Australia’s Best BBQ Recipes

SNAGS

1. Classic Beef Snags with Caramelised Onion

The undisputed king of every Bunnings carpark and backyard in Australia.

Show Full Recipe ▼
Ingredients (serves 8–10 legends)
  • 16 thick beef sausages – butcher quality (no thin supermarket rubbish)
  • 5 large brown onions, peeled and thinly sliced into rings
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Fresh cracked black pepper
  • 2 loaves of soft white sandwich bread (the cheaper the better)
  • Fountain Tomato Sauce (mandatory – no other brand allowed)
Method
  1. Heat the BBQ flat plate to medium-high.
  2. Add onions with oil/butter and salt. Cook low and slow for 20–25 minutes, stirring every few minutes until deep golden and sweet.
  3. Push onions to the cooler side, crank the heat, and cook snags for 10–12 minutes, turning every 2–3 minutes for perfect char.
  4. Place a slice of bread over each snag for the last minute to soak up the juices (legend move).
  5. Fold bread around snag, pile on a mountain of onions, drown in tomato sauce.
  6. Optional: $2.50 gold coin donation to the local junior footy club.
RUMP

2. Rump Steak with Garlic Butter

300g grass-fed rump cooked medium-rare. Absolute legend status.

Show Full Recipe ▼
Ingredients (serves 4)
  • 4 × 300g rump steaks (room temperature)
  • Sea salt flakes
  • Fresh cracked black pepper
  • 150g salted butter, softened
  • 5 garlic cloves, finely crushed
  • 1 handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
Method
  1. Pat steaks completely dry. Season both sides aggressively with salt and pepper.
  2. Preheat BBQ grill to screaming hot (you can’t hold your hand 5cm above for more than 2 seconds).
  3. Cook steaks 3–4 minutes per side for medium-rare (internal 55–58°C).
  4. Rest under loose foil for 6 minutes.
  5. While resting, mix butter, garlic and parsley. Spoon generous amount over each steak just before serving.
  6. Serve with cold beers and zero regrets.
PRAWNS

3. Garlic & Chilli Prawns

Green king prawns cooked in 5 minutes flat. Summer perfection.

Show Full Recipe ▼
Ingredients (serves 6 as entrée)
  • 1kg green king prawns, peeled with tails on
  • 100ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 4 birdseye chillies, finely chopped (or to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 lemons, cut into wedges
Method
  1. Mix oil, garlic, chilli and salt in a large bowl.
  2. Add prawns and toss to coat. Marinate 15 minutes only.
  3. Preheat BBQ hotplate or grill to very high.
  4. Cook prawns 90 seconds per side until just pink and curled.
  5. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and ice-cold beers.
LAMB

4. Lamb Cutlets with Rosemary & Garlic

Frenched cutlets – fancy but dead easy.

Show Full Recipe ▼
Ingredients (serves 4–6)
  • 16 lamb cutlets, frenched
  • 6 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and chopped
  • 100ml olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • Fresh cracked pepper
Method
  1. Mix garlic, rosemary, oil, salt and pepper.
  2. Coat cutlets thoroughly. Marinate 30–60 minutes (or overnight in fridge).
  3. Heat BBQ grill to high.
  4. Cook 2–3 minutes per side for medium.
  5. Rest 3 minutes. Serve with cold VB.
RIBS

5. Sticky Pork Ribs

Low and slow then glazed to sticky perfection.

Show Full Recipe ▼
Ingredients (2 full racks)
  • 2 racks American-style pork ribs
  • ½ cup your favourite BBQ rub
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon American mustard
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Method
  1. Remove membrane from underside of ribs.
  2. Coat heavily with rub. Wrap in foil.
  3. Cook indirect at 140–150°C for 2.5 hours.
  4. Mix glaze ingredients and simmer 5 minutes.
  5. Unwrap ribs, brush with glaze, grill direct 10–15 minutes, turning and basting until sticky and charred.
  6. Cut into individual ribs and watch them disappear.
T-BONE

6. Monster T-Bone (800g+)

When one steak just isn’t enough.

Show Full Recipe ▼
Ingredients
  • 1 massive T-bone steak (800g–1.2kg)
  • Sea salt flakes
  • Fresh cracked black pepper
  • Optional: garlic butter for serving
Method
  1. Bring steak to room temperature (1 hour minimum).
  2. Season both sides very heavily with salt and pepper.
  3. Sear over extremely hot coals 5–6 minutes per side for medium-rare.
  4. Rest 10 minutes under loose foil.
  5. Slice off the bone and share (or don’t – your call).
SATAY

7. Peanut Satay Chicken Skewers

The only chicken blokes will eat without complaining.

Show Full Recipe ▼
Ingredients (20 skewers)
  • 1kg chicken thigh fillets, cut into strips
  • 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
  • 400ml coconut milk
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 3 garlic cloves + 4cm piece ginger, grated
Method
  1. Blend all marinade ingredients until smooth.
  2. Reserve ½ cup for dipping. Marinate chicken in rest for minimum 2 hours (overnight is better).
  3. Thread onto soaked bamboo skewers.
  4. Grill over medium-high heat 4–5 minutes each side, basting with leftover marinade.
  5. Warm reserved sauce and serve for dipping.
BARRA

8. Whole Grilled Barramundi

Fresh Aussie barra done simple and perfect.

Show Full Recipe ▼
Ingredients
  • 1 whole barramundi (1.5–2kg), scaled and gutted
  • Olive oil
  • Sea salt
  • 2 lemons, sliced
  • Fresh dill or parsley
Method
  1. Score skin on both sides 3–4 times.
  2. Stuff cavity with lemon slices and herbs.
  3. Rub entire fish with oil and season generously with salt.
  4. Grill over medium-high heat 8–10 minutes per side until skin is crisp and flesh flakes easily.
  5. Serve whole on a platter – looks impressive, tastes unreal.
ROO

9. Kangaroo Steaks

Lean, gamey, 100% Aussie. Must be served rare.

Show Full Recipe ▼
Ingredients (serves 4)
  • 4 kangaroo steaks or fillets
  • Olive oil
  • Native pepperberry or black pepper
  • Sea salt
  • Fresh rosemary (optional)
Method
  1. Coat steaks in oil, pepper and salt. Marinate 30 minutes.
  2. Heat BBQ or pan to extremely hot.
  3. Cook 2 minutes per side for rare to medium-rare (do not overcook).
  4. Rest 5 minutes – absolutely crucial with roo.
  5. Slice thinly against the grain and serve.
VEG

10. Haloumi & Grilled Veggie Skewers

For when the missus demands something “healthy”.

Show Full Recipe ▼
Ingredients (12 skewers)
  • 2 blocks haloumi, cut into 2cm cubes
  • 2 red capsicums, cut into chunks
  • 2 zucchini, thickly sliced
  • 1 large red onion, cut into chunks
  • 250g button mushrooms
  • Olive oil
  • Dried oregano, salt & pepper
Method
  1. Cut everything into similar-sized pieces.
  2. Toss in olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper.
  3. Thread onto metal or soaked bamboo skewers.
  4. Grill over medium-high heat 8–10 minutes, turning occasionally until haloumi is golden and veggies tender.
  5. Serve with garlic sauce or tzatziki.

BBQ Safety Tips – Don’t Be That Bloke

⚠️
Never leave a lit BBQ unattended – even for “just one more beer”.
🧯
Keep extinguisher or hose ready – water bucket useless on grease fire.
🔥
Grease fire? Lid down, gas off, walk away – never water.
🌡️
Cook chicken & snags to 75°C internal
👃
Smell gas? Turn off bottle, ventilate
🧴
Check hoses every season
🌬️
Well-ventilated area
👶
Kids & pets 1m+ away
🧊
Cooler bag for meat transport

Official Beer Pairing Guide

Snags → VB or XXXX Gold
Steak → Coopers Pale Ale
Prawns → Corona + lime
Lamb → Shiraz in stubby holder
Ribs → Stone & Wood Pacific Ale
Satay Chicken → Young Henrys Newtowner
Barramundi → Great Northern Super Crisp
Kangaroo → Any dark stout
Veggies → Whatever the missus drinks
When in doubt → Crack another cold one

Certified Aussie BBQ Dad Jokes

“Why did the snag go to therapy?
It couldn’t handle the heat.”
“What do you call a boomerang that won’t come back?
A stick… like your mate who said he’d bring the beer.”
“How do you know the barbie is ready?
When the smoke alarm goes off.”
“My wife asked where the sauce was.
I said ‘It’s with the condiments… they’re having a saucy party.’”