The Ultimate Grilling Guide For Australia

Australian grilling doesn’t have to be a “summer only” habit. With the right BBQ and a rough blueprint for what’s in season, you can cook bright, produce-led meals on the grill almost every week of the year. Asparagus spears in spring, zucchini ribbons in summer, fennel wedges in autumn and coastal seafood whenever you’re close to the ocean.

Layer in a good built-in or freestanding BBQ, and you suddenly have an outdoor kitchen that keeps up with the seasons, not just one or two long weekends. NPR has created a handy spring seasonal grilling guide for entertainers, families, and homes who love to host and celebrate. Discover what flavours to cook, what textures to look for, tips for spring outdoor entertaining, and standout products from Beefeater and Smeg that make you a year-round grillmaster!

Australian seasonal produce

Australian seasonal produce is a diverse representation of summer stone fruits, autumn apples, winter citrus, and spring berries.

Benefits of eating Australian seasonal produce

Eating Aussie seasonal produce and including it in your meals ensures better nutrition, lower costs, and environmental protection. Choosing fruits and vegetables at their natural harvest time ensures peak flavour, supports local farmers, and reduces the carbon footprint of long-distance transport.

When you eat seasonal produce, you get several benefits such as a natural variety of nutrients, saving money, and practising sustainability. By rotating foods seasonally, your body gets a diverse intake of different nutrients throughout the year.  Seasonal produce is also cheaper as local supply is high and drives prices down. Buying local Aussie seasonal produce supports local farmers and benefits the local community, and it requires less long-distance transport and cold storage, making it sustainable and eco-conscious.

Take your spring outdoor entertaining up a notch with our seasonal grilling guide, recipes, and BBQ tips that instantly elevate your gathering.

Explore our seasonal BBQ Recipes

NPR’s seasonal grilling guide uncovers rich, vibrant seasonal flavours and offers simple but hearty recipes that will immediately earn you compliments and praise.

Seasonal Grilling Tips

Spring

• Spring is when Australian produce starts to feel greener and lighter. Asparagus hits its stride, fennel is still crisp, and coastal seafood is perfect for fresher flavours.
• Fresh prawns are ideal for spring because they pair well with citrus and nutty toppings.

Summer

• Summer is the prime BBQ season: longer evenings, more guests and a wider range of vegetables at their best. Zucchini thrives here, and coastal barramundi is a standout for beach-adjacent grilling.
• Zucchini works as a base for grilled fish or a substantial side next to your favourite sausages.

Autumn

• Autumn grilling leans more into comfort while still celebrating fresh produce. Fennel, with its subtle aniseed flavour, is excellent over a slower, gentler heat.
• If you’re near the coast, autumn evenings are great for mixed seafood.

Winter

• Winter in much of Australia still allows BBQ use, particularly when you lean on robust seafood and vegetables that grill well even in cooler weather. Don’t forget year-round staples: Zucchini, carrots and onions cut into thick pieces and grilled with olive oil and herbs. Or try fennel slices mixed with potatoes on the hotplate for a smoky hash.
• Winter BBQ sessions benefit from a lid and good heat retention, so you can keep the grill warm even when the air is cooler.

For BBQ cooking, focus on colour and elements. One green vegetable, one juicy side and one fresh herb or citrus element can make a simple meal feel elegant and complete.

Prepare your outdoor space for spring and summer social gatherings with standout BBQs and grills from Beefeater and Smeg that instantly enhance your meals and flavours.

Beefeater Signature 6-Burner Built-in Gas BBQ (BSH158DB)- Best for coastal kitchens that grill year-round

Best for: coastal homes, families that entertain often or design-led homes where the BBQ is a permanent fixture

If your dream BBQ setup looks more like an outdoor kitchen than a portable grill, the BeefEater Signature 6-Burner Built-in Gas BBQ is designed for you. This low-profile, built-in ProLine-style BBQ slots neatly into stone or stainless benchtops, giving you a contemporary look and serious grilling power.

With multiple burners, precise knobs and a generous cooking surface, this Beefeater is perfect for your spring asparagus, prawns, summer barramundi fillets and zucchini without crowding the plate.

The Beefeater Signature 6-Burner Built-In Gas BBQ works for seasonal grilling because:

• Dual heat zones let you have high heat for barramundi and prawns, while ensuring gentler heat for asparagus, zucchini and fennel.
• The built-in form hides bottles and hoses, letting the benchtops and cabinetry stay the visual focus. This makes it easy to host year-round.
• Sturdy materials, robust construction and quality finish ensure you can use it regularly in outdoor environments.

Beefeater Signature ProLine 6-Burner Built-In Gas BBQ (BSL158SB) — Best for big family cook-ups and entertaining

Best for: families and entertainers who want a flexible grill that can handle mixed seafood platters, veg sides and classic BBQ mains all at once.

The Beefeater Signature ProLine 6-Burner Built-In Gas BBQ is a complete entertainer: multiple burners, generous grilling space and a mobile footprint that suits patios, decks and larger backyards. It’s great for households that love entertaining and for homes where ‘just a few people’ turns into a party.

Picture a cool evening with friends, barramundi fillets on one side, zucchini ribbons and asparagus spears on the other, plus a couple of steaks and sausages for good measure. A grill that can handle that kind of workload is definitely worth considering! The Beefeater Signature ProLine thrives on the variety.

Why it works for seasonal grilling:

• Multiple burners for different heat zones: high heat for prawns, medium for fish, lower for veggies.
• Enough surface area to build seasonal menus: spring prawns and asparagus, summer barramundi and zucchini, autumn fennel and mixed veg.
• Ideal for winter grilling with the lid down, locking in heat for slower cooks and foil parcels.

The Beefeater Signature ProLine is ideal for busy family BBQs and larger gatherings where you’re grilling seafood, veg and mains together, using heat zones to keep seasonal ingredients perfectly cooked.

Beefeater Signature ProLine Side Burner (BSW318SB) — Best for serious cooks and families

Best for: families and households that prefer different grills for their meats, sides, and veggies.

The Beefeater Signature ProLine Side Burner is an integrated companion for Signature ProLine BBQs. It fits right beside your main grill, giving you a dedicated spot for stir-fries, sauces, and sides.

The Beefeater Side Burner offers versatile heat control in a compact footprint, making it perfect for seasonal asparagus, zucchini, fennel and mixed seafood on patios or smaller decks.

Why it works for seasonal grilling:

• Great for spring and autumn grilling sessions where you’re balancing lighter veg and more comforting sides.
• Ideal for when you want to cook for people with allergies or separate your meat and veggies to avoid cross-contamination.
• The reversible cast iron trivet supports both rounded woks and flat pans, so you can switch from a fast stir‑fry to breakfast bacon and eggs without changing hardware.

The Beefeater Side Burner is a promising upgrade for serious alfresco dining, outdoor dinners, and brunches where you have to juggle different dishes, sides, sauces, and veggies.

Smeg 90cm 2-Burner Built-In Electric BBQ (BBQE90XAU) — Best for premium all-weather grilling

Best for: home cooks who want a premium, all-weather BBQ that feels like an extension of their kitchen and suits coastal or urban entertaining year-round.

The Smeg 90cm 2-Burner Built-In Electric BBQ brings a premium stainless build and a strong “appliance” feel to the outdoor space. It’s designed for people who love the idea of an outdoor kitchen with brand-led styling and robust, reliable performance.

Think of it as the bridge between your indoor oven and your outdoor grill: stainless surfaces, solid construction, and a lid that acts as a helpful heat cap when you’re cooking barramundi, prawns or thicker veg in cooler months.

Why it works for seasonal grilling:

• Quality stainless-steel build that can withstand coastal conditions and repeated use.
• Strong lid and burner setup for winter and shoulder-season grilling when you need reliable heat retention.
• Plays well with delicate seafood: barramundi fillets, prawn skewers and mixed coastal platters.
• Handles year-round veg easily, from spring asparagus and summer zucchini to autumn fennel and winter mixed vegetable trays.

The Smeg 90cm 2-Burner Built-In Electric BBQ is great for premium, all-weather grilling where seafood and seasonal veg share the spotlight on a solid, stainless-steel platform that feels like it belongs in a chef’s outdoor kitchen.

How to shop for Aussie seasonal produce

Seasonal produce is more likely to come directly from the grower rather than cold storage. The things to remember while shopping for Aussie seasonal produce are:

• Look for Australian produce; check for the ‘Grown in Australia’ tag.
• Check seasonal guides to know what fruits and veggies are available in your city or state.
• Shop at farmers’ markets/green grocers/local shops
• Choose firm stone fruit with a little give and avoid bruised skins.

In NSW, households throw away over $1000 worth of food each year! So, just buying fresh or seasonal produce isn’t enough; you have to store it  in the fridge properly so it doesn’t spoil.

EXPLORE TOP PICKS

Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion, a birthday, an anniversary or want to have a nice weekend outside, throwing a backyard brunch can feel effortless and memorable with our styling tips and recipes.

The Perfect Spring Backyard Brunch

Springtime is indeed magical; there’s sunshine, blooms, and the feeling and excitement of new beginnings. And our favourite part? The opportunity to host a backyard brunch.

Hosting a spring backyard brunch can be simple if you follow some basic tips: set the scene, map out the menu, and make the BBQ easy to run on the day. Here’s a practical way to pull it together.

If you have a BBQ or an outdoor kitchen, don’t let the seasons deter you from grilling and cooking. Australia’s diverse and rich produce and flavours mean you can grill year round and share great meals with family and friends. A seasonal grilling blueprint is less about strict rules and more about paying attention to what’s fresh and pairing it with a capable BBQ. Asparagus and prawns in spring, zucchini and barramundi in summer, fennel and mixed seafood in autumn, and hearty veg and foil parcels in winter. All of it tastes better on premium products from Beefeater and Smeg that work hard to enrich flavours and textures.