Bob Hart's BBQ

SAUSAGES:

The biggest problem with barbecuing snags is that by the time they are cooked through, the skins are often charred and nasty. The secret, therefore – especially if you are dealing with thick sausagtes – is to prick them with a needle, and poach them in beer and onions.  To do this, layer a saute pan with sliced onions, layer this with the sausages, pour in beer and some water – about three portions of beer to one of water – to cover, and bring to a summer. Poach for about 5mins, drain and cool. To barbecue, brush lightly with olive oil and cook on a hot grill for about 5 minutes. Serve with seedy or Dijon mustard.

LEG OF LAMB:

The secret here is to get your butcher to bone a leg of lamb for you. Marinate it, overnight, in olive oil, garlic, herbs de provence or, you can’t get them, fresh thyme and rosemary and black pepper. Salt before cooking – over indirect heat, covered, for about 20-25mins a side, depending on size of leg and heat of barbecue. (Jonathan’s of Smith St, Collingwood, the gourmet butchers, do a great, pre-prepared lamb a la greque which is even better!)

CHICKEN:

When you want something other than beer butt chicken, get your butcher to spatchcock a large chicken for you. This means it will be split and opened out flat with the frame removed. Marinate, for several hours at least or even overnight,  this in either Mediterranean (garlic, thyme, rosemary, olive oil, black pepper) spices or Asian (garlic, ginger, spring onions, sesame oil, rice wine) flavours or coat generously in pesto. Cook flat, indirect and covered, starting skin side down, until golden and cooked through (15-20mins a side, depending on heat of grill and size of chicken).