Nothing beats al fresco dining during summer months and if you’re eating outside it’s time to get the barbecue out.

Growing up in New Zealand, Dane Allchorne, owner and executive head chef at the Milk House in Sissinghurst and the Barrow House at Egerton, learnt a thing or two about throwing food on the barbie.

Here, he gives his tips and tricks to get you fired up, make sure your food is cooked to perfection and guarantee everyone has a good time.

1 Use a combination of charcoal and wood. This will reach a high temperature, produce real flames and give your meat that wonderful smoky texture. I use apple or hickory wood for a more intense flavour.

2 Don’t rush. Light the barbecue before guests arrive, allow half an hour to transform your coals into burning embers and don’t cut corners. Use kindling instead of firelighters, they might seem like a quick fix but they taint the taste. Real men don’t use petrol.

3 Everything has its place. The middle of the barbecue is the hottest point, so this is where you should sear your meat and grill your fish. Sausages and chicken need to cook slowly for a longer time so put them at the edges. Oh – and keep raw ingredients separate from cooked.

4 Season in style. You want your sweat and toil to pack a punch, so season your meat with plenty of salt and pepper just before it hits the grill. Baste your meat while it’s cooking with a homemade brush of herbs (rosemary, thyme and sage) dipped in olive oil.

5 Keep a lid on it. To permeate the smoke into your meat, keep the lid down – this reduces oxygen and concentrates flavour. But to get things cooking, you’ll need to lift that lid off.

6 Tools of the trade. Make sure you own a pair of long tongs, a long fork and have a clean dry tea towel to hand. Always flip your meat with tongs, rather than a fork, to avoid losing juices. Turn everything more than once to make sure your feast cooks evenly.

7 Good things take time. It’s very important to make sure you try everything before you serve up to ensure your meat is cooked all the way through. Use a small sharp knife to check that juices are running clear. If in doubt, let it cook for another 10 minutes.

8 Stay with the barbecue. Don’t take your eyes off that grill, for the best results and for safety. You won’t get lonely. Chefs never do. Barbecue is theatre and your guests will huddle round.

Find the Milk House at The Street, Sissinghurst, call 01580 720200 or go to themilkhouse.co.uk and the Barrow House at The Street, Egerton, call 01233 756 599 or go to thebarrowhouse.co.uk

The Barrow House is running a summer offer for little ones to eat free on Sundays. Enjoy a free children’s lunch with each roast between noon and 4pm.

RECIPE

Dane’s grilled salmon skewers are a simple, safe and scrumptious BBQ dish with a citrus kick, fresh flavours and mega omegas in every bite. Seasoned with fresh dill and citrus, this family favourite goes wonderfully with a big green garden salad, new potatoes, a great New Zealand Sauvignon and good company.

INGREDIENTS
Serves 4
½ side of salmon fillet, skinned & pin-boned
2 limes
1 orange
1 lemon
½ bunch dill
10ml olive oil
¼ preserved lemon
100g mayonnaise
1tsp caster sugar
1 lemon
Sea salt & cracked black pepper
8 bamboo skewers (soaked overnight in water)

METHOD
1. Cut the fillet of salmon into eight slices approximately 2–3cm thick
2. Grate the zest of the citrus fruits and squeeze all the juices into a bowl or deep tray
3. Finely chop the dill and add the olive oil, juices, zest, salt and pepper to make a marinade
4. Liberally coat the salmon in the marinade and leave to stand for 10 mins
5. Thread the fish onto the skewers to form eight kebabs
6. Brush the kebabs with the remaining marinade
7. Combine the preserved lemon and mayo, blend until smooth and add sugar to taste to balance the acidity
8. Cook the skewers for 7–9 mins on a hot BBQ until the fish flakes easily
9. Serve with preserved lemon mayo and a chargrilled BBQ lemon