LUKE'S TOP 8 BARBECUE RULES

1 . DON’T START COLD

Gas barbecues need about 10–15 minutes on high to preheat. Once hot, turn the heat down a little and heat for a further 10 minutes or so for medium–hot. For medium–low, reduce the heat a little more and heat for another 10 minutes. If you can, it’s great to have one side on high and one side graduating down to low to slow things down while cooking if need be. Charcoal barbies need a little more care. Take the time to build the fire up and let it burn down for 30–40 minutes, and remember that you need to add a steady stream of fuel during cooking to keep it at temperature.

2 . DON’T START DIRTY

A hot, clean barbecue will brown food better, with less chance of sticking. Your preheat time burns off any excess fat and dirt from the grill, flat plate and burners, giving your barbecue a good clean before cooking.

3 . SEASON LIKE YOU MEAN IT

Salt is your new best friend – nothing brings out flavour in barbecued food more – so find a great pink, rock or sea salt and keep it on hand. Extra-virgin olive oil and herbs are also your go-to for seasoning. Oiling your food first, then seasoning with your salt, herbs and spices helps them to stick on, while also reducing the chance of your food sticking to the barbecue.

4 . MATCH MEAT TO HEAT

There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to the right barbecue heat – you need to match the heat to your meat (or vegetables!). Usually, smaller, leaner cuts of meat require fast cooking over high temperatures, whereas thicker, fattier cuts of meat are best over low and slow heat. This is why having multiple heat zones on your barbecue is great for cooking the perfect dish. Create some direct and indirect heat zones and you’ll be setting yourself up for barbecue success every time.

5 . DON’T CROWD

Your barbecue is not the local Bunnings sausage sizzle, so please don’t crowd the grill and flat plate like you’re needing to feed the entire country. Always leave about one-quarter of your cooking space empty so that what you are cooking has space to breathe, there is room for your tongs and spatula to get in and around food, and you can adjust the heat zones appropriately.

6 . LESS IS MORE

Leave your food alone! Don’t stand there prodding and poking at it more than you need to. When you over-pierce and keep moving things around, you release all the juicy goodness, lose flavour and sacrifice those perfect char marks. Turn your ingredients only once or twice. If in doubt, wait it out, legends!

7. REST BABY REST

I can’t stress enough how important it is to rest your protein after you’ve cooked it and removed it from the heat. Residual heat continues the cooking process once off the barbecue, giving your meat the best result. Plus, it allows all the juices to relax and settle in the protein, meaning that when you cut into your meat they don’t just drain out all over the plate, leaving your dish bland and dry. My recipes specify the perfect resting time depending on what you’re cooking.

8 . BE CREATIVE

I understand we all get into the routine of cooking the same types of meals over and over. It’s safe and feels comfortable because you know what you’re doing. But this book is designed to get you away from simple snags and steak. Give yourself the challenge of trying a new recipe from each chapter every time you open your grill – you’ll thank me later and they’ll soon become staples that you can whip up anytime.