Food

My BBQ hangi is still in its experimental phase, but I have knocked it out of the park on several occasions. Some well-seasoned hāngi aficionados have even given it their seal of approval with comments like, “That is the best non-hāngi, hāngi I have ever had,” “Authentic as” and “Is...

When taken on a low ‘n’ slow journey, smoked beef short ribs are about as close as you can get to barbecue Nirvana. Nail this dish, and your guests will happily anoint you with the title of pit-master or mistress as the case may be. Incredibly rich, tender, and flavoursome,...

Most will accept the above definition as fair and reasonable when discussing the topic of competition, but this does not delve deep enough to accurately describe what ‘barbecue competition’ is all about. Throughout the calendar year, the New Zealand Barbecue Alliance (NZBA) and Steak Cookoff Association NZ (SCA) sanction, keep...

When contemplating reverse searing on a solid fuel BBQ (in this instance a Weber 57cm Master Touch kettle), plan to create two cooking zones: indirect and direct. The indirect phase allows the meat to slowly cook to the desired doneness and the direct creates that wonderful textured BBQ bark/crust and...

After being sent a WilliamsWarn kit, Josh Rudd from Off-Site HQ took a break from his brown bottled beers to give homebrewing a crack. The after work beer. The airport beer. The post-game changing room beer. The shower beer. The Friday beer. The filleting fish beer. The spa pool beer....

During lockdown, my ‘bubble’ (not sure if my partner Jeannie will like her new nickname, but we will see if it sticks) and I participated in the first (and hopefully last) Great COVID Cook-Off – an online BBQ competition. The format focused on presentation, captured through photos and video, rather...

BBQ chicken lollipops are a simple-to-master crowd pleaser. Kerren Packer tells us how to whip up these tasty treats. Difficulty: Novice (experimentation encouraged) Prep time: 20mins Cook time: 60-70mins Serves: 6 Ingredients: • 12 x plump chicken drumsticks (hint: Aussie Butcher) • ¼ cup of honey, golden syrup or maple...

The history of barbecuing When early humans discovered fire, not only did it’s obvious warming properties make life in general infinitely more comfortable, but its utility with food became apparent – proteins (meat) gently heated over its embers until cooked and smoked, improved taste and allowed it to be preserved...

When it comes to smoking meats, often the more time and effort you put in, the better the results will be. Matt “Smokey” Oak gives the low down on how he gets a premium smoke on his fish. Drying It is best to properly dry fish before smoking. This process...

People have been smoking fish since ancient times, dating as far back as the caveman era. Back then, due to lack of refrigeration, the purpose of curing and smoking meats was purely functional – meat preservation and human survival. Although fish is still smoked for preservation, over time the process...