Barbecue season is upon us, so I talked to three thong-wielding (the utensil, not the undies) self-proclaimed grillmeisters to find out: Who has the best handle on the barbie: South Africans, Americans or Australians?

the saffa

Jason Wright, an IT systems analysts from Johannesburg, is the alpha male of the bunch. “Saffas RULE the braai! Americans have no idea. A few burgers on a gas grill – what is that about? You may as well cook inside on the stove. And as for Aussies. Well. Don’t get me started.”

Jason’s technique
Hot, hot, hot. That’s how Jason likes his braai before he lets anything touch it, preferably with thorn wood from the South African Bushveld. He browns the beef on both sides before letting it cook unless he’s braa’ing lamp chops, which he turns over only when blood starts coming out of the top.

Jason’s top cuts
Aside from beef rump or T-bone, Boerewors (South African “farmer’s sausage”) is the ultimate taste of home for expats. Its high fat content means that you tend to get lots of flames when the skins burst. “The essential fire extinguisher is beer,” says Jason, “It’s also a great way to add a bit of extra flavour!”

Jason’s recipe
“South Africans have only one: meat, meat and more meat.” Jason also likes to put rosemary straight into the fire so the smoking herbs flavour the, you guessed it…meat.

the yank

“Barbecuing wakes up a primitive part of ourselves,” echoes David E. Baugnon, a screenwriter and filmmaker from New Orleans. “It wasn’t so long ago that fire and meat meant life or death and now, like then, I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for my good fortune.”

David’s technique
It’s charcoal or wood only for David, who pops his meat on the grill when the coals have turned to ash and cooks it for four to five minutes on each side for medium, flipping only once. “You can always cut it and cook more,” advises David.

David’s top cuts
Ribeye (boneless or bone in). “The marbling gives the beef a fantastic flavour.”

David’s recipe
For David’s crowd-pleasing Salmon Spear, soak cedar plank in water for an hour before cooking. Coat a large salmon fillet lightly with olive oil and sea salt flakes. Slice a few garlic cloves lengthwise into tiny spears and stud the fish with ‘em. Place the salmon on the pre-soaked cedar plank on the grill for 20-30 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillet and how you like it cooked, squeezing a lime wedge or two over halfway through cooking. “The smoking of the cedar gives the fish a zesty, delicious flavour,” says David. The uncharred side of the cedar can be cleaned and the plank used again.

the aussie

Thomas Duncan, a business analyst from Melbourne, says barbecuing is simply in his blood. “We have them more often than anyone else – reputedly so – and will naturally, then, have more opportunities to develop the experience and the cooking.”

Thomas’ technique
Thomas prefers to burn coals for around 40 minutes, basting and flipping every three to four minutes. He also reserves a part of the barbie that’s not directly above the coals to keep cooked things nice and hot.

Thomas’ top cuts
Thomas is a “chook,” or chicken man. “Thigh is quite tasty, too, but I normally instinctively go for the breast.”

Thomas’ recipe
“You can achieve so much variety with marinades!” Thomas likes to mix honey with soya sauce, chopped onions, garlic and random herbs. On fish, he gives it a good squeeze of lemon and throws in dill or even some curry flavouring.

Three things they all agreed on: nice weather, good company and lots of beer.