Mark Moriarty: Turn up the heat on barbecue season with these two flavour-packed dishes

The June bank holiday has arrived and with a bit of luck, we will all be pulling out the barbecue to kick off the grilling season. Barbecue is the original method of cookery, with an almost primal look and feel. The word is adapted from the Spanish barbacoa, which in turn was rooted in traditional American dialect. You could write a series of books on variations of cookery over fire in various cultures. Needless the say, it’s a fascinating topic and textured insight into the daily lives of our ancestors.

If it’s your thing, I would recommend watching the Francis Mallmann episode of Chefs’ Table on Netflix. It is a stunning insight into cookery and its relationship with the landscape of Patagonia at the far reaches of the world.

Now, my garden here in Dublin isn’t quiet the same backdrop, but we do what we can. There are a few pointers when it comes to cooking on your barbecue. The first is the idea of direct and indirect heat. As a rule of thumb, I like to begin cooking on direct heat, which is where the flames touch the food and give it a charred colour. After this, I move it to the indirect heat, where the residual heat from the flames below cook the food while the juices drop down and create smoke. This gives the food that signature barbecue flavour. Most barbecues will offer you two levels to cook on, this is the reason why. To be honest, most cooking relies on the ability of the cook to control the temperature. This is of particular importance here.

Sometimes I use the oven as well as the barbecue. I’ll precook things like lamb shoulder, sausages and chicken drumsticks in the oven at a lower temperature before finishing them on the direct heat on the barbecue. You’ll see this in action with this week’s short rib recipe.

Lastly, get yourself a small digital thermometer if you can. They are cheap and reliable, especially when it comes to cooking chicken over flames. The charred exterior of grilled meats can trick even the most experienced chefs, but the temperature on the thermometer never lies. If you’re cooking chicken, find the thickest part of the meat or the area nearest the bone, and make sure you’re hitting 75 degrees Celsius before serving. If you’re worried it’ll burn en route, precook it in the oven first.

[ Playing with fire: King of barbecue Andy Noonan of the Big Grill Festival shares his best tips and recipes ]

So, to this week’s recipes. First up is a dish using beef short rib, a beautiful cut that you can source from any decent butcher. I slow cooked it in the oven first, achieving that perfect texture of being soft enough to eat like a steak while retaining all the juices, without getting soft and dry. I then chargrill the outside on a high barbecue flame before letting it rest for a few minutes on the higher shelf to absorb some smoke.

The perfect dressing, chimichurri, is borrowed from the aforementioned Francis Mallmann. This green salsa is a favourite of mine, packed with seasoning and punch. My version is not traditional, as it includes capers and anchovies. The addition of garlic, lime juice and chilli along with quality olive oil is the magic arrangement. I have also added a simple home made coleslaw to bring it all together.

Secondly, I have a chicken shawarma, using marinated, boneless chicken thighs. By slicing the meat thinly, it takes on more of the marinade flavour while also cooking quicker on the barbecue. These can be made in advance and kept covered in the fridge, ready to go. With a bowl of tzatziki and some flatbreads, these make a delicious summer supper.

So dust yourself down. Summer is here and the fire is lit. And before you ask, charcoal is better for flavouring food, but I don’t have time to keep cleaning them out, so I’m a gas barbecue man.

Recipe: Barbecued short rib with chimichurri and spiced slaw

Recipe: Barbecued chicken shawarma with flatbread and tzatziki