Celebrate the Grand Final with a spring barbecue
With October in our sights, the weather is starting to heat up and BBQ season is making a comeback. With the NRL grand finals, Christmas, New Year, and a huge summer of cricket looming, how is the perfect time to prepare your barbecue and outdoor area
Preparing your barbecue and outdoor area
If your outdoor area has been left to its own devices over winter, now is the time to get out and give it a new life. The first task is to make sure your barbecue is working properly. Bunnings has some great tips on preparing your barbecue, from giving it a good clean down with degreasing agents to checking the gas bottles and hoses, burners and smoke boxes and rotisseries if you have them.
Make sure you also stock up on new seasonings if your current ones are out of date, and check that your utensils are all in good condition.
For your outdoor area, check over your chairs and table, trim back any plants from the garden, and give everything a good clean down including the flooring, table, chairs and any outside food preparation or storage areas. If you haven’t used your outdoor lighting for awhile, now is the time to check it all works.
What’s on the menu
Things have changed in the last few years – while a grand final or summer barbecue used to just be a few sausages, some bread and maybe a salad, now you’ll find a whole range of tasty treats to suit everyone. Lamb cutlets, sausages and sirloin are all great options but to feed a crowd, a slow cooked brisket is absolutely perfect. Pop it on the BBQ early in the morning and cook it low and slow until game time. Never cooked a brisket on the BBQ before? Here’s a great little recipe.
Grazing platters are also a great way to feed a crowd, and they can be put together quite easily. A fruit/nut/cheese platter always goes down well, particularly if you offer a number of different cheese and dip options; seafood platters are a treat for warm summer evenings, and the classic antipasto platter will certainly feed a crowd. For the vegetarians, this Mediterranean grazing platter fits the bill. Don’t forget that your local supermarket or cafe may also be able to supply you with platters if you just don’t have the time.
Finally, you can’t forget the sweets. Local bakery, Ferguson Plarre has a great selection of sweet treats including cheesecakes, brownies, cannoli, slices and donuts.
On the day
The day of your BBQ can get quite hectic, so preparing beforehand is key. Pre-order your BBQ meats from a quality butcher like Point Cook Quality Meats and your antipasto platter additions from Matteo’s Delicatessen in Altona. Make sure you’ve prepared your shopping list in the days before, and picked up any last minute items the day prior.
In the week leading up to your event, go through your cupboards and make sure you have everything you need – glasses, plates, serving utensils, serviettes, cutlery and plenty of paper towels. Look for food you might be able to prepare ahead of time, or at least the night before so the day isn’t so much of a rush.
On the morning of your event, clean up your outdoor area, head down to the service station and grab some ice, prepare the rest of the food, and get ready to enjoy your day!
Talk to us
As the area’s longest-established estate agents, we are the people to talk to if you are thinking of buying or selling a home in Point Cook, Sanctuary Lakes and the wider Wyndham region – so feel free to get in touch. No one knows the market here better than us, so give Established Property a call today.
