There’s nothing as mouth-watering as the smell of a bbq cooking. I’ve spent lots of lazy afternoons within the backyard, standing in the right place so that those delicious barbecue aromas drift my way.

You are able to cook almost anything on the bbq, from the humble snag bound for any sausage sub to a whole Thai-style snapper for a fancy supper party. You can even smoke foods on the barbecue, and roast beef and lamb if your bbq has a lid.

Sliced vegetables may also be great for the barbecue. Zucchini, sweet potato, eggplant and red peppers are only a few that benefit from being flame grilled, which gives them a sweet and smoky flavor. And is there really anything superior to a potato that was covered with foil and cooked on the bbq coals?

The barbecue is an awsomely great way to cook and enjoy food. In most cases, lighting the barbie has got the boys in the mode.

My dad’s barbecue is his pride and joy, and as soon as food iscooking only the man with the tongs (him) is allowed at the flaming monster. My hubby also cooks a mean bbq – a standard menu is grilled sliced salami or chorizo sausage, then oregano and lemon lamb or possibly a juicy T-bone steak.

As with any device, bbqs must be cared for. So before you join the bbq brigade, here are a couple of simple cooking and cleaning tips that could have you barbecuing up a storm:

* Barbecuing is an excellent low-fat cooking method – you don’t cook the foods in fat and any excess fat inside the meat cooks off.

* Trim unwanted fat from meat to stop flare-ups that occur when fat drips onto the flame. Brush food rather than the bbq, with oil as this could also cause flare-ups, which can cause burnt food.

* Sear meat on the hottest part of the barbie in which the flame is highest (usually the center of the grill), then move it over a medium heat (towards sides) to finish cooking. This cooks the meat throughout without burning it on the outside.

* Don’t pierce sausages bound for the bbq because this releases juices which are necessary to keep the sausages moist.

* Always soak bamboo skewers in water for around ten mins before cooking to prevent them scorching or catching fire.

* To scrub your bbq, let it stay on approximately 5 minutes after you’ve finished cooking to burn off any baked-on food. Turn it off and scrape the bbq grill and hotplate with a stiff brush or scraper plus a little water – never use detergent. When it’s clean, lightly brush with cooking oil to counteract rusting.

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