It’s that time of year to pull out your tongs and fire up the BBQ, but there are few must do things to pull off the best Aussie BBQ, be that just for the family or for when you are having a few mates around.

• Prime Position

Make sure you have chosen the perfect place for the BBQ in your yard.  Sure, you can go all technical and make sure it is in a well ventilated spot, but the real secret…. put the BBQ in the focus spot of the party so that the gang can congregate around the BBQ to chat, hold the tongs, have a beer or to tell you how to cook the perfect steak.

• Turn the meat….

The great debate over every BBQ is how often you should turn your meat.  Many will say only turn it once, whilst others will argue that you should be turning it often, even every 30 seconds.  One thing for sure, use tongs so that you can turn quickly and not lose the moisture in the steak… and don’t poke and prod your steak to much. 

• Have a little variety

Don’t just stick to the steaks and snags, why not add a little variety to your BBQ.  Skewers are always a hit and great for any guests who are vegetarian.  Try some marinated chicken or even a pizza if you have the right gear.  Remember that BBQing is not just for meat, why not cook some mangos, bananas or pineapple for a little BBQ dessert.

• Get your tools of the trade

The ultimate Aussie BBQ means having that favourite pair of tongs, a great spatula or even an egg ring for perfectly round fried eggs.  What is your favourite tool?  Maybe you have a brand new scraper that cleans your BBQ up like a dream.  Another great conversational piece are your tools of the trade. 

• Give it a rest

We know that everyone is hungry and wants to get stuck into your seriously good BBQing, but if you want them to rave about your BBQ for years to come, then let your meat rest for a few minutes before serving.  Sure everyone will protest, but it will be worth making them wait.  Allowing the meat to rest allows the juices to be reabsorbed by the meat so it doesn’t dry out and allows the meat to ‘relax’ so tell everyone to just chill.

• When it’s hot, make sure you also chill

Every good BBQ also needs a few quiet and cold drinks to go with it, so make sure you have your esky game on point.  Not only do you have enough eskies so that a cold drink is within arms-reach for everyone, make sure you have plenty of ice.  It is easy to get all hot with the BBQ, but you certainly don’t want your drinks in the heat, so grab an extra bag of ice just in case.

• Be a BBQ Bestie

When the BBQ is over, don’t walk away from your BBQ and not give it the attention it deserves.  When it is still warm, brush it off to remove any residue.  Empty the drip tray, maybe line it with aluminium foil for the next time for an easier clean.  When BBQ is cool, then wash it with some soapy water and a sponge.  Then make sure you give it a spray with cooking spray or vegetable oil over the plate and it will prevent rusting.  Then your BBQ is all set for the next great BBQ…. Maybe even tomorrow!

So this summer, throw another snag on the BBQ for that unexpected guest (even if it is a friendly bird) and grab some cold drinks and few mates and continue the every summer BBQ arguments on is it 6 and out or not and should you turn steak more than once!