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Strewth mate, it’s hotter than a shearer’s armpit don’t ya reckon? So if you’re feeling drier than the Simpson Desert and as hungry as a vegetarian at an Aussie barbeque convention, it’s time to crack open a cold one and crank up the Barbie. Let’s take a look at my top tips on what makes a great barbeque Australian style.

Top Tip 1: Get those beers in an esky* and “on ice” – down under, only amateurs put their beers in a fridge, nothing tastes like ice cold beer.

Top Tip 2: If your using gas get some fatty meat (burgers, lamb or pork chops etc) in the mix for good smoky flavour. If you’re using charcoal, let it burn until the flames have subsided and the charcoal is white and glowing before putting your meat on the barbecue or your meat will be charcoal!

Top Tip 3: Aldi’s Garlic and Herb Spatchcock Chicken is my favourite barbecue product. Cook it slowly on the top warming area of your gas barbecue with the hood closed for 45minutes and then cook on the barbecue grill for 5 minutes a side. Then serve with baked baby potatoes and a side salad.

Top Tip 4: Pile those onions while cooking rather than spreading them. This allows them to steam as they cook and caramelise. Cook slowly until plenty of blackened onions are in the mix for maximum flavour.

Top Tip 5: Cook that marinated chicken slowly (30 minutes approx.) on the top shelf of a gas barbeque with the hood closed before putting it on the hotplate. It will be tastier, will stop the marinade from burning, and your guests will go home alive.

Top Tip 6: Throw a few shrimps on the barbie. This is my all-time favourite and easiest barbecue recipe. Go to your local fish shop and buy 1kg of fresh green (raw) king prawns. Peel the prawns leaving the tails on only, and place in a bowl. Add 1lb of salted Irish butter and 5-6 cloves of crushed garlic and mix well with the prawns. Preheat your barbecue to as hot as it will go and add all of the prawns to the hotplate side of your barbecue (not grill plate) and cook for 1 minute while turning constantly. Remove from heat and enjoy. You will not be sorry!

Top Tip 7: Marinate those steaks the night before. Buy 1kg of good quality sirloin steak and marine overnight in 1/3 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce, 4 cloves of crushed garlic, and 1 Teaspoon of crushed black pepper. Then turn your gas barbecue as hot as it will go and cook your steaks 3 minutes a side and allow to rest for steak perfection.

Top Tip 8: Chicken Tikka Shish Kebabs Rock! Spiced really works well on a Barbecue. Step 1, soak some kebab sticks in water. Then dice 750g chicken breast into 3cm cubes, make large onion squares from 3 large onion, and wash a few punnets of baby tomatoes. Place a piece of chicken, a few squares of onion and a cherry tomato on the shish sticks and repeat until all the sticks are filled and all your ingredients have gone. Next, make the chicken tikka marinate (you’ll find all of these ingredients in your local Asian supermarket). Mix in a bowl the juice of two lemons, 1 tablespoon salt, 250ml (1 cup) plain yogurt, 2 tablespoons garlic puree, 1 tablespoon ginger puree, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 tablespoon ground coriander, 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon citric acid powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon salt (more or less to taste), 2 green chillies finely chopped, and 1 bunch of coriander leaves finely chopped. Brush this generously over the kebabs and allow to marinate for 2-3 hours. Preheat your barbeque and place on the top warming area of your gas barbecue with the hood closed for 25minutes and then cook on the barbecue grill for 10 minutes while constantly turning. My mouth is watering just thinking about these shish kebabs!

Top Tip 9: Spice up those homemade burgers. My burger recipe is legendary, and making homemade burgers with a spicy twist really adds some serious flavour to your barbecue. To 500g of good quality round mince steak add two tablespoons of freshly ground cumin, one teaspoon of chilli powder, one teaspoon of salt, one slice of bread blitzed into breadcrumbs and four tablespoons of tomato ketchup. Mix well and mould into burger sized patties, cook and enjoy with tomato relish, sliced Irish cheddar, lettuce and tomato and a toasted Brioche burger bun. Flamin’ good!

Top Tip 10: Dessert! Get 1 ripe banana per guest, and slice in half lengthways. Barbecue for 4-5minutes on each side and serve with vanilla ice-cream for a delicious hot/cold dessert combo. An Aussie classic!

All this talk of food has made me hungry, time to turn on the Barbie, Later ‘gators!

*Translation: Cool Box