The Aussie BBQ is getting an American-style makeover

The seemingly unchangeable art of barbecuing is undergoing a Renaissance

Hungry fans learn the art of American barbecuing.

Throwing a few snags on the barbecue may soon go out of style as Australians choose brisket and ribs over the humble sausage.

The rise of American-style low and slow cooking, where secondary cuts of meat are smoked over charcoal for several hours, is elevating the humble backyard barbie. Instead of quickly grilling a few steaks and sausages, Australians are investing huge chunks of their weekend to make pulled pork, beef brisket and smoked ribs.

In the past two years, Barbeques Galore has seen sales of smokers experience high double-digit growth. Haverick Meats in Banksmeadow, which supplies some of Sydney’s top restaurants, says while the majority of purchases from its retail store are still the classic steak cuts, there has been an increase in sales of secondary cuts used for low and slow.

“Over the past 18 months we have certainly seen close to a 20 per cent increase in the number of people purchasing meats such as beef brisket, beef cheeks, beef short ribs and lamb shoulder during the warmer months,” CEO Peter Andrews says.

Part of its popularity can be attributed to awareness. TV shows such as BBQ Pitmasters and local competitions such as Meatstock have spread the word.

Bovine and Swine barbecue

Meatstock co-founder Adam Roberts says membership has boomed since establishing the Australiasian Barbeque Alliance in 2014, following a competition barbecue in Port Macquarie with just 20 teams.

“In 2015 we held six competitions throughout the country with about 60 teams, in 2016 there was a huge boom with 18 competitions, and this year we’ll have 30 across Australia,” he says.

The ABA started a Facebook group 18 months ago which attracts approximately 2000 people a month who want to learn about low and slow cooking.

“In a couple of years we went from next to no activity to a massive upturn in interest,” Roberts says.

Bovine & Swine, a barbecue restaurant in Enmore, opened in late 2015 and co-owner and pitboss Anton Hughes says competition barbecue is a different method of cooking.

“Judges only have one bite, so people inject the meat with all sorts of things such as MSG, phosphate, stocks because it really has to wow the judge, but they wouldn’t be able to eat a whole slice of that,” he says.

“When cooking for consumption you want the meat to shine, cook it low and slow with minimal rubs, so you can enjoy the flavour of the meat.”

Ricki Brideoake, from Bully BBQ, teaching a BBQ masterclass at the Australian Meat Emporium, Alexandria Photo: Bob Barker

Approximately 20 per cent of diners who feast on beef ribs, burnt ends and pulled lamb at the restaurant, ask the pitbosses for cooking tips.

“The old gas griller out the back doesn’t cut it any more, it just burns your meat. If you’re doing that, you might as well do it in the oven because it’s the same result. People want that smoky flavour,” Hughes says.

Ricki Brideoake travels up the east coast of Australia and holds BBQ Bootcamp classes every weekend. After apprenticing with US pitmasters such as Tuffy Stone, Chris Marks and Darian Khosravi, Brideoake wanted to demystify the smoky cooking style.

“When I first started it was very confusing because you read all this stuff, watch videos and end up not knowing what to do because of conflicting opinions,” he says.

“Someone will tell you to cook it really low for really long, others prefer a hotter temperature and shorter cook time, there are those that cook to internal temperatures and others who cook to feel.

“People have a tendency to overcomplicate it because of competition barbecue. We’re not building spaceships, it’s pretty straightforward.”

Ricki Brideoake prepares the meat cuts. Photo: Bob Barker.

While it’s an American tradition, Brideoake believes low and slow cooking is suited to the Australian way of life.

“It takes a bit of time, so you can have a few cheeky drinks while sitting around with mates waiting for it to cook,” he says.

“The biggest difference is the cuts of meat that you cook and the temperature you cook at. Low and slow is all about taking lower quality cuts, adding smoke for flavour and turning them into something unbelievably juicy and tender,” he says.

“There’s a magical thing that happens when you take working muscle to past well done temperature. The connective tissues turn from collagen to gelatine, so those tissues which make it chewy just melt into the meat and make it tender, plus it self- bastes the meat from the inside and keeps it juicy.”

While he champions low and slow, Brideoake believes there’s “definitely still a place for hot and fast grilling”.

“I still use it, it depends on the cut.”

More information

rickibbq.com

ausbbq.com.au

Originally published as The Aussie BBQ is getting an American-style makeover