BBQ recipes that are perfect for entertaining this summer

Evenings outdoors spent cooking on the barbeque alongside friends and family is a long-standing tradition for Kiwis each summer.

We promise that with these recipes, you won’t be left in the kitchen while your guests mix and mingle. The key is preparation. Pre-assemble the lamb skewers and make the salsas ahead of time. The Labneh or tomato salad that go beautifully alongside the tender meat are also easy to prepare prior to the arrival of guests and easy to grab right before the meat comes off the barbeque and onto the table.

When it comes to barbecuing the meat, our top tips are:

• use tongs to turn the meat,

• season at the last minute,

• don’t overcrowd the barbecue

• and, probably the most important of all … rest the meat.

Follow these and you’ll be labeled the barbecue King or Queen this summer. So, it’s time to invite friends around and enjoy the outdoors. It’s what us Kiwis are good at.

Barbecue 101

We got together with Matt Melville, from Rum & Que BBQ, and butcher Reuben Sharples, a member of the Hellers Sharp Blacks, to create a series of videos that will take you through the essential barbeque basics. You can watch them here.