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For the best barbecue you can build

anywhere, all you need is four bricks, some

natural charcoal, and a mesh plate.This is

how we barbecue, or asado, in Argentina.

It’s the best because it’s super-simple, for

starters, and you can move around whatever

it is you’re cooking with ease.

My old man taught me everything

I know about this style; he’s my not-so-secret

weapon. One of the most important things he

taught me is never to rush. Often the biggest

mistake is cooking too quickly and too hot –

to get it right, you have to take your time.

From setting up the barbecue to lighting the

coals and resting the meat, you can’t rush the

process or it will show in the final result.

My favourite thing to cook over summer

is beef short ribs. Take the meat out of the

fridge about 30 minutes before you want

to cook it and season it with salt – that’s

honestly all you need. You want a moderate

heat. To test, hold your hand 30 centimetres

above the fire – you should only be able

to hold it there for five seconds. I love

serving the ribs piled high on a plate with

chimichurri on the side. We make ours with

plenty of flat-leaf parsley, dried oregano

and chilli flakes.

Over the break we’re also likely to be

grilling plenty of Mediterranean vegetables

that are in season, too: things like capsicum,

eggplant and tomatoes – all the stuff that

lends itself well to cooking in the embers.

And make sure you have some cracking

wines. Asado lends itself to light-style reds.

If it’s really warm, maybe even with a bit of

ice or a splash of soda. And always make

sure someone is around to grab the chef

their beers. It’s a very important job that

shouldn’t be forgotten.

My barbecue style is very much based

on ocakbaşi – narrow Turkish barbecue

pits that use charcoal and wood.I have

a custom-built pit at home, and use flat,

sword-like skewers that sit across the

barbecue, directly over the flame. I can

skewer shish, köfte, offal, poultry and

even sardines on them, with enough

overhang to turn them by hand.

Always use the freshest, best meat

you can get your hands on, and don’t

go crazy on marinades. Instead, focus

on getting real charcoal and a piece of

fragrant wood like ironbark to perfume the

smoke. Lamb is my go-to protein because

it’s so versatile: I mince lamb belly by hand

with a little bit of rump and tail fat to make

fatty köfte, I dice shoulder and marinate it

in grated tomato and onion for shish, and

I wrap sheep caul fat around lamb liver to

cook slowly over the coals. Season any fat

with flaky sea salt – it makes the flavour of

beef and lamb really explode.

One of the biggest mistakes with

lamb is not cooking it enough. Cook it

slowly on medium heat and you'll get

unbelievable flavour. Forequarter chops

need to be cooked through – you want

to be able to eat around the bone,

including any soft cartilage and charred

fat. Grilled tomatoes, chillies, onions and

black olives are great as sides, or a whole

grilled eggplant, peeled to make a smoky

salad with garlic, lemon juice and olive oil.

If you want to pair something with

Turkish barbecue, it has to be ayran, the

traditional yoghurt drink. Mix equal parts

water and yoghurt with a good pinch of

salt, shake till it’s foamy, and serve it with

dried mint and ice. It’s non-alcoholic and

very refreshing – a great match for fatty

köfte coming straight off the charcoal.

Which brings me to the most

important tip: don’t rest anything. Share

it then and there, straight off the grill.●

IBRAHIM KASIF

Stanbuli, Sydney

ELVIS

ABRAHANOWICZ

Bodega, Bodega 1904,

Continental, Porteño

and Wyno, Sydney

INTERVIEW MAGGIE SCARDIFIELD. PHOTOGRAPHY SIMON BAJADA (DUNCAN WELGEMOED), JASON LOUCAS (ELVIS ABRAHANOWICZ), WILLIAM MEPPEM (IBRAHIM KASSIF), MARTIN REFTEL & JESSICA REFTEL EVANS (KYUNGSOO MOON)

GOURMET TRAVELLER 79