It’s our favourite time of the year, friends! The wonderful, Aussie summer has officially graced us with her presence. As always, you can expect an entire season of meals cooked the way food was meant to be cooked… over coals.

Here are some real barbecue ideas to whet your appetite…

Chilli Lime Mussels BBQ Recipe
If you can get your hands on some fresh mussels this is a simple, quick way to cook them. Remember to avoid mussels with broken shells or that seem heavy (filled with mud). You’re looking for shells that are closed tightly or that close when given a slight tap. Serve this dish with crusty bread to mop up the delicious sauce.

Tropical Chicken BBQ Recipe
This is from Adrian Richardson and is ideal for a light summer lunch. The chicken is marinated in Asian flavours, then served with a salad of mangoes, coriander, capsicum and onions. For a quick week night meal, substitute the whole chicken with just chicken breasts.

Grilled Cauliflower BBQ Recipe
Cauliflower is not a vegetable we often speak about but it’s actually a great, budget-friendly alternative and tastes pretty wonderful when grilled (yes, it’s all that charred, caramelised goodness!). This is perfect as a side or a light main meal.

Before you get started, visit BBQ tips for some handy reminders on lighting your BBQ this summer.

Here’s to a crackin’ summer!