Ditch the sweet marinades – the sugar/honey is apt to burn anyway – and opt for a dry brine. All this translates to is a generous salting all over. The day prior, or at least a few hours beforehand, remove the meat from any plastic wrapping, dry off any excess moisture with some paper towel and sprinkle some fine salt all over and I do mean all over.
This salt will dry out some moisture as well add seasoning to the meat without masking the innate meatiness. Most of the salt will come off in the cooking so don’t panic that it’ll taste overly salty. Another pro move if you’re wanting to add further flavour dimension is to brush a sauce like a herby mustard or bbq style sauce across the cooked meat while it’s resting.
The choice of protein is purely personal of course, assuming you swing that way. Nothing is out of reach as far as I’m concerned though certain cuts are more straightforward than others. If your bbq has a lid, you can stretch that bracket further. My bbq is electric due to wind issues where we live that make a gas model unviable.
Recently, I particularly enjoy cooking a larger format steak like rump or even a tomahawk to share amongst a few of us. Maybe a few pork chipolatas, some delicate lamb merguez or perhaps a couple of smoky thick chorizo to accompany.
I still remember the first time I ate ‘chicken under a brick’ prepared by an Italian chef friend and yes, he used an actual brick with the concession to wrapping it in foil. Firstly, spatchcock your bird, season well then add to your oiled hot flat grill and weigh it down with said brick or a cast iron pan if you don’t fancy using an actual brick. The increased surface area contact will give you the crispiest exterior as long as you leave it well enough alone; resist the urge to keep poking and moving it around. So many flavours come to mind with poultry – tarragon/lemon, za’atar, miso/confit garlic butter, harissa and so on and so on.
Kangaroo loin is also very suited to a bbq’s quick cook at a high heat. The key to success with such lean cuts of meat is not to overcook (lest they dry out) and rest well for the flesh to come back to a relaxed state.
Fancy some fish instead? I do favour a whole fish as opposed to fillets. Choose the size and species that you prefer. I used to commonly use a local rainbow trout as the size was perfect for two of us and it was easy to manoeuvre on the grill. Mostly I’ll tuck a few lemon slices and whatever herbs I have to hand inside the gutted fish, wrap it in baking paper then foil and cook it over a medium heat. No only do you get a little visual spectacle when you unwrap your meal but it’s a simple way to achieve truly tender fish in a few minutes.
Get some pork on your fork? Loin chops are an obvious choice but you could equally slow braise some shoulder or belly and finish off on the grill for extra flavour and colour. Same idea with ribs. These cuts need a long cook to tenderise but that also means you can get most of the cooking out of the way a day or two prior and still produce a meal with wow factor on bbq day. This is where your barbecue and hot sauces will really shine. Blend a hot sauce with a little peach jam and glaze your pre-cooked pork to your hearts content.
Pre-cooking is a great move for many vegetables as well. Carrots, sweet potato, beetroot, pumpkin all benefit for cooking them most of the way through before finishing on the grill for a little char. If I have any spring onions left in the fridge they will end up on the grill also as they wilt down beautifully. I’ll also use a small cast iron pan to contain more unruly vegetables like cabbage, zucchini, onion, capsicum.
I have a really fond memory of there often being skewers (probably called shasliks) on the barbecues of my youth. Maybe it’s an unreliable memory, but it still inspires nonetheless. While I think they were something as simple as diced beef fillet, mushroom and capsicum or onion, imagination has no limits. I like the following as starting points: chicken/pineapple/chunk of bacon/bbq sauce, lamb/red onion/green capsicum/sumac, shelled prawns/discs of corn on the cob/red capsicum. You can even char your pitas/wraps/tortillas to serve alongside.
More often than not, we cook up halloumi as well; this is never not a hit. I would advise against buying the small 250g-ish packs and go straight for the 1kg instead. Slice off and cook up only what you need and the rest will keep for a couple of weeks easy enough if wrapped well.
Cook the cheese on the flat grill til brown and crispy then simply squeeze some lemon over and top with herbs or a salsa (orange & olive works well) or even a caper vinaigrette. Push the boat out a bit more by combining with your favourite fresh vegetables for a warm salad.
Another easy win has to be a handful or two of mild green peppers (Spanish padron or the slightly sweeter Asian shishito). These capsicum cousins enjoy a lick of flame to really unleash their earthy palate.
Bet you didn’t think I was going to include dessert but it’s totally doable on a barbie too. My go-to is fruit kebabs (think cubes of pineapple, stone fruit, strawberries) then brush them liberally with a brown sugar balsamic glaze towards the end of the time on the grill.
– Heat your grill and give it a good clean before you start. I use a metal scraper to begin, followed up by a little oil and paper towel.
– Not all bbq cooking has to be at a high heat. Have different areas of grill at different temperatures to help you manage cooking. If it’s getting too much heat, move that item to a cooler spot to rest. I’ve used my fire pit to slow cook a whole baby pumpkin stuffed with rice, herbs and seeds in a small lidded cast iron pan. Consider putting your therapeutic fire pit to work.
– Balance the cooked components of your meal with something fresh maybe raw like salads, salsas, herbs etc.
– Our (electric) bbq lives on top of bench which is on wheels so I can move it to wherever my guests are seated. That way I can cook and chat at same time. I hate missing out. I pre-prep most of my ingredients for the very same reason.
– I’ll often use my bbq on weeknights when I want to cook something quickly at a high heat without setting off the apartment’s smoke alarm. Yes, this is from experience.
Eating solo means eating however I like and that includes licking the plate. I’ve never been one for breakfast in the morning, yet I’ll happily tuck into bacon and eggs at 3 p.m. And let’s be real—who hasn’t eaten cereal for dinner?
Even after years in the food industry, I sometimes lose my mojo. What I have learned is to ditch the judgement—internal or external—and embrace food as something fluid, adaptable, and, above all, satisfying.
After years in hospitality and catering, these are my best tips for helping everything run smooth, whatever the occasion. And most importantly, be present and enjoy yourself. It’s supposed to be fun after all.