38 times the barbecue took care of dinner

Fire up the barbie any night of the week for a dinner that celebrates the season.

Butterflied chicken with rosemary oil Source: Smith Street Books

For many of us, the barbecue is something we put into action when friends come around. It's the weekend, eating al fresco is nice and barbecuing makes entertaining easy.

It's so nice out there, isn't it? Eating simple food fresh from the barbie as dusk gently reveals the stars. You tend to linger over the meal, sharing stories and lapping up some outdoor time like a starving housebound kitten.

Life feels good when you're eating barbecue.

This is why it's perplexing that we don't do it more often. I mean, all that plus you get to use the hose to do part of the washing up? Bring on the everyday barbie, we say!

Here is a stack of options to encourage you to fire up the grill more regularly and bring a little weekend joy to your weeknight dinners.

Chuck a prawn

Barbecue shrimp with dashi butter and nori will take you 15 minutes to make. Source: Chris Chen

Call them prawns or call them shrimp, it's the flavour that matters. Prawns (okay, we're calling them prawns) go so well on the barbie that you'll want to throw them on as often as you can. Start with this Japanese-inspired recipe and swim on from there.

Well marinaded

Little-known, but very worthwhile, Lao cuisine is absolutely packed with flavours that make for incredible marinades. Source: Adam Liaw

Another great thing about everyday barbecuing is you can marinade your meat to your heart's content. Not only does it make it tender and interesting as in this Lao-style barbecue chicken dish, but it's also a fact that cleaning cooked-on flavour off a barbecue is far less daunting than trying to resurrect your frypan. We've all been there.

Chick on

Lizzy's dad's satay chicken would help any crappy work day rise Phoenix-style from the barbecue ashes. Source: Adam Liaw

Let's stay with barbecued chicken for a moment, just so we can share this satay chicken recipe from Lizzy Hoo. Her dad used to cook this chicken at school fetes and it would sell out by midday. It's a really good reminder of how unbelievably tasty chicken from the barbecue can be (and also how unreal dads are).

Kebarbecue

Paneer and capsicum kebabs are where you begin your vego barbecued kebab journey. Source: Savannah van der Niet

Do you know what else makes for a really good barbecue? The whole world will tell you: kebabs. We could basically dedicate this entire round-up to tasty kebabs/skewers/gyros/sosatie (you get the idea) recipes.

Bomb sticker

In Puglia, these bombettes are a popular street food. Serve yours with a chopped tomato and oregano salad and dinner is done. Source: Bonacini's Italy

Bombette Pugliesi is exactly why skewering your barbecue makes sense. Pork wrapped around cheese, dipped in herbs and squeezed onto sticks barbecues like a dream.

Thai dunk

Skewers turn dinner into party. Source: Asia Unplated with Diana Chan

Of course, the Thais know how to work thread a tasty skewer as well, as these grilled pork skewers prove. There's a nahm jim jaew sauce for stick-dunking. The sauce is such an important part of any barbecue, so branch out and try something new.

90s seafoodies

Like we all knew in 1992, a grilled octopus salad is barbecue done right. Source: Alan Benson

For a few years in the '90s, you couldn't eat out at a restaurant without someone trying to sell you on the chargrilled octopus salad. It's definitely time to bring back the 90s.

Taco to go

Spiced fish tacos with chipotle sauce make an ideal weeknight family din-with-a-difference. Source: Smith Street Books

Fish tacos are many a family favourite, and you can barbecue those too. It works best that way: tacos being the kind of dish that somehow tastes better when you eat it outside.

Fish frenzy

Let's face it, the added benefit of cooking your fish outside is a fragrant one. Source: One World Kitchen

Once you start barbecuing your fish, you'll want to eat it every night. This fragrant Vietnamese fishy dish is a case in point. So quick to pull together and you can serve it with an even quicker leafy green salad for a completely delightful weekday meal.

T-boned

A super-hot grill with a bit of fire imparts smokiness into your meat. You probably don't get to do that in your kitchen. Source: Danielle Abou Karam

When you think barbecue, you think steak, right? So let's give you some steak. With a little added teriyaki marinade because it's us.

Ribbed

Korean sticky lamb ribs with pa muchim are about to take your dinner to a whole new level. Source: Danielle Abou Karam

Sticking with the classics and you can't go wrong with ribs on the barbecue. Many rib recipes require hours of marinading and basting, but not this one. All the flavour, none of the fuss.

Avo good dinner

You'll need our barbecue to be really hot and really clean to pull this one off. Source: Hardie Grant Books

Proof that you can barbecue anything for dinner, any time. This is barbecued avocado, served with a herb and labneh salad or you can add your own salad spin.

Cob out

You want in, right? Source: Brett Stevens

Perhaps corn on the barbie is a more familiar meal to start? You can throw whole corn on the grill to steam in its husk, or get a bit more sophisticated as Mexican elote requires. Husk your corn, grill it, then slather it in sour cream and herbs.

Get buns

A vego burger on the barbie adds a healthy chapter to a tale as old as time. Source: Smith Street Books

A barbecue burger makes a welcome any-night dinner. This healthy vegetarian version uses cashew and edamame to make a delicious bean patty. A happy way to eat a good meal in anyone's book.

Classic ending

Don't forget the beetroot and the egg! Source: Mikkel Vang

But to really round out your barbecue dinner experience, go the classic Aussie burger by Bill Granger. Wrap your laughing gear around it any night of the week and enjoy getting into the great outdoors more often.