New Zealand Men's BBQ Reign Under Threat

Kiwis have long thought that the barbecue is a man’s domain, but times are changing and men need to step up their skills if they’re going to remain king of the barbecue.

A recent study by BeefEater Barbecues shows that 66 per cent of New Zealanders think that women are as good as men at creating gastronomical meals on their barbecue.

Even men seem to know they’re under threat – only 33 per cent of Kiwi men surveyed said that they were better at barbecuing than the ladies in their life.

Mark Coory from Capisco, New Zealand distributor for BeefEater, says it’s almost impossible to find a home or bach in New Zealand that doesn’t have a barbie, but men have got to barbecue like a pro to keep their title as king of the barbecue.

“The truth is there are a lot of average barbecuers out there. Men are guilty of poking, prodding and flipping their meat too often. You’ve got to be patient at the grill to get sizzling results, but most of all the problem is not enough heat!” says Mark.

High heat is the key to cooking amazing food. Searing your meat or seafood on high heat seals it and keeps the juices inside. This stops your food from drying out and locks the flavours in. When cooking chicken and other meats that need to be fully cooked you still want to seal your meat on a high heat first, then turn the heat down to cook right through. 

Preheating your barbecue before you start cooking helps you get the temperature up, but it also depends on the heat output of your barbecue.

“People say a poor tradesman blames his tools, but when it comes to barbecuing, you’re definitely right to blame an element of your dry chicken and tough steak on the poor heat output of your barbie. Great meals come from the right technique and great tools,” adds Mark.

Women have long claimed the kitchen as their domain and it seems that women might be ready to take over the barbecue, so men need to step up their game if they want to remain masters of this Kiwi icon.

There is a barbecue for every household setting, from built in BeefEater Barbecues to the portable BeefEater BUGG, so you won’t be stuck trying to palm off burnt sausages and dehydrated burgers this summer.

BeefEater’s guide to becoming a barbecuing king (or queen!):
• Season first – add your seasoning before you cook. Even just a simple dose of salt will make your meats taste terrific.
• Get hot – Pre heat your barbecue before you start cooking and seal all your food on high heat for 2-3 mins a side, then turn the temperature down and if you have a lid, lower it now to evenly cook the food through.  The time you cook depends on how you like it cooked. Medium/rare means just a few minutes, thick chicken breasts may need ten or more. The sealing at the start ensures you’ll enjoy juicy flavoursome meat however you like it done.
• Turn it less  – Turn your meat once while sealing at a high heat, then once more mid-way through the final cooking process with the lid down. 
• Don’t guess, be exact – Use a meat thermometer to cook steak and chicken to perfection.
• Keep your hood down – If you’re roasting a chicken or baking a cake (yes, you can do that in a barbecue) you’ve got to keep the hood down. Every time you lift the hood the heat escapes, so stick to looking through the window in your hood and use the temperature gauge to keep track of the heat inside.

For editorial enquiries and more images: Louisa Jones Lassoo Media & PR louisa@lassoo.co.nz, 021 2992628

About BeefEater Barbecues
With over 25 year’s experience, BeefEater is known for its meticulously designed and high quality, high heat-output barbecues. BeefEater is represented in over 40 countries around the world. Universal appeal has therefore always been at the forefront of BeefEater design. For more info visit www.beefeaterbbq.com. BeefEater and BUGG® are registered trademarks

Research Methodology:
This research was conducted using Perceptive’s monthly Omnibus survey of 1,000 New Zealanders using a nationwide sampling framework; the results were then weighted to Statistics New Zealand census gender, age and location data.