We're teetering on the brink of summer, which means longer days, warmer nights, and the annual shutting away of the slow cooker and letting the barbecue take its rightful place.
If your Weber skills top out at chucking some snags on and letting them burn, I'm sorry but you're going to have to step it up this summer.
Luckily we've called in the big guns to help. Nourish Group and Jervois Steak House executive chef Gareth Stewart has given up his top tips for barbecuing brilliance this summer.
- Start by bringing the meat out of the fridge an hour or two before cooking to give it plenty of time to get up to room temperature well ahead of it hitting the grill.
- An obvious but important one - season the meat generously with salt and pepper before and after cooking and carving, or live to regret it!
- Oil the meat - not the grill. So many times I see the grill getting a good lathering of oil, which just creates one big frying pan. Use a pastry brush to brush oil directly onto the meat. You can even lace the oil with fresh thyme and garlic for a little extra something.
- Always use a thermometer. If you like something medium-rare, cook meat until it's between 48C and 50C and rest before flashing it in the pan once again to reheat. This time, take it up to between 52C and 54C, for a steak that's perfect for people who still like a bit of blood. If you prefer something medium, add on five degrees to every stage of cooking. The thermometer takes out the guesswork for a perfect steak every time.
- Rest the meat for the same amount of time that you cook it. Let the juices relax back into the meat for a steak that's big, bold and succulent.
- Always invest in quality meat from a good butcher.
If you want to put your newfound meat cooking skills to the test, Jervois Steak House has a fantastic option. Among the countless meat packs available to buy this summer, the restaurant has a gourmet offering with Wakanui and wagyu steaks, lamb racks, butterflied chickens along with marinades, spice rubs, butters and sauces.
You literally have to think about nothing - apart from that perfect internal meat temperature of course.
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