Real men thrill on the grill

I’m not sure if it’s the Master Chef phenomenon, or the fact that people are trying to save money by eating out less, but cooking seems to be the new black. And there’s no greater cooking domain for men than the barbeque.

Fortunately, things have moved on from the days when a gourmet feast involved a burnt sausage with a tinny chaser. Aside from the fact that the average sausage contains around 20 grams of fat, your taste buds really deserve better. Why not expand your barbeque horizons by taking a closer look at marinades, seafood’s, and kebabs?

Here’s some tips on how to can provide a bit of thrill on the grill at your next barbeque.

• Marinades – Lean meats are a good source of protein and are lower in unhealthy fats, but they can lack something in flavour. Fortunately, you can compensate by using marinades, spices and rubs. Try slicing a chicken breast into strips, and soaking it in teriyaki marinade overnight before your next barbeque. Or rub a lamb back-strap in paprika, garlic powder and cumin before adding it to the grill.
• Seafood – Seafood is high in protein and essential fats, but it doesn’t need to be smothered in butter to bring out the flavour. Try wrapping a whole snapper in foil with some pink onion, shallots and lime juice. Or throw some green prawns on the hot plate with crushed garlic, white wine and chopped parsley.
• Kebabs – More than threading meat onto a stick, kebabs allow you to explore a wide variety of flavour combinations, and increase your vegetable intake. Cut tuna into large cubes, and alternate on a kebab spear with fresh pineapple and zucchini discs. Another great combination is lean pork, dried apple and red capsicum.

  Do you have a favourite healthy barbeque recipe?