Give the best Father’s Day possible in the tastiest of ways by creating the ultimate barbecue bonanza with all the trimmings.
Whether dad decides to dabble with the barbecue himself or ‘bestow’ the grilling responsibilities over to his family for the day, the joy of creating a mouth-watering grilling experience will clearly make his day.
Samba, the experts in fire and barbecue, has joined forces with Deniz Altintas, founder of Smokey McBBQ in Toowoomba, to share their top grilling tips to make Father’s Day less about socks and jocks and more about charcoal and chicken!
Creating the ultimate Father’s Day feast
According to Deniz, meats, sides and presentation are the three pillars to making a perfect Father’s Day grilling feast.
“The star of the show has to be your meat choice, don't be afraid to get something special whether it’s a bone in sirloin steak or a delicious tomahawk steak.
“Sides matter too as you want dad to remember that side you made for him. Something like hassle-back potatoes look sensational and taste amazing without being too difficult and can even be done on the grill. We eat with our eyes, so take your time in presenting your plate or platter. Slicing your steak and drizzling a chimichurri sauce over the top will add great colour and a tasty zing.”
Grilling gifts for dad
“If there's one tool all grill masters should have it is a decent instant read thermometer like the Inkbird IHT-1P, temperature is the most reliable measure in whether or not your food is ready.
“Next I'd say is a decent boning knife and chef's knife if you don't already have one, Victorinox has a great range of quality knives that won't break the bank.
“A personalised apron could also be a great Father’s Day gift idea. Whether you monogram the word ‘dad’, his name or a nickname, a quality apron with leather straps would be an outstanding choice.”
Top tips in creating the ultimate steak for your dad
“Make sure your grill is ripping hot and your steak is at room temperature (15min out of the fridge), when you flip your steak place it on a different spot on the grill so you have a fresh hot surface to work that crust.
Lastly, a thermometer will give you the internal temperature so you can have the perfect doneness of your steak.”
What’s for dessert?
“There are certain fruits that really intensify in flavour on the grill, slice some pineapple, peaches, pears, plums, bananas or even watermelon.
“Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on both sides and throw it on a grill! Then toss it in a bowl with some ice cream on top and you have a simple dessert!”
Charcoal & smoking chunk considerations
Not all charcoal and smoking chunks are created equal. A poor choice in charcoal can lead difficulty in getting lit and staying lit, not to mention any undesirable odours that may come with it. Having had the opportunity to cook with the Samba lump charcoal (restaurant grade), I can say it lights easy, puts out a good amount of BTU and had no foul odours.
“Equal thought needs to be put into your smoking chunk too, if the charcoal is clean, then alot of your flavour is coming from your chosen source of smoke. Samba smoking chunks are the perfect size for producing clean smoke and have been well seasoned to not produce any acrid or bitter notes in your cook.”