3 ways to be barbecue ready for summer

Summer’s coming, and that means barbecue-fuelled feasts in the great outdoors. Embrace your inner masterchef and get grilling.

1. Start with a pristine cooktop. Even if you left your barbecue clean pre-winter, it could have accumulated dust, spiders and other things that won’t enhance your food offerings.

Check the gas bottle. If it looks rusty or damaged in any way, replace it. Ask your local council for ways to dispose of the old cylinder safely.
Check the fittings for leaks, including the hose and connectors, by spraying on a solution of soapy water and looking for escaping bubbles.
Look over your barbecue fittings such as the grill and flame tamers to ensure they are in good condition, and order replacements if not.
Make sure the gas cylinder is turned off and give the tray, grills and hotplate a good scrub with hot, soapy water. Rinse well and allow to air dry. Spray a light coating of cooking oil over the (cold) grills and wipe off any excess with paper towel.
Clean the outside of the barbecue and replace the fat absorber. Exchange the old hotplate liner with a new one, and if your barbecue has volcanic rocks, replace them.
Maintain the barbecue by cleaning the plates after every cooking session, and replace the fat absorber regularly to prevent fat flare-ups.

2. Add some accessories to take your grilling beyond steak and snags. Try these:

Pop in a smoker box to give your gas barbecue cooking a delicious, wood-fired taste.
Use skewers! Metal reusable ones or wooden ones, pre-soaked in water prior to cooking, are brilliant for kebabs. A winner at parties.
Beautiful roasts can be cooked to perfection in a hooded barbecue with a roasting rack and tray. Use a digital cooking thermometer for perfect results.
Use a wire frame to grill whole fish or a rib rack for – umm, ribs.
Invest in a pizza stone to transform your barbecue into a pizza oven – or look to a pizza box for cooking pizzas, baking biscuits, roasting fish and more.
Plant up a selection of herbs in a pot ready to snip and add to your cooking, and place nearby.

9 home improvements that aren’t worth doing yourself

Get fit this summer with your own home gym set-up

front of house with painted stencilled floor in blue and aquaa. Aqua painted front door

How to stencil and paint a concrete patio

5 ways to stop deck rot in its tracks

Bathroom vanity with round mirror, vase with flowers, bottles, and woven lamp on dark countertop.

DIY Editor’s thrifty $100 bathroom reno turns trash into treasure

Get bushfire ready and learn how to clean your gutters properly

10 simple steps to DIY the perfect pup pad

raised garden beds made of slate stone with small trellis' on them. surrounded by leafy green hedging and small trees with potted plants dotting the space.

How to create an outdoor living space that will become your sanctuary

5 ways you can use shelving to make a statement

3. Expand your culinary horizons. There are all sorts of things that can be cooked on a barbecue. A few ideas:

Marinades are your sous-chef for meat, fish and veggies, helping you deliver ever-tastier dishes.
Use a covered barbecue to bake smores – it takes away the fun of losing your marshmallows in the campfire, but who cares?
Grill witlof as a base for a chef-worthy Smokey Caesar salad.
Use a grill basket to toast olives as a piquant addition to a plate of antipasti.
Thread pineapple cubes on skewers and grill for a divine dessert.

Better Homes and Gardens

Better Homes and Gardens promotes inspired living for home loving Australians. With a total audience reach of over six million, Better Homes and Gardens is the country’s original and most successful multi-platform brand, combining a TV show, power-house print magazine and thriving digital and social platforms.

Instagram Facebook