This week we have a special blog post written by Lee Gilmour, Managing Director of Auschar, about his fantastic experience at this year’s Steven Raichlen BBQ University.

The class schedule was demanding, and all in the beautiful surrounds of the Broadmoor Resort, Colorado Springs. We were taught to grill at least 8 different dishes a day and the body of knowledge obtained from an expert like Steven, even after such a short period of time, was astounding. Some of my favourite recipes from the experience include: Tucson T-Bones, Kansas City-Style Ribs, Pit-Roasted Pork in the style of the Yucatán, Grilled Vegetables in the style of Santa Margherita and the Holy Grail, Bacon-Crusted Texas-Style Brisket with Spicy Apple BBQ Sauce (these will be placed on the Heat Beads® website in the weeks to come).

On Wednesday evening, the BBQU kicked off with a welcome reception dinner at the Broadmoor Golf Clubhouse, where we sampled food from the menus of each of the six restaurants at the club.

From Thursday June 5 to Saturday June 7 we spent from 9am to 12pm fine tuning our grill skills. We then got the chance to eat our delectable creations for lunch, before retiring to a range of relaxation and recreation activities available at the Broadmoor Resort. 24 grills and smokers were used to cater for the 50 students. We shipped a pallet of Australia’s finest BBQ fuel, Heat Beads® BBQ Briquettes over to the US, especially for the event. This allowed my fellow students to experience grilling Aussie Style!

On the final day of the BBQU, we endeavoured to take on the challenge of Steven’s infamous two-part (oral and written) exam. Although it was somewhat difficult, I’m pleased to say the entire class passed, just in time for the graduation!

Here is one of my favourite BBQ recipes from BBQ U, that you can try at home:

Morton Bay ‘Bugs’ with Ginger-Mint Butter

Source: The Barbecue Bible by Steven Raichlen (workman Publishing, 2008)
Method: Direct Grilling
Serves: 4

You will need:
Bugs or Lobster tails
Butter, fresh mint (chopped), fresh ginger (minced), lime zest (grated), fish sauce, fresh limejuice and salt and pepper to taste.

Method:
Pre heat the grill to high.
Chop the lobster tails lengthwise and set aside while you prepare the ginger-mint butter.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat and then add the mint, ginger, garlic, and lime zest. Once the mix is fragrant but not brown, stir in the fish sauce and limejuice.

Find the lobster tails and brush the cut sides with the ginger-mint butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Place the lobster tails onto an oiled grill grate cut side down for 6-8 minutes and then repeat the process for the other side, all the while basting the lobsters with your remaining ginger-mint butter.

Serve immediately.

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Experts estimate that eight in ten US households own a grill or smoker - Houston is famous for its Brisket and Spare Ribs and of course there’s the infamous Texan Smoker BBQ. So, while we in Australia claim to be experts in the backyard BBQ domain, perhaps we still have much to learn!

One group that could teach us is the Greater Houston BBQ Society. They describe themselves as ‘a not-for-profit group of people interested in Backyard Barbequing and having FUN’ that teach ‘the uninitiated what “REAL Q” is’ and how to do it. They hold a series of events, free to their members and sometimes even to the public. The society has recently held its first quarterly Backyard Meeting and Cookoff in Katy, Texas. So, if you ever find yourself in Texas, why not soak up some of the American BBQ culture by visiting the Greater Houston BBQ Society or even just indulging at one of the many BBQ restaurants in the Houston area?

1. Coca-Cola Steaks
Amanda Diggins has taken a leaf out of the American’s book and used a favourite soft drink as a sweetener for this dish!

Ingredients:
6 Scotch Fillet steaks
1 can Coke
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup brown vinegar
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper

Method:
Combine all ingredients in shallow dish. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Barbecue steaks until done to your liking. Boil marinade in a saucepan until thickened slightly and serve with steaks.

2. Vegemite Rissoles
Leisa Conley has taken your everyday breakfast spread and turned it into a winning dinner dish that all the family can enjoy.

Ingredients:
750g minced meat
1 onion finely chopped
½ capsicum finely chopped
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vegemite
Salt & pepper

Method:
Mix together and shape into rissoles, roll in plain flour
Cook on BBQ as long as you like - the vegemite makes them go dark anyway, serve on bread with tommy sauce.
The kids can’t get enough of them!

3. Char-Grilled Bugs
This recipe from Sarah Evans gives new meaning to getting back to nature!

Grill Morton Bay bugs in their shells, split in half. As they warm place a knob of garlic herb butter on top and watch it soak in. They melt in your mouth.

4. Satay Prawn Pizza
Ever thought of cooking a pizza on your BBQ? Well now thanks to Elizabeth Davey’s recipe, you can…
Elizabeth Davey

Ingredients:
1/2 bottle satay marinade
Thai sweet chilli sauce
1 medium brown onion, sliced
Can of diced capsicum
100g snow peas, sliced thinly
500g small uncooked prawns, shelled
1/2 cup roasted cashews
2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, chopped
1 cup pizza cheese
Small store-bought pizza bases

Method:
Mix marinade with desired amount of sweet chilli sauce. Spread pre-cooked pizza base with satay marinade, top with onion, capsicum, snow peas, prawns, cashews, coriander and cheese. Cook in a covered BBQ, using indirect heat for about 10 minutes or until cheese has melted.
Enjoy!!

5. Barbecued Bacon Wrapped Prawns
Effie Bakkalis’ recipe puts a gourmet twist on the traditional pig wrapped in blanket party favour recipe.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
2 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
Dash of cayenne pepper
24 large/jumbo prawns, shelled and deveined
12 bacon slices, cut in halves \

Method:
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and saute until soft and transparent. Stir in the ketchup, water, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, tomato paste, dry mustard and pepper. Stirring continuously, simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Immediately stir the prawns into the sauce, covering them completely. Let them stand for 15 minutes. Heat the grill and grease the rack. Remove the prawns from the sauce. Wrap each prawn in a piece of bacon and secure with a wooden pick, or thread 4 bacon-wrapped prawns onto a skewer. Place on the greased rack, on high heat, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Then turn them and cook the remaining side until the bacon is crisp. Reheat the sauce and serve separately as a dipping sauce.
This recipe makes 6 main-dish servings or 12 appetiser servings.

6. Grilled Pineapple with cracked salt
This recipe from grill master, John Ryan, is surprisingly delectable with the salt bringing out the sweetness in the pineapple!

Take one ripe pineapple, skin and cut out the eyes. Either core and cut the pineapple into rings or slice the pineapple from the core; marinade in a good Rutherglen Muscat for 4 hours. Heat the grill to hot and place the pineapple slices on, watching carefully as they will char very quickly. Turn once and ensure you get good grill lines. Remove from the grill and crack rock salt liberally over. Serve with good quality vanilla ice cream if desired.

7. Barbecued Leg of Lamb with Lavender and Baked Garlic
Deidre Steain’s recipe provides an interesting combination of flavours. Don’t be frightened to leave it in the marinade for a little longer!

Ingredients:·
1 leg of lamb (roughly 1.75kg and butterflied)
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 tbsp of fresh lavender flowers (retain the stems)
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp demerara sugar
Salt and black pepper
Baked garlic
2-3 bulbs garlic
Olive oil to sprinkle
Sprigs of fresh thyme

Method:

Flatten the lamb by pressing on it and place in a large dish
Sprinkle over the onion and the lavender flowers
Mix together the balsamic vinegar, cider vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice and sugar. Season with the salt and pepper and pour over the lamb
Leave to marinate for 1 hour, turning frequently to ensure an even coating
Dampen the leftover lavender stalks and scatter over a cool area of the BBQ
Remove the lamb from the marinade and place on a medium-hot BBQ and cook for 30-35 minutes, turning occasionally, basting with the reserved marinade. Allow to rest
To prepare the garlic, shake over some olive oil, add a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme and then wrap loosely in some tin foil. Leave over the warm part of the barbecue for 30 minutes or until soft.
Slice rested lamb and serve with garlic and salad of your choice

8. Grilled Pork Chops with Apricots
The following recipe, according to Juliette Elfick, is a bit different, healthy, simple and scrumptious.

The idea of bbq’ ing fruit is one which makes our barbies so much more interesting for everybody, but particularly vegetarians. See Nigella Lawson’s Forever Summer for her bbq’d pineapple dessert (we chuck amaretto over the top too at mine). Take a few pork chops and 2 apricots, halved and pitted, per chop and bbq. Be sure each chop has a small layer of fat on it. BBQ the apricots cut side up drizzle with a little honey until they are quite mushy - soft enough that you can see their inner fibres - and maybe a little caramelised (you may need to coat them in honey for this).
The cooked apricots should be eaten as a kind of relish with the chops. Ideal accompaniments to this dish are bbq’d sweet potato (in thin discs) and asparagus.
A total barbie meal!

9. Beer Can BBQ Chook (need a Weber TM)
According to Angela Clark, this recipe can even be used with duck! The beer infuses a fantastic flavour into the chicken, a keeps the meat tender and moist.

Ingredients:
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp granulated onion
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 whole free range or organic chicken
2 tsp olive oil
1 can large beer – the Germans make the big cans, like DAB
Cherry wood chips (optional)

Method:
In a small bowl combine the rub ingredients.
Lightly spray or brush all over with the oil, and season inside and out with the rub.
Open the beer can and pour off half of the beer. Set the half-full can on a flat surface and slide the chicken over the top so the can fits inside the cavity. Transfer the bird to the grill, keeping the can upright. Carefully balance the bird on its two legs and the can. Roast for 1¼ to 1½ hours.
Carefully remove the chicken and the can from the BBQ, being careful not to spill the beer – it will be hot. Let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes before lifting it from the can. Discard the beer. Cut the chicken into serving pieces.
Eat!
To make it even better, try soaking some cherry wood chips in the remaining beer for a few hours beforehand and place them in the WeberTM with the roasting chook for an extra smoky flavour.

(Julian Wu’s Beer Can Chicken Pictured)

10. Stoned Bugger Bird
Of course this recipe is not quite as strange or illegal as it sounds! Dave Cresswell provides an entertaining recipe with a combination of interesting flavours.
This here is a recipe that I believe embodies all the ingredients of a true Ozzie BBQ and tastes damn good to boot.

It includes:
Beer ( But of course-Woof!)
Stone’s Green Ginger Wine ( One of the most over rated under achievers out there- a must on many a twisted cooking adventure) and especially a sadistic sense of humour
This recipe also gives a fusionary friendly nod to our northern neighbours and beckons all to have a hearty finger-pointing chuckle around the pit o flames.

Ingredients:
1 Whole Chook
1 Beer in can
2 Cups of Hickory or Apple wood, soaked for one hour + in water and/or beer
Sesame Oil

The Rub (To make about 1 cup):
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
¼ cup sweet paprika
3 tbls black pepper
4 tbls coarse salt
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp celery seeds/salt
1-2 tsp cayenne pepper (Love it spicy)
1 tbls Chinese 5 spice powder

The Beer Can Mix:
3 tbls Beer ( a good Bitter doesn’t go astray)
2 tbls Stone’s Green Ginger Wine
2 tbls Soy Sauce
1 tbls Red Wine Vinegar
1 tbls Honey

Method:
First punch a few holes (with a church key can opener, ice pick etc) in the top of your standard empty (a good excuse to start early) can of tasty brew. Then put into the can the ingredients of the Beer Can Mix. Set aside for later.
Make the rub by adding all the ingredients together in a bowl and stir to mix (will keep for ages in a good air tight container)
Now grab remove all the fatty bits from inside the body and the neck of the chook. Rinse inside and out with cold running water and blot dry, again inside and out, with paper towels.
Then take your sesame oil and drizzle it all over the outside and inside of the chook, enough to give it a nicely glazed surface.
Now sprinkle your rub all over the chook, as well as the inside, enough to give it a well-crusted coating. You can add a pinch or two of the rub to your beer can mix as well if you like.
Now here comes the fun part. You might want to get the kids’ outa the room for this. Take your nicely lubed up chook and slowly violate him with a good buggering of the beer can so the can fits tightly into the body cavity. Grab the legs and pull them forward so the bird forms a bit of a sodomized tripod. It is best to tuck the wings to the back of the chook as well.
Set up the grill for indirect grilling (coals on side of grill-drip pan beneath chook) and place chook in centre of the grill above the drip pan.
Spread the pre-soaked wood chips onto the readied Heat Beads® BBQ Briquettes and cover with the dome of the BBQ. The temp should be around 180c-200c when at constant. Cook the bird for approximately 45min-1 1/2 hours depending how big your chook, until it is nicely crispy brown on the outside. Check on it occasionally during cooking and if you notice it getting a bit over cooked (usually on top,) just slap a piece of aluminium foil over the hot spot. When done, let the chook rest for 5 minutes then carve it up.
Accompanied nicely with a decent multitude of stubbies that friends enjoy!

This week’s blog concludes our series on the art of char grilling. Hopefully with your newfound skills you are now able to create a BBQ feast to impress your friends and family alike!

The recipe for a successful BBQ is as follows:

Ingredients

Suitable BBQ accessories such as long-handled tongs, a fork, a spatula, a sharp knife, a basting brush, serving platters, a grill brush, good quality protective gloves for handling live coals, and Heat Beads® drip trays.

To help you light your BBQ, 1 part of each - a Heat Beads® BBQ Quickstart Chimney, long matches, and Heat Beads® Firelighters.

To learn how to light your BBQ using these three simple ingredients, click here.

1 part of wood chips
Due to the neutral flavour of Heat Beads® BBQ Briquettes, professionals and enthusiasts alike usually use wood chips to provide their BBQ food with a distinct smokey flavour. Woodchips are available from Barbeques Galore and should be soaked in hot water for 15-20 minutes before being placed on top of your Heat Beads® BBQ Briquettes, once they are fully ashed over and ready to cook.

1 part of drinks for the guests and chefs alike
Perhaps a cold beer or glass of wine to aid the chef, or as the cool weather closes in, perhaps even a steaming hot cup of soup!

1 part of guests ready to taste test your BBQ sensations (the lucky people!)

And finally, one 7kg bag of Heat Beads® BBQ Briquettes, of course!

These are all the ingredients required for a successful BBQ, which will hopefully add to your BBQ skills acquired over this series. Stay tuned for our last part of this series, which is our top 10 weird and wonderful BBQ recipes.

1. According to Steven Raichlen, storing your Heat Beads® BBQ Briquettes in a metal can with a tight fitting lid prevents them from becoming damp.

2. If you can’t leave your Heat Beads® BBQ Briquettes in your BBQ to cool (if you’re camping etc), they can be lifted with a metal spade into a galvanised iron can with a tight fitting lid to cool.

3. According to Vlado Gregurek of Vlado’s - one of Australia’s most renowned steak houses, instead of using a spray-on oil to grease your grill plate a piece of beef fat is perfect. This can be stored in the freezer and rubbed over the grill before you begin cooking for a more succulent, natural taste. Being Greek, Stavros from Stavros Tavern, suggests you can also use lamb fat, which is, ‘natural, cheap and available’.

4. Vlado also suggests after cleaning your grill with a steel brush, to continue cleaning with a clean cloth and warm water (with gloves on of course!).

5. When using wooden skewers for BBQing soaking in water first can minimise burning. They are best soaked overnight.

6. Allan Campion suggests that as well as being fantastic for everyday BBQing – if you have a lazy Sunday or a special event coming up – Heat Beads® BBQ Briquettes are perfect for slow cooking. This allows interaction between the flavours of the food or your marinade/rub and the heat from Heat Beads® BBQ Briquettes to create succulent meals that will literally melt in your mouth.

7. Keep portable metal BBQs under cover when not in use or they will rust. Cover brick BBQs to keep out rainwater and remove metal parts. A rubbish bin lid will do, but make sure it is securely anchored or it may blow away and cause damage. Scrape down and clean the grid frequently for best results.

8. French breads and vegetables to accompany meats can be wrapped in foil and heated on the side of the BBQ. Skewered vegetables are also easiest to eat outdoors. Also score the fat off chops and steaks to prevent curling.

9. To give a pleasant aroma to barbecued food, burn a few sprigs of fresh herbs in the briquettes while the food is cooking. Rosemary, marjoram or thyme are very aromatic.

10. According to Julian Wu, Asian-style BBQ expert and well-known BBQ grill-master, using two bricks to elevate skewered fish and seafood kebabs off the coals prevents the common problem of fish burning on, and sticking to the grill plates.

11. When cooking steak on a BBQ, seal it on both sides. Beads of juice on the uncooked side indicate that the meat is ready to turn. Do not turn the steak more than once; too frequent turnings result in dry, tough steak.. It is best not to cut into a steak to see if it is ready – it will lose its juice that way. Instead, press the surface of the steak with tongs. Rare steak is soft to the touch with the outside cooked and brown, and the inside red. Medium steak is firm to the touch, well browned on the outside and pink in the centre. Well-done steak is very firm to the touch, very well browned on the outside and evenly cooked through the centre, but not dry.

12. Honey or sugar in marinades are likely to burn if cooked on a high heat. It may be necessary to cook the meat on a lower heat immediately after sealing.

If you would like to view a short video on all the fantastic BBQ Tips from the Steven Raichlen BBQ, click here

Stay tuned for the third part in our series next week, on all the ingredients needed for a successful BBQ!

We all know that when literally playing with fire, there are significant safety hazards. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, from 2004-05 exposure to fire/heat caused 5% (for males) and 7% (for females) of all injuries requiring hospital treatment. When you next pull out your BBQ or kettle for use you should follow these simple safety tips to make sure you have a successful and safe BBQ experience!

Here are our top 10 BBQ safety tips:

1. Most importantly: Burning BBQ fuel inside can give off carbon monoxide which has no odour and can kill you. NEVER burn BBQ Briquettes inside homes, vehicles or tents.

2. When returning to your BBQ after a long period of neglect; check it over for problems and clean it thoroughly including cleaning out all the old ash (make sure you don’t forget about the ash catcher) and making sure the grill plates are clean. Most importantly, if there’s rust forming on the grill walls, we’re afraid it’s time to wave goodbye to your beloved BBQ (keep your BBQ in a dry place such as a garage to avoid rust occurring).

3. Vlado Gregurek, owner of Vlado’s, suggests that an steel brush should be used to clean off all fat that may remain on the grill before lighting, as this can lead to excess smoke and even fire.

4. Place a heavy sheet of metal underneath your BBQ to catch grease splatters or as protection against sparks.

5. Coarse salt is useful for putting out a grease fire. However, if there is a real danger of the fire spreading, call 000 immediately for emergency assistance.

6. When using a Heat Beads® BBQ Quickstart Chimney or lighting Heat Beads® BBQ Briquettes, remember to always use gloves and wear enclosed shoes for your protection. To learn how to light your BBQ using a Heat Beads® BBQ Quickstart Chimney, click here.

7. Keep your grilling as an activity conducted out in the open – enclosed verandas, overhanging trees or nearby shrubbery can all be fire hazards.

8. Leave 30% of the grill free of coals to allow for a ‘safety zone’, as Steven puts it, for your BBQ delights to rest in case of flare ups.

9. Never leave your BBQ unattended as this poses a fire risk and safety risks for children, or just those who have had a bit too much to drink at the family BBQ.

10. And finally, when the BBQ is over, close all the vents and leave the Heat Beads® BBQ Briquettes to cool completely before removing. Never attempt to extinguish the Briquettes with water as this will only lead to dangerous amounts of smoke.

Once removed into a fireproof container (e.g. a galvanised metal rubbish tin with a tightly fitting lid), wait until the next day to dispose of the ash as live coals can last longer than 12 hours.

Now you have many of the tools to thoroughly enjoy a BBQ safely with family and friends! Stay tuned for our top 10 BBQ tips, next week!

To learn more about this important issue directly from the master himself, you can access Steven’s May eNewsletter by clicking here.

What’s more, Steven was so smitten with Heat Beads® BBQ Briquettes that he will be cooking over Australia’s best solid BBQ fuel during the weekend, and demonstrating all its delectable abilities.

Lee has already promised to throw a BBQ soon after his return to wow us all with his newly found char-grilling prowess.

Since his visit to Australia in early February, Heat Beads® has made a great friend in Steven Raichlen. If you wish to find out more, click here

Get cosy warm while you watch four of the latest blockbuster movies on DVD - Atonement, Southland Tales, American Gangster and Golden Age, and four of the latest CDs from popular artists such as Brian McFadden, Vanessa Amorosi, Mika and Rihanna!

To be in the running, subscribe to our newsletter and complete our quick Heat Beads® BBQ Lovers Survey click here. When you complete the survey, you will automatically enter the draw. Winners will be notified by email by 10th May 2008.
* Remember: you must be a subscriber to our eNewsletter to be in the draw

Information collated to date shows that 51.5% of respondents are BBQ’ing more than this time last year, and 59.3% are using Heat Beads® BBQ Briquettes for more than just heating up the barbeque in summer! It seems they are a popular choice to warm cool winter nights, in braziers and fire pits.

Join the fun, warm up for winter, and help us provide you with a better BBQ experience!

Our Anzac Day weekend kicked off a day early, with a feast of succulent BBQ delights cooked on an innovative little unit we discovered recently. Called the Little Wombat, this compact portable char grill - which also doubles as a cosy fire pit - worked a treat. It also stood the test of time! As with any product we mention, we need to know how it performs. So to make sure it could pass the Heat Beads® quality test we fired it up with Heat Beads® BBQ Briquettes at 8AM this morning, and have kept it stocked all day. It is now 4PM, we’ve gone through four bags of Heat Beads® BBQ Briquettes (just to make sure Little Wombat could go the distance), the food was cooked to perfection, the briquettes are still glowing, and the whole adventure seemed rather effortless with fantastic, succulent shaslicks as our reward!

In its most compact form, the Little Wombat is only 51cmW x 22.5cmH x 36cmD, making it perfect for those 4W’ding weekends with the boys, a ‘grey nomad’ six month wander across the outback, or a family BBQ in the hills or park. Just pack your Heat Beads® inside the unit, throw the Little Wombat in the boot and take off for the great outdoors – or perhaps just to your friend’s inner city courtyard?! Doubling as an outdoor heater Little Wombat appears to be another great way to enjoy Heat Beads® BBQ Briquettes all year round!

Hope you can pick up a bag of Heat Beads® BBQ Briquettes today on your way home and enjoy the Anzac Day weekend surrounded by family and friends.

Find out more about the Little Wombat by clicking here