A BBQ breakthrough - Heat Beads® Chimney Booster

We come with news of a BBQ breakthrough *drum rolls* … the new Heat Beads® Chimney Booster.

Heat Beads®, Australia’s leading BBQ fuel and equipment specialists have recently launched a revolutionary product which heralds the arrival of the very latest in BBQ convenience, cutting BBQ lighting time for cooking over coals down to a record 12 minutes (the days of heating coals for up to an hour to get that authentic BBQ flavour are no longer!).

Heat Beads® is proudly Australian owned and operated and has been satisfying Aussie BBQ needs for over forty years. 

We’re a nation of BBQ’ers, and BBQ season is certainly not over just because summer has finished. In fact, March is actually the driest month of the year, so now is the time to be BBQing most! 

We recently indulged in some real, authentic BBQing with Heat Beads® Chimney Booster and were excited to receive our shiny new Weber kettle BBQ, premium meats and a Heat Beads® accessories pack (including the new Chimney Booster) to make our BBQ cooking experience super quick, easy and fun. 

What you need:

Heat Beads® Firelighters

Heat Beads® BBQ Briquettes

Heat Beads® BBQ Starter Chimney

Heat Beads® Chimney Booster

We lit the Heat Beads® Chimney Booster with firelighters, filled the BBQ Chimney with briquettes and placed the BBQ Chimney on top of the Chimney Booster. 12 minutes after turning the Chimney Booster on, the briquettes were hot and ready to BBQ with (yes, it’s

*that*

quick!)

We used the 12 minutes to whip up a salad and do a little marinating of our meats and veg…

Soon it was time to pop on some oven mitts and transfer the briquettes to the BBQ!

And it was  time to get cookin'!

Recipe: Smoky rib eye fillets

Ingredients

Handful of Hickory woodchips for smoking

Rib eye fillets

Salt

Pepper

Olive oil

Steps

1. Soak the hickory woodchips in water for around 30 minutes before cooking

2. Marinate the Rib eye fillets with salt, pepper and olive oil.

3. Sprinkle the soaked woodchips directly over the briquettes.

4. Start cooking! It took us approximately 4 minutes on each side for the beef to come out medium.

5. Enjoy!

We loved the results. It was such a quick and easy way to enjoy authentic smoky BBQ tasting meats.

The Heat Beads® Chimney Booster is an exciting addition to Heat Beads® existing range, cutting the time needed to fire up the BBQ to a mere 12 minutes - this made it so easy and convenient to BBQ the real way!

Where to buy:

Heat Beads® products are available from all major grocery and hardware retailers.

The Kilburn and Bluebonnet Barbecue Dinner

Images courtesy of Anthony.

Gastrology were delighted to join barbecue extraordinaires Bluebonnet Barbecue and whisky experts The Kilburn for a dinner that was a match made in heaven - Whisky and Barbecue.

Hosted at The Kilburn’s beautiful heritage-listed bar, the Whisky and Barbecue dinner paired premium whiskies from global whisky leader Diageo with hearty American barbecue dishes that warmed us from the inside out heading into the last month of winter. 

Oak-smoked wallaby croquette, apple and celeriac remoulade, fig and Clynelish radish

Paired with: Clynelist 14 years 46% vol, Highland

The croquette had a wonderfully crisp exterior which combined beautifully with the apple and celeriac remoulade which provided salinity to the dish while the fresh fig and Clynelish radish ensured that the dish had requisite balance. The matching Clynelist single malt Scotch whisky was a beautiful accompaniment with the pleasant creamy mouthfeel echoing the creamy remoulade

From left: Beef burger with smoked cheddar and McClure pickles; Pulled pork with apple kohlrabi slaw and Talkisker barbecue sauce

Paired with: Talisker 10 years 45.8% vol, Isle of Skye

We enjoyed both the sliders - each were well-made with generous fillings and paired magnificently with the full-bodied peppery Talisker.

Laguvalin glazed St. Louis pork rib, Jalepeno cheese grits, collard greens, fried shallots

Paired with: Lagavulin 16 years 43% vol, Islay

Laguvalin glazed St. Louis pork rib was the highlight of our evening. The pork ribs were of particular note, imparting a unique flavour courtesy of the Laguvalin glaze. The outstanding ribs were nicely caramelised and were laced with crispy charred bits. The heavy flavours were matched by the Lagavulin’s intense, smoky-sweetness.

The evening concluded on a sweet note with a delicious dessert of Smoked maple bacon ice cream sandwich with George Dickle (Tennessee whiskey) gastrique (Paired with George Dickel Classic no.8 40% vol, Tennessee).

These stunning moments from the event were captured by Anthony.

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of The Kilburn and Bluebonnet Barbecue.

Dear Liza

Dear Liza is a relatively new eatery on St Kilda Road demonstrating a unique dining experience that has left customers wanting more. 

Owner, Rochelle, makes a conscious effort to accommodate for a range of customers’ needs and aims to deliver a welcoming and friendly experience for anyone who walks through the door. 

The restaurant operates as a cafe by day with lighter options. By night, the restaurant specialises in ribs, seafood and salads with plenty of Build Your Own options.

Edamame: Chilli salt; Bacon; Lime zest and cracked pepper

Everything is made in house by a passionate team that aim to produce the highest quality of food coupled with exceptional service.

Grain & Seed Salad

The Grain & Seed Salad was an enlivening salad of quinoa, pomegranate seeds, slivered almonds, celery, pumpkin, pumpkin seeds, spring onion, feta, basil, mint and coriander was brought together with an OJ vinaigrette, the salad was a medley of exciting flavours and textures which will appeal to even the most carnivorous individuals.

Moreton bay bugs with garlic, chilli, parsley, lemon, crusty bread

The Moreton Bay bugs were stunning and cooked to perfection. The lemon beurre blanc with confit garlic accompanied the sweet Moreton Bay bugs perfectly resulting in a dish that was flavoursome, rich and complex.

Char-grilled smoky beef ribs

The beef ribs were tender, falling off the bone, juicy and packed with flavour. We loved the smoky flavour imparted.

Churros, Barbecued banana, 2 x char-grilled pineapple skewer, both dipping sauces and your choice of 1 serve of ice cream

A playful dessert platter concluded our evening. The churros were of particular note. Moist and light on the inside with a crispy exterior, we enjoyed dipping them in the 3 different dipping sauces before eating each bite with a mouthful of house made salted caramel ice cream.  

With good food, exceptional service and a touch of charm, Dear Liza ticks all the boxes and is more than capable of providing each diner with a memorable dining experience. 

Location: 181 St Kilda Road, St Kilda, 

Phone: 03 9534 5492

Link: http://www.dearliza.com.au/

Cuisine: Seafood, Healthy Food, Sandwiches

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Dear Liza.

The Easey Street Smoke Out

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Easey Street Smoke Out.

Ironbark Barbecue has teamed up with Australia’s first communal motorcycle workshop, Kustom Kommune, to reveal Easey Street Smoke Out.

The unique venue offers the best American style barbecue, in a real motorcycle workshop complete with welding, sawing and revving. The Kommune is also a fully equipped motorcycle workshop where members self-service their own bikes. They can access tools, knowledge and facilities from the Kommune community.

The bar and restaurant opened in February 2015 at Kustom Kommune, where the team serves up succulent cuts of ethically sourced Victorian meats, smoked on site from 5am, for dinner service starting at 6pm. The results are mouthwatering, tender, juicy, hot, smoked meats courtesy of using time old techniques which involve long processes.

The drink offerings are impressive with beers from local brewers in Thornbury, 3 Ravens, which was named Champion Small Australian Brewery at the Australian International Beer Awards and also picked up Best British Ale for its slightly tweaked English Ale.

Ironbark's passion for real American style food is palpable. Coupled with the sourcing high quality meat, it is a compelling proposition. The quality meat offerings include prime Victorian beef brisket, free range pulled pork shoulder, succulent Victorian lamb ribs, spicy thick sausages, the American classic, Texas chilli, as well as delicious salads and sides.

The Slow Smoked BBQ boasts a great selection of meats a- all of which are smoked with different woods to impart specific flavours and are prepared using dry rubs. We loved our platter of beef brisket, pulled pork, lamb ribs and thick sausages.

The lamb ribs were stunning - Tender, falling off the bone, juicy and packed with flavour. Prepared in the Southern tradition, we loved the smoky flavour imparted from being smoked for hours. The beef brisket was another  standout. Particularly noteworthy for its fragrant and complex beefy flavours which were enhanced by being marinated prior to being smoked for numerous hours. The meat was both soft and delicate.

The accompanying red slaw salad was our favourite. It was an enlivening salad with bold tastes and textures. A mixture of red chilli, red cabbage,  radish, capsicum and cumin, the salad was a beautiful and fresh addition which went well with the meats.

The Easey Street Smoke Out is the best place in Melbourne for the 3 Bs (barbecue, beers and bikes), delighting patrons with authentic American BBQ meats which are slow-smoked over real hard woods and delicious side dishes.

Location: 25 Easey St, Collingwood

Phone: 03 9417 5123
Link: http://ironbarkbbq.com.au/
Cuisine: American, BBQ

Recipe: BBQ Murray Valley Pork Half Loin

Gastrology bloggers tried the Pork Half Loin courtesy of MVP.

With Easter just around the corner, here's a really simple recipe that is perfect for hosting an Easter BBQ on and you want to throw something a little different into the mix!

Ingredients

1 kg Murray Valley Pork Half Loin, boneless & rindless

1 tablespoon olive oil

Southern Spice rub (we used the Jamie Oliver one)

Pinch of salt

Method

Dry the pork with paper towels.

Rub and massage liberal amounts of olive oil, salt and Spice rub into the skin.

Sprinkle salt all over the surface of the skin.

Wrap the pork in foil

Chuck it on the barbie for 40 minutes

Unwrap and finish it off on the grill, allowing it to cook over the coals for 1 minute each side.

Serve!

It's a seriously simple little dish that the whole family will love. 

Get your hands on some Murray Valley Pork -> Find your nearest stockist here!

Or if you would like to find other porky recipe ideas, check out our posts about Murray Valley Pork's Topside mole here, Murray Valley Pork's Half Netted Shoulder Roast here or Murray Valley Pork Belly here .

Colombian Sundays @ Piqueos

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Piqueos.

A restaurant inspired by travels to Peru and Argentina, Piqueos delights with a menu of regional and street dishes that best represent these two countries.

Recently, Colombian dishes have started making their debut at Piqueos on Sundays. While the rest of the week the restaurant focuses on Peruvian and Argentinean cuisine, Sundays are an opportunity for passionate Colombian head chef Juanito Berbeo (Juan) to cook the food he was brought up with. 

Our poison on this occasion were Pisco Sour cocktails, a typical of South American drink made with pisco (the base liquor) lemon juice, syrup, ice, egg white, and bitters. We adored this heady, frothy mixture of sweet and sour.

Our lunch started with a selection of delicious Colombian piqueos, small appetizers which made up a light first course for our meal.

Colombian empanadas

These delicious fritters were beautiful. They were each filled with an amalgamation of tender beef, rice, smashed peas and egg. The outer crust which was made with masarepa, the precooked cornmeal that is used to make arepas were perfectly crisp. We enjoyed paring each bite of the empanada with the various dipping sauces. 

Cebiche - chargrilled octopus, scallop, leche de Tigre

The cebiche was beautifully presented and tasted even better than it looked. It was a wonderful mélange of different textures, natural sweetness and acidity. Tidbits of fresh cured scallops were embellished with juicy chargrilled octopus and corn; pockets of herbs added the final touch to an enlivening combination of ingredients. 

Lechona - 10 hour slow roasted pig filled with pork, rice and spice

The lechona was addictively good. In South America and in Colombia, Sundays are all about families and this often means sitting down and sharing a Lechona - much like the one we indulged in pictured above. A pork dish, made from a whole pig stuffed with pork meat, rice, split peas and spice which is then roasted for 12+ hours, this dish is comfort food at its best. It’s got it all - crackling, tender meat and amazing flavour.

Yuca frita Hand cut yuca chips

Piqeuos’ cassava chips were a welcome deviation from the potato chip norm.

Manjar blanco

A Peruvian and Argentinian influenced dessert of mocha and pisco mousse, maqui berry and peanut crumble was a delightfully sweet end to our visit. 

Sundays at Piqeous are an opportunity to taste Juan’s delicious Colombian heritage amongst other delicious Piqueos staples. 

Location: 298 Rathdowne St  Carlton North,

Phone: 03 9349 2777

Link: http://www.piqueos.com.au/

Cuisine: Peruvian, Argentinian, Colombian, Wine Bar, Latin American, Barbecue

Lumber Yard @ The Workers Club

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Lumber Yard.

Located within the confines of The Workers Club, The Lumber Yard is a stand-alone dining room and restaurant which celebrates old British cuisine with an emphasis on smoking techniques and nostalgic, hearty English fare with a twist.

The Lumber Yard is the brainchild of new owners and manager Nat Prescutto at The Workers Club (ex Boatbuilders Yard, Yarra Glen Grand), Paul Hammond and Dave Barron. Paul worked for the famed Rushmore Group in London before moving to Australia where he worked at Seamstress and Rosetta for two years under Neil Perry. 

Dave ran his own café and catering business with celebrity chef Nick Nairn in Glasgow, before his move to Melbourne where he was principally responsible for setting up Dry Store Espresso. Paul and Dave are the brains trust behind Ironbark BBQ, an American BBQ concept specialising in unique pop ups and events.

The intimate dining space is cosy but modest, reflecting the simple inspirations behind their food.

The menu features inspiring creations including smoked hot links with Guinness mustard, black pudding with green apple and celery slaw and creamy mashed potato with parsley liquor.

Left: Smoked pork shoulder with piccalilli & Smoked & beer braised beef cheek with pickled onions 

Right: Smoked lamb ribs with vinegar mint dressing

The smoked lamb ribs were stunning - tender, falling off the bone, juicy and packed with flavour. Nicely caramelised and crispy and were flavoured well by the fresh and slightly tart vinegar mint dressing.

The lamb shoulder was superbly slow roasted and was incredibly tender. The flavours from the piccalilli of mustard and turmeric delivered a delectable balance between sweet and savoury. 

The beef cheek was a stand out. It was both tender and delicious, with caramel undertones courtesy of being slow-braised in star anise, white pepper and bay leaf. The cheeks fell away at the weight of our spoons whilst still retaining their integrity. 

Left: Creamy mashed potato with parsley liquor

Right: Bubble and squeak corn bread

The corn bread was an unpretentious creation that was particularly memorable for its addictive sweetness and gritty texture.

The mashed potato with parsley liquor was beautifully creamy and well-seasoned. The use of parsley liquor added a delightful aroma. 

Smoked glazed carrots with red lentils 

The side dish of smoked glazed carrots was inspiring. We loved the combination of the carrots earthy sweetness and the red lentils which had been cooked with vermouth, garlic, bay leaf and shallots. It was a beautiful side dish which shone in its own right but also worked wonders with the relatively heavy mains.

“Eskimo pie” by Gelato Messina

Our dinner concluded on a playful and nostalgic note with chocolate-covered vanilla ice cream bars wrapped in paper.

The Lumber Yard surprises with delicious British inspired cuisine and meats which are slow-smoked over real hard woods, delicious side dishes and an uncompromising commitment to service.

Location: 51 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy

Phone: 03 9415 6558

Link: http://www.lumberyardfitzroy.com/

Cuisine: Barbecue, English/Irish, Scottish

The Voodoo Jerk Truck - You aren’t what you eat!

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of The Voodoo Jerk Truck.

Jabili Mchawala of Jabili’s Kitchen is turning up the heat with some mind-blowingly good Jamaican fare which features Jamaican jerk spice which is hot, packs a flavourful punch and can be rubbed on pretty much anything.

After absolutely loving Jabili’s Monday night African Feast, we were excited to try the new Jamaican food on offer.

Jerk Pork Ribs

Full plate - grilled jerk spiced ribs, mint yoghurt, salsa & cornbread 

The traditional Jerk Pork Ribs were absolutely delicious. These were expertly prepared and had juicy, succulent flesh. The outstanding ribs were crusted with a flavoursome spice mix and then perfectly fried to achieve a moreish crunchy exterior.  

The accompanying corn bread was more than just a side show. Charred, stacked, and with Escoveech and tamarind sauce, we savoured every bite. It was an unpretentious creation that was particularly memorable for its addictive sweetness and gritty texture.

Island Fried Chicken

The deep fried chicken (that had been thoughtfully deboned) had crisp outer skin and mouth-watering juicy flesh. Served with rum pickled veg and preserved lemon sauce which possessed a distinct depth of flavour that is far more alluring than your run-of-the-mill sauce, it was absolutely delicious. 

Caribbean Salad

An enlivening salad of creamy Junkanoo dressing, tangy pickled onions, fresh coriander and almond slivers to flavour beautifully roasted cauliflowers, the salad was a medley of exciting flavours and textures which will appeal to even the most carnivorous individuals.

Located behind Mr Wow's Emporium and Los Barbudos, Jabili’s food truck is bringing the bold, Jamaican jerks flavours to Fitzroy and resembles a yard you'd find in Jamaica. Grab a keg table and listen to the old school reggae delights pumping from their vintage AIWA boom box. However you have it, this jerk is hearty for winter and perfect for summer. 

What: Jamaican food

Where: Jabili's Kitchen @ Mr Wow's Emporium, 97b Smith Street,  Fitzroy - Enter via Smith Street through either Mr Wow’s Emporium or Los Barbudos and follow the neon food signs. 

Phone: 0421 483 464

Jabili has decided to keep his Monday Feast, where you can share five African flavours, injera bread and pickled veg for just $35 for two people. Read more about that here.