove the membrane: Slide a knife under the membrane. Lift and peel.
- Trim away fat, loose bits of bone, and dangling meat.
- Season the ribs on the meaty side and press lightly with your fingertips to pat the spices down.
- Ribs are cooked when they have shrunk at least a centimetre from the ends of the bones.
How to master smoke
Smoke adds a whole new flavour profile to your barbequed meats. It is important to match the right type of wood to the right food and your taste. Refer to the chart above for the best flavour combinations. You can also add fruit juice, herbs, and spices to enhance the flavours. Hardwood is recommended for barbeques. Softwood like pine should not be used in barbeques because they create a bitter taste. Treated wood should never be used in cooking because they can produce harmful toxic smoke.
Wood chips – Wood chips are good for quick cooking. Soak for at least 20 mins before smoking to prevent burning.
Wood chunks – are better for long cooking like slow roasts. They do not require a pre-soak before use.
Easy way to smoke food on your barbeque
The easiest way to smoke food on your barbeque is to use a smoker box and some wood chips. Soak the wood chips for at least 20 minutes or up to 2-3 hours for the best results. Preheat the grill and place the smoker box directly on the grill closer to the hood. Once the barbeque begins to smoke, place the meat on the hotplate beside the smoker. The meat will cook slowly using indirect heat. Always keep the hood closed when smoking.
How to barbeque seafood
Prawn on the barbie is quintessentially Aussie. Apart from prawns, you can also grill a range of other seafood including fish, calamari, crayfish, crabs and so forth.
Here are some ways to barbeque seafood.
Prawns
- Heat the BBQ to high.
- To butterfly prawns. Lay the prawn on a chopping board. Place your flat hand on top of the prawn to hold it in place and use a sharp knife to cut horizontally along the shell. Cut through the flesh from top to tail.
- Drizzle oil. Season with salt and pepper and a dash of lemon juice.
- Barbeque the prawns on direct heat for 2 mins.
Crayfish
- Heat the BBQ to medium heat.
- Use a large knife or cleaver to cut the crayfish in half.
- Scoop out the yellow/brown tomalley and remove the intestinal veins.
- Coat the crayfish with oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- Put the crayfish flesh side down directly on the grill.
- Close the lid. Cook for 3 mins.
- Flip onto the shell side and cook for another 3 mins.
Crab
- Heat the BBQ to medium heat.
- Wash and season the crabs.
- Fresh crabs should take 12 to 15 mins to cook on the grill.
- If you are barbequing fresh crabs, scald in hot water first to stun the crab.
- If barbequing frozen crab, thaw for 24 hours in the fridge first.
Looking for some first-class barbeque seafood recipes to try this spring? Here are two recipes from Firedoor’s Lennox Hastie – grilled mud crab, rye bread, creme fraiche and lime; and grilled barramundi with fennel and native herbs.
Barbeque vegetables
Chargrilled vegetables are delicious and healthy. Drizzle some olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and your choice of herbs for a great barbeque. Serve with homemade salsa verde. Get creative with your vegetables. Try experimenting with radicchio, romaine lettuce, asparagus spears, kale, and even avocado.
Our recommendation:
Yotam Ottolenghi’s baby peppers with grilled bread and salsa verde. Get the recipe here.
Share your Spring BBQ images with us here.
Happy Spring to all our wonderful parents and students!