Top 5 BBQ Ideas For This Easter

Having the family over for Easter this year, along with all of those mouths that need to be fed? Or are you (fortunately) heading over to someone else's, but want to bring something more than the standard charcuterie board this time?

Easter is an absolutely ripper holiday. Four day weekend, family gatherings, kids running around collecting eggs, and far less of the typical stress and drama that usually comes with Christmas.
It’s casual, it’s fun, and it’s great for BBQing.

Whether it’s an entire extended family reunion, or just you and a few mates, one of the best ways to take advantage of the time off is a BBQ.

For some, this prospect can be stressful. Not only must we decide what to cook, we also want everyone to have a good time. That usually means making food that is delicious - and will keep Uncle Mike from heckling you from over the patio.

At Smokey Q, we understand the importance of delicious BBQing and the power it has to bring people together.
So whether you are the host with the most this Easter, or are wanting to bring a strong contribution to the sharing table, here are our Top 5 Easter BBQ ideas that will keep everyone happy for the whole long weekend.

 

1. Zesty Grilled Prawns

Iconic and Aussie, you cannot go wrong with this classic Aussie BBQ staple that will have the whole gathering picking away relentlessly. 

Buy some fresh prawns from your local grocer or defrost from frozen before drizzling olive oil all over. 

Sprinkle generously with a high quality salt-blend. We recommend Smokey Q’s Zesty Salt Blend, which combines high-quality Australian sea salt with the native lemon myrtle plant for perfectly zesty and tangy prawns. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice while grilling will grant additional zesty flavours.

Or, if you prefer your prawns a little more garlicy, a Salt-Pepper-Garlic salt blend will also do the trick - tasting and smelling amazing. 

Grill your prawns over a gas or charcoal barbecue on high heat (230°C-260°C) for about 2 minutes each side, before serving alongside your sauce of choice and some lemon wedges.

Super simple and sensational, zesty grilled prawns are a sure-fire hit at any outdoor BBQ gathering and are perfect for Easter.

 

2. Char-Grilled Chicken & Vegetable Skewers

Easy to serve, fun to make. Skewers are a BBQ gathering hit.

Chop up some chicken chunks and keep in a bowl.

Select some of your favourite veggies (we love capsicum, eggplant, onion, pineapple) and chop into similar sized chunks.

Drizzle olive oil over your chicken and coat generously in spices and seasoning. Smokey Q’s Chicken BBQ Rub is an ideal choice, balancing zesty sumac notes with kaffir lime, along with paprika, garlic and Italian herbs.  It goes with pretty much everything, but tastes particularly amazing on chicken (hence the name).
For added spice, adding a sprinkle of Chipotle BBQ Rub will give your skewers an authentic South-American kick that will smell and taste amazing.

Do the same with the vegetables before threading the chicken and veggies onto skewers (you can make some vegetable-only skewers for vegetarians/vegans). 

Lightly oil your grill gates and place on MED-HIGH heat (200°C-250°C) before grilling your skewers for between 8-11 minutes, turning sides every few minutes. Make sure your chicken is cooked through and that the skewers are lightly charred on all sides.

For added flavour, lightly glaze your cooked skewers in a quality BBQ sauce  and place on the heat again for a further 2 minutes to caramelise. 

Once served, these will vanish quickly.

 

3. Sticky BBQ Chicken Wings

Crunchy, sticky, tasty. Our Sticky BBQ Chicken wings will have your guests smiling ear-to-ear this Easter.

Start by preparing your barbecue for indirect cooking over medium-high heat (200°C-260°C)

In a large bowl, lightly coat your chicken wings with olive oil and season generously with any one of our favourite 3 rubs for chicken wings - Honey & Bacon if you want something sweet and salty, Chipotle BBQ for some Latin kick, or Chicken BBQ for a zesty and herby homerun.

We like to add some apple smoking wood chunks for these for extra smoky-sweetness, but this is simply an additional option.

Cook the chicken wings over indirect medium-high heat, with the lid closed, for 45 minutes or until golden and crispy

Brush your cooked wings with some Bull’s Head BBQ Sauce  or Cold Smoked Honey and cook for an additional minute or 2, creating sweet, sticky, absolutely irresistible chicken wings.

These wings are simple, easy, and taste absolutely amazing. The kids will lose interest in their Easter eggs in a second once these are brought out.

 

4. Roast Potatoes & Charcoal Corn Cobs

Roast spuds and charcoal corn cobs are a (relatively) healthy hit for any BBQ that will be popular with taste buds and arteries alike.

Pre-boil your potatoes before adding olive oil and generously sprinkling an SPG Blend or a BBQ rub (we recommend our chicken one) for ultimate flavouring. Roast at 180°C in an oven or on a weber kettle for about 50 minutes or until soft, turning occasionally (every 15-20 minutes or so). Serve on a plate and sprinkle with salt and herbs.

Drizzle olive oil over your washed corn cobs then coat with either a Chipotle or Charcoal seasoning rub.

Grill over a charcoal BBQ for ultimate charred flavours, although a gas BBQ will do fine (just add extra charcoal seasoning).
Grill until lightly charred before serving.

 

 

5. Whole Baked Fish w/ Lemon & Herbs

A whole baked or grilled fish is an absolute delight come Easter time. Whether you are religiously following the “no red meat” rule or not, a whole fish done well is a certified crowd-pleaser.

Buy a 500-800g whole fish from your local fishery (or catch it yourself - as we did, pictured above!).
Prepare your BBQ for indirect cooking over medium heat (190°C to 230°C: roasting setting). If you are using a Weber Q barbecue, set up your barbecue with a convection tray and trivet.

Prepare your fish as usual before stuffing the cavity with lemon slices and fresh herbs of your choosing. Drizzle some olive oil over the fish, and season generously with Smokey Q Zesty Sea Salt Blend. It is an absolute treat on fish.

Roast the fish over indirect medium heat, with the lid closed, for 30 to 45 minutes until cooked to your liking OR until the internal temperature has reached 54°C.
The internal temperature will continue to rise 3°C to 6°C while resting (final doneness temperature for whole fish is 57°C).

Once done, serve with a fresh salad.

You’ll have the entire Easter BBQ grinning from bunny-ear to bunny-ear.

Sensational Flavours Made Simple

For more tips, tricks, and to shop a range of BBQ seasoning rubs and sauces that are chef-designed and restaurant quality at affordable prices, check out the entire Smokey Q range here.

Bring out the chef within and upgrade your grill game with Smokey Q.