Masterclass

Barbecuing 101

We love a barbecue in Australia, but there are many opinions about how best to do it. Let’s separate fact from fiction.

The biggest mistake people make when barbecuing is not letting the barbecue heat up for long enough. When cooking with charcoal, allow the charcoal to burn for about 30 minutes to get the even heat you need.

If you’re using a gas barbecue, heat it for about 15 minutes before you start. A barbecue hotplate is usually made from a thick sheet of iron or steel, so it needs time to heat effectively and evenly.

To clean the barbecue, rule number one is to ignore most of what you see on social media from people recommending beer, ice or baking soda. For starters, the fact that they’re telling you to clean stainless-steel hotplates and cast-iron barbecues the same way should be a big red flag.

For stainless-steel hotplates your best bet is detergent, an abrasive sponge and a bit of elbow grease, just as you would clean a stainless-steel frying pan.

Most Aussie barbecues will have a cast-iron plate or grill, which is simple to clean. I buy a cheap wire brush with a scraper (make sure it has a wooden handle, not plastic).

• Start by heating the barbecue for about 15 minutes.
• Brush it to remove residue, and then you can start cooking.
• When you’re finished cooking, brush it again while it’s still warm, scraping off any troublesome bits.
• Continue to heat for about 10 minutes before brushing it a final time.

The residual oil used in cooking burns off and seasons the hotplate, leaving it perfectly clean and well-seasoned every time. This is perfect for regular use. About once or twice a year, I give my barbecue a deep clean with oven cleaner and a bit of a pressure wash.

Cooking big steaks

I’ve said quite a lot about cooking steak in a previous Masterclass, so I won’t repeat myself, but when barbecuing steak, there are a couple of things you might want to consider.

In my opinion, barbecued steaks are for sharing, so I recommend going big. I like a bone-in rib-eye up to about a kilo in weight. Tomahawks are popular and theatrical, but watch the pricing as they’re essentially a bone-in rib-eye with a longer (heavier) bone. Other alternatives include thick picanha(rump cap) steaks, T-bones, sirloins or a large hanger steak. I usually ask my butcher to cut me something to spec based on around 150g of meat per person.

When cooking a big steak, don’t panic. While it’s a bit more expensive to buy, it’s also more forgiving to cook. I think going slow and flipping often is your best bet. You’ll have to cook them for a while, so you don’t want the outside to burn. I’ve had great results cooking big steaks over low heat for 30 minutes or more to achieve medium-rare. If the internal temperature is right (checked either with a thermometer or by pressing), the outside looks nicely browned and you give it a good long rest, you’ll end up with a good steak.

After resting, return it to the barbecue for a few minutes to refresh the crust before slicing.

What is salmuera?

Salmuera is an Argentinian brine that is basted over grilled meats. Its primary functions are to season the meat and to cool the outside so that it doesn’t burn while the inside continues to cook.

This cooling effect is a good solution for cooking large pieces of meat over coals that can’t be easily adjusted. For cooking smaller steaks on a home barbecue, it’s often easy enough to simply move the meat to a cooler part of the barbecue.

However, salmuera is also used as a seasoning. While this recipe contains just salt and water, other versions can include herbs, aromatics such as onion and garlic, vinegar and oils. I encourage you to experiment with it as a seasoned and/or flavoured baste to see how you like it.

Chimichurri tips

When making chimichurri, don’t shred the herbs too finely. You get the most aroma from the herbs being left a little larger so that they release the aroma when you’re chewing, rather than when you’re chopping.

I’ve kept this recipe classic, but you could try adding different herbs, such as bay leaves, coriander, mint or tarragon. You could also include dried spices such as paprika and turmeric, or add grated eschalot, citrus juices or citrus peel.

This chimichurri recipe makes more than you need for the steak, but it will keep for up to two weeks in an airtight container in the fridge. It’s also delicious on grilled chicken, lamb and seafood.

Vinegar, the unsung hero

Vinegar is one of the most underrated ingredients in our kitchens. We mostly buy fairly generic varieties, but your choice of vinegar can entirely change a dish with its complexity, or its balance of sweetness and sourness.

Try making this chimichurri with a good cabernet or sherry vinegar instead of basic mass-produced red wine vinegar, and you’ll see what I mean.

While I currently count 11 different vinegars in my pantry, you don’t need to go that far. I do strongly recommend looking out for great vinegars to use in your cooking. I often find unique hand-made vinegars at farmers’ markets, and more small wineries are producing interesting vinegars as a byproduct of their wine production.