Let your mates have a taste of the culture Down Under with our guide to throwing a barbie – Australian style
With June bringing longer evenings and the start of summer, now is a great time to look at how to host an authentic Australian BBQ.
It’s a great theme for your farewell party if you’re moving to Australia, and giving your friends and neighbours a taste of Aussie culture is sure to make them a little jealous of your move.
Hosting a barbecue in the UK is also a great rehearsal for when you go to Australia. So, keep reading and let us show you how to have one of the best barbecues your friends and family have ever experienced, Aussie Style!
Right now in Australia, the peak of barbecue season may be behind them as winter begins to settle in. Here in the UK, though, summer is just getting started, which gives you the perfect excuse to invite a few friends over, stock up the cooler and fire up the barbecue. Let’s do it properly, though. Here’s how to host a true Aussie-style BBQ that might just earn you the title of Barbecue Legend!
When the sun is warm and the beer is cold, there really isn’t a better time to have a backyard BBQ. Here are some tips for throwing your own Aussie-style barbie.
Key Takeaways:
- An Australian BBQ, or “barbie”, is a relaxed, social way to enjoy food, drinks and sunshine.
- It makes a fun theme for a farewell party if you are moving to Australia.
- Classic Aussie BBQ food includes seafood, steak, sausages, chicken, veggie options and bold marinades.
- Cold drinks, ice buckets, music and backyard games help create the right atmosphere.
- You can host your Australian-style BBQ at home, in the garden, at the beach or in a local park.
1. Give your barbeque an Australian theme
What authentic Australian BBQ would be complete without some Aussie culture? We’re talking Australian flags, banners hanging from the rafters and, of course, authentic Australian beers and sparkling wines!
Aussies love their long weekends, so much so, that they will often work overtime during the week just to start the weekend a few hours early. Timing is the key to your barbecue, and if it is a bank holiday weekend, any day is good. If not, choose either Saturday or Sunday, or be a little different and hold it one evening.
3. Location
If you can have your authentic Australian BBQ at home, perfect! Your guests will be more comfortable in your garden, and they have the luxury of going inside to escape the hot sun for a while. But what if your garden area is too small?
What if you don’t have room at your place for a party? Take it to the beach! Make your Australian BBQ even more authentic by hosting it at your nearest beach or park, and add even more fun and excitement for your guests!
4. The Food
What authentic Aussie BBQ would be complete without authentic Aussie food? And what makes Aussie food, so Aussie? The freshest seafood, prawns as big as your hand and thrown into a large sharing bowl. That’s a good start!
Australians are big on meat, no matter whether it be steak, chops, sausages or chicken, but don’t forget veggie burgers and vegetable kebabs for your vegetarian guests.
You will want that authentic Down Under taste, and the only way to get that is by whipping up your own Aussie BBQ marinade, complete with authentic Australian herbs and spices. Some of the more popular ones include Flinders Island Celery, Old Man Salt Bush, Lemon Myrtle, Tasmanian Blue Gum, Blue-Leaved Mallee, Holy Basil and Native Thyme. Create a mixture to rub on your meat before grilling and your guests will swear they are in the Land of Oz!
5. Drinks
Australians are known for their ability to drink! Be it beer or sparkling wine, you can provide some Australian varieties to get the party started. It’s also a common tradition for Australians to bring their own booze and leave the leftovers for the host as a proper thank you. You can leave that part up to your guests.
You will also want plenty of ice buckets around to keep everything frosty and cold. Locate your ice buckets strategically throughout the party area so guests will never have to reach too far for a cold one!
6. Sports
Aussies love sports! Make your guests feel like they are really Down Under by setting up the cricket bat and tennis ball for some backyard cricket – how about hit and run or six and out?
7. Music
An authentic Australian BBQ needs some Aussie music to set the scene. Choose from some popular favourites including AC/DC, Midnight Oil, INXS, Kylie Minogue, the Bee Gees, Natalie Imbruglia and more. Keep the music going by downloading a track list or creating an “Aussie radio station” in Pandora or another music app.
8. Sunshine
An Australian BBQ needs plenty of sunshine to keep the party going and to keep your guests feeling like a bunch of Blokes and Sheila’s under the hot sun. Now, there isn’t much we can do about the weather, but you can try planning the BBQ on a day where there will be plenty of sunshine and clear skies.
Get your party started
As summer has now arrived in the UK, it’s the perfect time to invite your friends and family round and give them a taste of Aussie culture. It’s the perfect theme for your leaving party if you’re moving to Australia, but even if you’re not, we could all do with a bit of the relaxed Australian lifestyle.
So what better way than to have an Australian theme to your barbecue?
