What's cooking?

The latest barbecues, wood-fired ovens and outdoor kitchens elevate alfresco cooking and dining to an exciting new level

- Karen Booth

Let's face it, an Aussie backyard wouldn't be an Aussie backyard without a barbecue. There was a time when that would have been little more than some stacked bricks and a hotplate. Then the small, portable kettle-style barbecue made its debut, followed by larger trolley-style wheeled barbecues. Soon, barbecues were being designed not just to offer more burners, optional extras and storage the barbecue also evolved to become functional, versatile and good-looking.

One of the biggest leaps forward came when technology delivered a new concept in larger barbecues - the sleek, stylish, stainless-steel barbecue with a roasting hood. With the hood and indirect heat, delicate flavours were sealed in and enhanced. Since then, barbecue design has taken off in myriad directions, from massive eight-burner barbecues to slimline options that sit almost flush within a benchtop and space-conserving, wall mounted grills for balconies and courtyards.

Today, the traditional four-burner stainless-steel barbecue is still one of the most popular choices, but the range of options and extras is quite dizzying. And as for the design, sleek and linear is in vogue as are more intuitive controls, although for those who love a splash of colour or retro styling, well, that can be catered for, too.

THE CHOICE IS YOURS

Contemporary barbecues can be equipped with all manner of clever design features: side burners so you can sauté, steam or stir fry; slimline hoods that roll back so they take up less space; a teppanyaki plate; rotisserie rods; a built-in thermometer; removable warming trays; pizza oven fittings; infrared burners; storage for accessories and condiments and that's just a partial list.