The barbecue masters that won’t let winter stop them – words Alexa Wang
Most people are lightweight when it comes to the art of barbecuing. They dutifully drag the BBQ out for the first bright day of summer and invite friends and family around for a lacklustre helping of burnt sausages and frazzled burgers.
There is though a rare breed of men and women who take the art of the barbecue onto a much braver and more adventurous level. These are the barbecue masters who go to great lengths to master the craft.
No cheap frozen supermarket saver range burgers for them. These outdoor barbecue masters know what that hint of charcoal and charring can add to high quality ingredients. They barbecue all year-round too and not just the few sunny days of summer. There has been a rise in this new style of barbecuing and expectations are now being raised amongst younger people in particular. Even at festivals now you’ll find some imaginative BBQ fare such as spicey fusion style fresh meat served with chargrilled peppers on a hand-crafted bun.
It is the real pioneers though who are holding secret parties in warehouses and marques in forgotten sites up and down the country who are setting the pace. They might invite a friend to set up a sound system but the centre of the party will be the food.
Some of the best food for a barbecue you see is not a defrosted sausage that’d been on the freezes for six months. It is the food that can handle fast cooking that can fuel the best BBQ recipes. Prime cuts of steak are perfect for the barbie as quality meat doesn’t need to be cooked through and frazzled. So not only do you get the unique barbecue taste with quality meat you also don’t get the risk of a dodgy tummy the next day. Lamb steaks too are perfect for the barbecue with its higher fat content – much better than a dried up cheap burger any day. Even better if rubbed with salt and crushed red chilli. Whole fish too are perfect for the barbecue as the skin handles the heat and that chargrilled flavour still infuses the flesh.
There are many of these barbecue pioneers putting on their own parties or selling their wares at farmers makers and food fairs across the country. They don’t let winter stop them – they are made of sterner stuff than that. Keep your eyes peeled and your nose alert for these barbecue masters and check out how far they are pushing the art of the barbecue.
The barbecue masters that won’t let winter stop them – words Alexa Wang
