Now it's getting hot: time for a barbecue - with Anthony's insider tips!

Summer is just around the corner – high time for balmy evenings and sizzling barbecues! Crisp vegetables, juicy meat and cool drinks – Germans love cooking outdoors. As well as the familiar barbecue classics, there are always new tricks and trends emerging that aren’t just sure to set men’s hearts racing. And Masterbarbier Anthony has a few insider tips for your next barbecue session too!

Luxury or standard barbecue?

This year, Germans are barbecuing their worries and sorrows away! Due to Covid, we not only spent much more time than usual within our own four walls, but often had fewer expenses too. That’s why we should treat ourselves to something for a lovely summer – this year’s trend is clearly heading towards luxury grills! Whether it’s a smoker, a kamado or a hybrid model – with these high-quality barbecues, you’ll find plenty of ways to make the most of the loveliest season of the year. With smokers, the food isn’t placed directly over the coals but is cooked by the smoke – pulled pork or spare ribs turn out particularly tasty and tender this way. A kamado is a cross between a classic barbecue and a stone oven. These models are therefore particularly suitable for pizza lovers and those who swear by delicious garlic bread as a side dish. The barbecue has its roots in Asia, but is now gaining a firm foothold in the USA and Germany too. If you want to avoid the debate over whether charcoal or gas is better for cooking, this option makes it easy: the hybrid barbecue offers the best of both worlds – the gas barbecue can be converted into a charcoal barbecue in under a minute.

Variety on the grill

It’s not just the barbecues themselves that are changing with new trends; this year, the accessories are also offering new possibilities – such as fire plates: these cast-iron rings are used as an attachment for a fire barrel or a kettle barbecue. There is a hole in the centre through which the glowing coals remain visible. Thanks to the resulting division of space on the barbecue, several barbecue masters can take part in the action at the same time and literally put the idea of cooking together into practice. For all tech-savvy cooking enthusiasts, smart barbecue thermometers offer a new experience. With the ‘iGrill’, Weber shows you the way to the perfect steak. By entering the type of meat and the temperature, you can control the optimal cooking time via your smartphone and never have to worry about burnt food again – instead, the motto is: sit back and relax whilst enjoying an ice-cold beer.

Anthony’s tips for hot summer days

But it doesn’t always have to be a beer that cools down the barbecue master and his guests. Master barber Anthony swears by homemade ginger and apple sparkling water on warm summer evenings. Simply mix a little finely chopped fresh ginger with apple juice and sparkling water to taste, leave it to infuse for a while – and your refreshing drink is ready: “The combination of the gentle tingle of the ginger in the background and the sweetness of the apple juice just tastes great,” says Anthony. If you ask the Hamburg native for his personal barbecue tip, the boss of Eric:Barbier has an exciting recipe up his sleeve: “I love my home-marinated chicken legs! Season the legs a day before barbecuing with saffron, lemon, a little turmeric, salt and pepper, and leave them to marinate for about 24 hours in a bag with roughly chopped onions. The next day, dab off the excess juice and pop them on the barbecue – you’ll love them!” But what if the chicken thighs are already sold out at your butcher of choice? “I also love barbecuing vegan sausages, but I prefer a proper steak from the grill even more,” explains Anthony.

The guide to the perfect steak

To ensure nothing stands in the way of your perfect barbecue evening, we’ve put together nine steps to help you cook the perfect steak on the barbecue:

• • The barbecue must be hot – temperatures between 260 and 290 degrees Celsius are ideal
  • Always cook steaks at room temperature. To do this, simply take the meat out of the fridge about two hours before grilling
  • Brush the meat with oil or butter beforehand so it doesn’t stick to the grill
  • It’s best to season the steak after grilling, so the spices don’t burn and the meat develops its full flavour
  • Adjust the correct distance between the grill and the meat: for steaks with a higher fat content, ensure that the dripping fat does not fall directly into the flame or embers. This creates an open flame that can burn the meat
  • Turn the steak regularly so that the meat cooks evenly and remains juicy
  • Always use barbecue tongs. If you turn the steak with forks or similar utensils, you run the risk of meat juices escaping and the steak becoming dry
  • Check the doneness using the palm test or a meat thermometer
  • Let the steak rest for a few minutes after grilling

Nothing beats a lovely evening with delicious food and cool drinks in the evening sun. With these trends and tips, you’re guaranteed to be well-prepared for your next barbecue – and nothing stands in the way of a relaxing summer! Still need the right accessories for your perfect barbecue evening? Then don’t miss our knife tips!