What to fire up on the BBQ this Australia Day
The 26th of January is a day to celebrate coming together and there is nothing more Aussie than cranking up the BBQ and throwing down some good quality meat. At South Bunbury Marketplace our in house butchers consistently deliver the best quality meats at everyday low prices sourced from Australian suppliers.
We asked our head butcher, Gerald, who has over 20 years of experience, what and how he will be cooking this Australia Day.
Bulk BBQ Sausages - made on site $9.99 a kg
When you think BBQ, I beat that sausages are the first thing that came to your mind. Our sausages at South Bunbury Marketplace are all made fresh on site and are an Australian classic that simply can not be beaten. The perfect trifecta of sausage, fresh bread and tomato (or BBQ) sauce is all you need. But Gerald believes there is one more thing that you MUST add to your sanga…
‘ONIONS! Got to have onions! So easy, slice them up and chuck them on the BBQ and let them get a bit of colour. The crispy bits are my fave. Or you can caramelise them with a pinch of brown sugar and balsamic vinegar.
Free Range Chicken Wings - $4.99 a kilo
Chicken wings may not be the first choice for a BBQ, but delicious marinated wings are always the first to be gobbled up! Marinading your chicken adds flavours and also keep the chicken nice and juicy. This Ginger and Honey marinade from Jamie Oliver is lip-smacking good. For how to cook the perfect chicken wings Geralds tips are:
‘On a high heat add skin side down first - sear for 5 mins then rotate for another 5 mins on the other side. Then reduce to medium heat and cook for another 15mins. Resist the urge to poke at the meat too much, as it will release all the juices. It is important to always cook chicken well done, to check cut a small slit into the chicken and if the juices run clear then it is ready!’
Lamb Chops - $14 a kilo
Lamb has forever been associated with Australia Day so why not join in the tradition! Sweet and tender Lamb Chops are perfect seasoned with just a good crack of salt and pepper, however, if you are feeling fancy Gerald suggests a simple marinade.
‘My favorite way to enjoy lamb is marinated. I just mix together a good glug of white vinegar (about 1/4 a cup) with salt, pepper, two garlic cloves crushed, a small brown onion finely diced, and roughly 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a resealable bag. Give it a good shake until the salt has dissolved and toss in the lamb. Make sure the chops are well coated and leave in the fridge for two hours. Chuck on to a nice and hot BBQ, leaving any pieces of onion that are stuck to the meat, for a few minutes on each side for a medium cooked chop. You can even throw in chili or herbs such as rosemary and coriander to the marinade’
Aussie Lamb Leg Roast - 12 a kilo
Cooking a roast in a weber BBQ adds an extra smoky magic flavour to your meat that you just can’t get in the oven. Preheat your BBQ with the lid closed for 10mins and prep the meat. Making sure that the meat has come to room temperature, make around 10-12 incisions and place a small piece of garlic and a small sprig of rosemary in each cut. Squeeze the juice of one lemon all over the outside and generously rub with salt and pepper. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the roast, and a top tip from Gerald on how to know how long is ‘1 minute for every 1mm at the thickest point. So if the thickest point is 100mm (10cm) then it should take about 100 mins, just over an hour and a half to cook it to medium’. Place the roast in the centre of the BBQ, out of direct flames and close the lid. You want to make sure the roast is cooked with a steady, indirect heat. The best thing about cooking a roast on the BBQ? There is no need to use a baking dish! Any fats and juices that fall off will drip down and sizzle and smoke that gives the roast the incredible BBQ flavour.
If you are cooking a lamb leg roast on Australia Day, Gerald recommends ‘serving slices in rolls with gravy and a cold potato salad on the side for a great Aussie Day meal’
T-bone steak - $20.99 a kilo
If you want to go all out this Australia Day, then the T-bone is the steak of steaks! If you are splashing out then the last thing you want is to end up with a grey boiled steak - to make sure you cook your steak to excellence follow Geralds tips:
‘Make sure that you take the steaks out of the fridge at least 30mins before cooking to bring them up to room temperature. This will ensure that you get a better sear and faster cooking. Without allowing the steaks to come to room temperature you can run the risk of boiling the steaks on the grill due to the surface of the meat releasing too much moisture. On a hot grill, cook over high direct heat to get that sear that seals in the juices and gets a flavour crust. The sear creates a controlled flair up which creates the irresistible smoky flavour. After a minute or two on each side move to an indirect, or medium low heat to complete cooking the inside’
Bulk BBQ Aussie Meat pack - $10 each
If you are still can’t decide on what to cook up - then our Bulk BBQ Aussie Meat Pack is the complete all rounder . For only $10 you get a 6 of our classic made on site BBQ Sausages, 2 Forequarter Lamb Chops and 2 Sizzling Steaks, perfect for a family of four. Geralds biggest tip when it comes to cooking a number of meats:
‘Don’t crowd the BBQ! You want even airflow around all the pieces so make sure they are lined up with equal space all around. Not only will this help with even cooking and ensuring you get the smoky flavour in all pieces - it also makes it so much easier when flipping! But remember, you only should be flipping your pieces of meat once’