Announcing our own great Kiwi barbecue sensation

The Aussies have their shrimps and pineapple, the South Africans their braai, and Argentina has its own asado barbecue style. We Kiwis now have a chance to develop a distinctive low and slow barbecue style based on our own iconic ingredient: sheep!

Lamb shanks are already well known as a low and slow delight. So the cuts that also work for pork and beef will also work for lamb. But forget lamb — let’s go the whole hogget and use mutton. Mutton has much more flavour — and that’s what barbecue is all about.

So, ask your butcher about mutton shoulder, and start experimenting. Here’s a few options: Greek-style herb rubs will work well — oregano, marjoram, and bay, served with Greek salad and tzatziki; or you could go more Moroccan or Tunisian (merguez) with coriander, cumin, and chilli, served with minted yoghurt; or to really bring out the flavour, you could use garlic, rosemary, and anchovy (the secret ingredient is Worcestershire sauce). Come on New Zealand, start your smokers.