You’re taking a road trip around New Zealand. You pack your bags, hire a campervan and head onto the highway, looking for adventure. Then you think: what am I going to eat? You can’t eat out every night – that would seriously blow your budget – and you can’t make two-minute noodles in your tiny campervan kitchen all the time – that would just be depressing. So why not take full advantage of being in New Zealand and indulge in a great Kiwi tradition… the barbecue?

Many campsites throughout New Zealand have barbecues available for public use. Most are free, but some require prearranging with the appropriate authorities. You could also get yourself a little portable barbecue, but make sure you check the fire hazard warnings of individual areas before using it.

The smell of the barbecue will be one of the highlights of your trip. Nothing relaxes you like gulping a cold drink while hot smoke drifts by your deck chair, towards the setting sun. As for the actual food, a quick trip to the supermarket and you’re sorted. To make it a proper Kiwi barbecue, you need to purchase the following:

STEAK.

No New Zealand barbecue is complete without steak, and whether you like it cooked to the consistency of shoe leather or practically still mooing, New Zealand beef is the way to go.

SAUSAGES.

(Also called ‘bangers’ in a throwback to New Zealand’s British heritage.) Let’s face it, no matter how dodgy the quality of the sausage, it always tastes like ambrosia when fresh off the ‘barbie’ and smothered in…

TOMATO SAUCE.

To be strictly Kiwi, make it Wattie’s sauce. And to stop the sauce dripping, of course, you need…

BREAD.

White bread, usually. The kids love it.

KEBABS.

These come in a whole range of flavours. You probably won’t want the hassle of making your own from scratch if you’re living in a campervan, so just get some pre-marinated ones from the supermarket. Chicken in peanut satay is always a good choice.

POTATO SALAD.

Boil potatoes, let cool, coat in mayonnaise. So good. You can jazz it up by adding extras, such as bacon bits and parsley, or asparagus, or anything you want.

CORN ON THE COB.

These are so cheap and so tasty. You don’t even need to add butter – just eat them as is, warm and juicy.

And there you have it: the Great New Zealand Barbecue. Enjoy.

 

Article by Abigail Simpson, author of POMS AWAY! A British Immigrant’s View of New Zealand