How to pull off the perfect summer BBQ
Summer is in full swing, so naturally, having a BBQ is the first thing on our minds. We asked our resident BBQ guru, founder & CEO, Anthony Puharich, what his top tips are for pulling off the ultimate summer BBQ so you can plan your next big feast with ease!
Be prepared!
Avoid the stress of running around in the sweltering heat, frantically trying to grasp the last pack of sausages and make sure you visit your butcher (or shop online!) a couple of days before. You'll want to let them know how many guests you're feeding but we recommend around 300g of meat per person.
Variety is the spice of life
“I love the smorgasbord style of barbequing, where there’s a bit of everything,” he says.
Have some fun and serve a few different variations of meat, it's handy to give your guests options and keeps it interesting! Think about serving a variety of beef, pork, lamb and sauasges.
Lock in your steaks first
When it comes to choosing your beef, Anthony's go-to cuts are Scotch Fillet, Rib Eye and, his personal favourite, the classic T-bone.
“You get the best of both worlds,” he says. “You get the sirloin on one side and the eye fillet on the other. And T-bone tends to barbeque really nicely because it’s got the bone on it. Anything with the bone in it generally tastes juicier.”
If you're on a tighter budget or prefer flavour over tenderness you can't go past a Rump Steak.
Once you've chosen your steaks it's time to pick out the rest - Lamb Cutlets and Pork Chops are always a hit and it wouldn't be an Aussie BBQ without some snags!
No time to choose? Grab The Big Vic BBQ Bundle Box.
Skewers are in!
Anthony is a big fan of skewers for an easy no fuss, casual BBQ, and big bonus they can be eaten straight off the skewer (less washing up!). If you're going for skewers choose a variety of great quality chicken, pork, beef and lamb.
Our top picks are the Lamb Tenderloin Skewers and Stone Axe Fullblood Wagyu Skewers.
Stand out from the crowd!
If you want to surprise your guests a leg of lamb is Anthony's current obsession. Although it’s often thought of as a roast, it is superb butterflied, marinated and cooked on the BBQ. Lamb leg is inexpensive, delicious and offers something a little different for your summer shindig.
Anthony's cooking tips: "Marinate the meat a few hours or the night before in rosemary, garlic, oil, salt and lemon, then bbq the whole lamb leg on a very hot BBQ, just as you would a steak. The fat gets nice and crispy, and the meat is tender, juicy and super tasty!"
Short on time? We've done the hard work for you with our Marinated Butterflied Leg of Lamb.
Cooking order matters
It's not a throw-everything-on-at-once affair. Thinner cuts need less time, so a bit of strategy is in order. Start with chicken, thick steaks, and sausages, and then move on to pork and lamb.
It's all about timing, with good thick sausages taking as long as a steak to cook, and chicken needing that extra time to cook right through. As for burgers, they fall in between, requiring two to three minutes on each side for a perfectly cooked 150-gram patty.
When it comes to steaks, it's all about the right thickness. Anthony recommends around two or three centimetres to allow the meat to grill nicely and develop a beautiful caramelised crust.
“You’ll be able to cook the steak long enough to create that, but also get to the desired level of doneness, which is medium-rare,” he says. “That’s the best point to be eating a piece of steak, because that’s when it’s the most juicy and flavoursome. That will give you the ultimate taste.”
Choose your sides thoughtfully
A fresh salad is always a winner, but you can also BBQ thick slices of zucchini, whole portabello mushrooms, or corncobs. And when it comes to sauces and condiments, don't go overboard - let those hero cuts shine and experience their unique flavour. Spice rubs and sauces work better for standard meat, you can however, choose something more subtle like a fresh chimichurri to accompany a hero steak.
Practice makes perfect!
“You might not nail it every time,” says Anthony, “but you’re learning from that previous experience. Don’t give up. Stay confident and just get more comfortable.”
And don't forget the cold beer!
If the beer is cold everything else will work out.
Check out our BBQ Season Collection for everything you need all in one place!
