Colin Fassnidge and Anthony Puharich on hosting the ultimate lockdown comeback barbecue

Call up your friends, fire up the grill and get set to celebrate brighter days ahead with some help from Colin Fassnidge.

When a chef and a butcher get together for a barbecue, territorial disputes over the grill are inevitable.

Indeed, there’s no shortage of friendly ribbing when chef Colin Fassnidge and celebrity butcher Anthony Puharich invite each other over for a backyard meal.

The long-term friends from Sydney are among millions of Australians rediscovering the joy of hosting, as lockdown restrictions ease and vaccination rates lift across the nation.

Butcher Anthony Puharich and chef Colin Fassnidge enjoying a backyard beer in Malabar, Sydney. Picture: Justin Lloyd

“I make sure (Fassnidge) stays well away from the barbecue,” Puharich jokes.

“He can do salads and sides – he knows who’s boss.”

While the pair rarely agree on anything, they’re unanimous in their enthusiasm to reconnect with family and friends over a meal.

“The other night we rang our friends to come around, and our quiet family dinner turned into a party,” says Fassnidge, who lives in Sydney’s eastern suburbs with his wife, Jane, and daughters Lily, 12, and Maeve, 11.

“We did a ‘cheers’, and everyone just looked around the table and breathed a sigh of relief. When we reopened our pub restaurant (Banksia Bistro), people were clapping as they walked in.”

Colin Fassnidge at his Banksia Bistro by Fassnidge at the Banksia Hotel. Picture: John Appleyard

Emerging from the worst of the pandemic, at a time of sunny days and warmer weather, has made it even sweeter.

“Whether you barbecue at home, at the beach or at the park, it’s all about enjoying beautiful weather and being with friends, family and loved ones again,” says Puharich, owner of meat wonderland Victor Churchill.

Here, Fassnidge and Puharich share their tips and ideas for the ultimate comeback cookout.

Prep ahead

Choose a main you can prepare in advance, Fassnidge suggests.

“A beef brisket can be braised in a nice stock the night before, put it in the smoker in the morning, and it will be ready by the afternoon. It’s nice to have something you can put on the table and share – it’s what we’ve been missing for months.”

For Puharich, a barbecue isn’t complete without steak, chops and sausages, but he does concede that a brisket provides some impressive theatrics.

“It’s a show-off piece when your guests arrive,” he says.

“They see the smoker puffing, you lift the lid to give them a peek – it gets everyone salivating.”

Elevate your veg

Splurge on better quality meat, but less of it, while letting vegetables do the heavy lifting.

For example, Fassnidge suggests cutting the top off a pumpkin and stuffing it with herbs, spices and parmesan.

“You replace the lid, bake it whole and carve it up like a roast – it’s a real showstopper. You can also pour a mornay sauce over a whole cauliflower, leaves and all, and bake it.”

Serving a main you can prepare in advance frees you up to relax and enjoy the company. Picture: iStock

Indulge in guilty pleasures

Think parmesan hash browns, chips and gravy, and dulce-de-leche-topped rum cake.

Guilty pleasures are a key food trend this summer, says Fassnidge, claiming we’ve earnt the right to indulge.

“After the year we’ve had, of darkness and anxiety, if food makes you happy, do it. Just go to the gym the next day.”

Sausage sandwich by Colin Fassnidge and Anthony Puharich from the latest edition of delicious. magazine.

Reinvent old favourites

Who said Bunnings carparks are the only place to enjoy a sausage sizzle?

The classic Australian snack deserves to be the main event at a backyard shindig, says Fassnidge.

“You need nice sausages though – and sliced white bread. Add homemade pickles – cauliflower or cucumbers in turmeric, or simply red onion in lime juice – and it can be really amazing.”

Add some fun

A summer barbecue in the Fassnidge household usually starts with a swim before lunch, the fire pit is set alight when the afternoon breeze hits, and an old sheet becomes an outdoor movie screen.

“The kids are big on marshmallows and making s’mores around the fire,” he says.

“Then we’ll get the projector out and watch a Disney movie in the garden.”

As we launch back into barbecues, it’s time to mindfully moderate your tong action, advises celebrity butcher Anthony Puharich. Picture: iStock.

Start with good habits

Think of lockdown’s end as your barbecuing rebirth – suggests Puharich – a time to break up with bad grill habits.

“Men can get pretty proud and primal around a barbecue – the tongs become a weapon,” he says.

“They’re always prodding and flipping the meat. Just relax and grab a beer. You only need to turn it once or twice.”

Have your barbecue cleaned, heated and stocked with gas before guests arrive, adds Fassnidge, and prepare some tubs and bins for an easy clean-up.

“Have everything ready so you’re able to sit down, relax and enjoy all the things we’ve missed for so many months,” he says.

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Originally published as Colin Fassnidge and Anthony Puharich on hosting the ultimate lockdown comeback barbecue