Guest Author - Michelle R. Mangio
To many Americans, the term "Aussie Barbie" draws to mind the phrase, "Throw another shrimp on the barbie." In actuality, though, shrimps aren't put on the grill - though occasionnally a prawn or two might be. Still, if invited to an Aussie Barbie, you might want to refrain from that American stereotype.
Aussie Barbies are a large and important pasttime in Australia, especially during the summer. Friends and family gather to enjoy a casual get-together, involving some beer or wine and cooking meats on a grill, and - most importantly - hanging out, enjoying each other's company, and enjoying the beer and grilled food. The Aussie Barbie is so popular, in fact, that most homes, major public areas, such as parks, beaches, and campsites, have a grill, just for this reason.
Barbies are held to celebrate just about every occasion. As baseball is considered the American pasttime, so is the Barbie considered to be Australia's. Australians truly enjoy their barbeque, and they live in a climate where they can truly enjoy them year round: it never gets too cold in Australia, and it's never too hot for a good Barbie.
There are only a few "rules" to an Aussie Barbie, but most importantly: there must be beer and there must be meat. An Aussie Barbie isn't an Aussie Barbie without those, and if you're in Australia hosting a barbie and you forget or substitute both those things, you're likely to insult your guests.
Guests should bring a six pack of beer (VB, or Victoria Bitter, is the national favorite) or a bottle of "Red Ned" (dry red wine). Traditionally, guest should never bring cookable meats, as it would be an insult to the host. These days, however, guests are expected to bring something, and that might include food - whether the meats, salads, veggies, or something else to be grilled.
Usually the food is grilled by the husband or the host (blokes do the grilling at the Barbie, that's just the way it is in Australia), on a flat metal griddle plate or grill suspended over a wood stoked fire. Charcoal Grills and Gas fired Barbecues are newcomers to the barbeque scene in Australia, but are becoming more popular.
First, the grill is cleaned, usually scraped as clean as possible, and then a roaring fire set to cook off any lingering bits from the last barbie. Beer is also helpful here in cleaning off the grill; splash some on and then burn away.
The barbie starts with grilling onions, as they take the longest and are an essential part of any Aussie barbie. Then sausages (called "snags") are added - and like onions, more is better. You can never have enough sausages. In fact, while in the US you might say, "a few cards short of a full deck" or "Missing a few marbles," in Australia they often say, "A couple snags short of a barbie."
Finally slap on some steaks or lamb chops. As these are generally sliced thinner than they are in the US, they don't take too long to cook. Especially if you are from the US, keep that in mind: you will char the meat if you cook it for as long as you would steak or chops here. If you prefer it charred - well, go for it!
If you're adding veggies to your Barbie, those go one next. Now is a good time to put the salad together, so it's all ready when the cooking is done.
Then it is time to enjoy some your food, down a few more beers, and generally just have a good time with your friends and family. Repeat until the sun has long since gone down, or everyone goes home.
Though Americans have a strong tradition for summer barbeques, no country has quite the prolific love of the barbie as the Australians.
