Black Friday Madness! Everything You Need for a Memorable Summer BBQ

Sun’s out, and it’s time for a legendary Aussie cookout! The summer backyard barbie has been a national staple for as long as we can remember, so if you’re planning an authentic grilling experience, we’ve got you covered.

From choosing the best tools for the job to introducing ‘out-of-the-box’ recipes, we’ve got the guide to an unforgettable BBQ. Plus, get all the gear you need at Firebrand and take advantage of our Black Friday Sale—enjoy 25% off sitewide from 22 to 30 November!

Ready to take the party outdoors? Dust off the grill, get that barbie fired up and read on for our top tips and tricks for achieving the best feast of the season!

Prep your equipment.

 

Nothing beats the smoky, mouthwatering flavours you get from cooking over charcoal or wood, so a high-quality grill is a must for any backyard barbie. If you’re looking for portable options, the Charmate Collapsible BBQ & Firepit is a versatile grill that can be used as a BBQ or a firepit and features a flat pack design for easy set-up and storage. Another great choice is the Hellrazr YAMA Portable Charcoal Grill, a small but mighty grilling beast that can fit burgers, up to 19 skewers, a hefty brisket and more. For smaller parties, the Firebrand SHICHIRIN Japanese Grill is ideal. This compact, heavy duty grill is designed to withstand high temperature cooks, perfect for whole fish, large meat like tomahawk steaks, and lining up skewers.

For foolproof, high heat grilling, try the Firebrand Classic Charcoal Grill Maxi. Cook for hours with its full stainless steel construction, suitable for most open grilling applications. It also has 4 wheels, so you can quickly and easily move it anywhere in your backyard! 

Another unit perfect for bigger groups is the Napoleon RODEO PRO Kettle. It has a large grilling surface that allows you to smoke, roast and sear meats with ease, plus amazing heat management and improved fuel efficiency. Cook comfortably with the sturdy, four legged design and take it wherever the party’s happening with its weather and terrain proof wheels.

Whatever grill you choose, make sure to pair it with high quality fuel for hotter and longer cooks. Check out the Firebrand Briquette Charcoal, with premium and professional variants guaranteed to outperform any other briquette product in the market. Each piece features a unique hex design made from 100% hardwood sawdust with zero binding agents and chemical additives, ensuring a lost lasting, fierce burn with extreme heat. 

If you prefer lump charcoal, the Firebrand Hardwood Lump Charcoal is made with super dense, single origin citrus hardwood that gives a clean, consistent burn every time. It reaches temperatures up to 400°C, making it ideal for quick cooking, grilling and smoking.

You can also try versatile cooking wood like the Firebrand Vintage QLD Ironbark, which delivers a clean burn with high, consistent heat and less ash. These can fit offset smokers, pizza ovens, open grills and fire pits. If you want to add a special smokiness to your cooks, don’t miss out on Firebrand Smoking Wood Chips, which offer various flavour profiles and elevate any dish.

Get your tools in order.

Keep your tools within reach to ensure seamless grilling. Start with the Firebrand Firelighters and the Firebrand Stainless Steel Fire IT Up Charcoal Starter to light your charcoal quickly and get the fire going.

You’ll also need grill tongs and spatulas, so invest in tools like the Napoleon Stainless Steel AUTO-LOCKING TONGS and Avanti Mini Spatula. A basting brush like the Avanti Silicone Basting Brush can also come in handy for your cooks. 

 

If you’re making burgers, you can smash burgers with ease with the Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Burger Press. Or if you’re serving up chunks of meat and vegetables, the Tramontina 6 Piece Skewer Set will get the job done. Afterwards, you can keep the food warm in this Hot Platter Barbie Food Warmer that can fit up to 2kg of meat and veg!

Allow your rubs and marinades to settle.

If you’re marinating your meat, prep it at least two hours in advance to allow the meat to absorb the flavours. Just be careful of marinades that are acidic or contain alcohol, as leaving it on for too long can cause the meat to toughen. If you opt for a dry rub, leave it for at least 30 minutes so the salt and spices can penetrate the meat before cooking.

At Firebrand, we have a vast selection of rubs, seasonings and marinades to choose from! Try the popular Meat Church Holy Gospel Rub, a blend that’s great for ribs, chicken and beef, or Lanes BBQ MAGIC DUST Seasoning that perfectly balances out the flavour of their signature rub with a sweet kick. For marinades, nothing beats Sweet Baby Ray’s Hickory Brown Sugar for that Texas style BBQ sauce. For the daredevils, the RUFUS TEAGUE Blazin Hot BBQ Sauce will give you that extra heat you’re looking for.

Ready your recipes.

When it comes to food, standard Aussie BBQ fare like steaks, lamb chops and sausages are sure crowd pleasers. Grill the perfect thick cut steak every time using this recipe, or try the family favourite Tuscan BBQ Lamb Chops here. Want to do a kebab? We’ve got a recipe for Thai Style Pork Kebabs here.

Serve ‘out-of-the-box’ creations.

Make like a true BBQ master and elevate your cook by serving more than just the BBQ staples. Pizzas, vegetable skewers and even seafood all make great additions to your backyard barbie, and you can even create delicious desserts on the grill by cooking mangoes, bananas or pineapples. Try our recipe for Barbecue Prawns in Curry Sauce here and for dessert, the BBQ Smoked Peach Tarte Tatin here.

Want to try your hand at pizzas? Enjoy authentic Italian style pizzas in just 90 seconds with a portable pizza oven like the WITT Etna Rotante Gas Powered Pizza Oven. Perfect for entertaining guests in a jiffy!

Don’t forget your sides!

The meat may be the star of the party, but satisfying sides are just as important. Add some large mushrooms to the grill or cook corn on the cob. For a dash of colour, vegetable skewers can be a healthy side dish—and they’re so easy to prepare! Just thread some chopped veggies on a skewer, brush them with olive oil and cook directly on the grill.

Get your grill ready for the next barbie!

Once all the cooking is done, it can be tempting to leave the grill and clean up when the party is over. But if you want less work for your next gathering, take the time to tend to your grill for a few minutes and do a quick clean. While it’s still warm, give the grill a good brush and remove any residue. Once it has cooled down, wash it with soapy water and a sponge or wipe down the inside of your grill. Spray vegetable oil or cooking spray over the plates and grill to prevent rusting. And that’s it; you’re ready to get grilling again!

Prepping for a backyard barbie? Get everything you want at 25% off online and on click and collect orders from 22 to 30 November! Our Black Friday Sale is happening for a limited time so hurry and add to cart!