Grill Mates American BBQ School
I don’t mean to be rude America, but you know us Aussies invented the BBQ right? Well, Okay, maybe we didn’t exactly invent it but we have perfected it. Right?
Well, after my Grill Mates American BBQ School class on Monday night, I am not so sure.
I attended the American barbecue Grill Mates class at Beer Deluxe in Hawthorn. It was hosted by McCormicks GrillMates and taught by the ever enthusiastic Pit master, Eric from the Melbourne BBQ School.
I was invited along with a number of other Melbourne food bloggers, to attend the Grill Mates American BBQ class and to enjoy a delicious three course meal. All of it cooked on the BBQ.
Some of the meat had been slowly cooking over hot coals since 8am that morning which really gives you a great indication of how amazing this food was.
Eric took us through a few different recipes using the new Grill Mates Amercian BBQ range.
- Jalapeno and Cheddar BBQ Chicken and Spinach Quesadillas
- Classic All Star BBQ Beef Sliders
These were both delicious and the addition of the caramelised onion to the Spinach Quesadillas, was genius.
- Smokin Texas Beef Brisket
- Tennessee Smokehouse Baby Back Ribs
- Chipotle & Roasted Garlic Pulled Pork
I have not cooked with Brisket before but it was a lovely succulent cut of meat after being slow cooked over hot coals. The pulled pork was juicy and full of flavour and the Tennessee Baby Back Ribs were out. of. this. world.
Hands down the best ribs I have ever eaten.
- Spicy Cinnamon & Chilli Chocolate Brownies. Yes, this was cooked on the BBQ too!
We were also given tips on how to best cook and prepare an American Barbecue. Here is my brief summary for your reading pleasure.
- Fat equals flavour
- When buying ribs, baby back ribs are the prime cut.
- Fat equals flavour.
- Treat your meat sweet with by dressing it with McCormicks spice rub prior to cooking (don’t forget to massage it) then cook it long and slow.
- If you are cooking chicken or mince, you must take a solemn oath to never overcook it!
- Take time to marinate your meat.
- Fat equals flavour.
- Get the temperature of your BBQ right. This is harder than you might think.
- Try the Grill Mates Brown Sugar Bourbon sauce, it tastes good with everything. I kindly tested it for you.
The American BBQ class was fun and informative.. Showing your meat some love is more complicated than you might think, but well worth the effort.
Back to the question of who does the best BBQ. Heres a quick quiz to help you decide.
Ill drop a few key phrases to get you thinking and you have to match it to its BBQ country of origin; Australian or American.
Sausages
Smokin Texas Beef Ribs
Steak
12 hour cooked Beef Brisket
Chicken on a stick
Chipotle and roasted garlic chicken skewers.
Rissoles
Jalapeno and Cheddar BBQ chiken and spinach Quesadillas.
How did you go?
Ill leave it for you to decide. American BBQ or Aussie?
Whichever way you go, just remember this. Melbourne is known for its fantastic ability to take traditional foods from other counties, and make them our own. So even if the American barbecue might have a slight edge over the Aussie one, it won’t stay that way for long.
Happy Eating.
Dani Bee xx