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3 ways to be barbecue ready for summer

Beyond grabbing some steak and snags. - by Better Homes and Gardens
  • 02 Oct 2018
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.
Barbeque

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.
Salad

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.

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