Get the best from your barbie (+recipes)

Smokey BBQ pork chops. Photo / Doug Sherring

Take a break from kitchen duties by heating up the barbecue and creating

The weather is heating up and that makes us excited. Seeing our dad wheeling out the barbecue is a sign summer is on its way. There is nothing like being outside cooking on a warm afternoon with something cold to sip after a long day's work. We were never ones to stay inside and prepare the salads together. We always preferred being out among the charcoal action (although Dad was pretty protective of his hot plate).

It's almost like cooking on the barbecue makes time slow. You aren't in a rush to get anything on the plate because cooking the food feels so therapeutic. So many of our memories happened around a barbecue and we associate this way of cooking with family, friends and long evenings.

Vegetables love barbecues. They get all charred and tasty on the outside but keep their integrity on the inside from the hot and fast heat of the fire. The only thing to remember is to cut your vegetables into even sizes and into pieces that aren't too big to ensure they cook through at the same time without the outside burning. We mix rocket through the vegetables and top off the salad with some crunchy chickpeas.

Free-range pork chops are one of our favourites. They stay succulent but have a delicious crunch on the outside. We coat them in our versatile barbecue sauce mix and marinate them for a couple of hours.

The sauce becomes sticky and glorious once the chops have finished cooking. If you have pork chops with a thick layer of fat you can trim this off or cook them on their side (rind on the barbecue) for 5-10 minutes to let the fat render. Make sure not to overcook though, pork should be eaten with the meat having a nice blush colour.

This next recipe was inspired by a MasterChef barbecue challenge. It was made by another team but we were lucky enough to try it and have now incorporated it into our regular barbecue menu.

More people should try barbecued fruit. Using coconut cream in the caramel results in a smooth caramel that goes well with the toasted coconut. Our younger cousins love these skewers - as do the adults. The only problem is you can't stop at one.

This last recipe is not something you cook on the barbecue but is a quintessential refreshment for enjoying with the charcoally goodness you have just whipped up. Sangria is a classic drink and perfect to refresh the palate between mouthfuls.

You can add any flavours you like to this drink. We have given you the base recipe we use but we like to add fresh berries - cherries are great for something festive and fresh herbs can also be added.

Number one barbecue tips:
Kasey's: Use tongs or a spatula to turn meat rather than a fork, as you will lose those all important juices.

Karena's: Just because you cook it on the barbie doesn't mean you shouldn't let the meat rest. This step is so important to ensure the meat stays juicy.

Recipes

Try out Kasey and Karena's delicious recipes at bite.co.nz - links below

Photos / Doug Sherring

• Barbecue-zucchini-and-capsicum-salad

• Barbecued-pork-chops

• Pineapple-with-toasted-coconut-and-coconut-caramel

• Sangria