The BBQ Companion: 50 Recipe Cards for Grilling Perfection

This hand-size “barbecue in a box” is designed for the backyard or campground griller who wants some fresh ideas and wants them fast — save the long reads for another time.

We broke the seal on “The BBQ Companion” box ($24.95, Smith Street Gift, a division of Penguin Random House Canada) and pulled three recipe cards out of the deck: The first one, a card from the middle and the last one. Barbecued Peri Peri Chicken, Grilled Cabbage Salad and Rum-Spiked Barbecue Banana Boats — sounds like a winning meal!

This collection comes from Oscar Smith, an Australia-based food writer and fan of beer and travel. Yes, barbecue experts from the UK seem to be a publishing trend this year, and we rather like the perspectives from abroad. Besides the African-Portuguese peri peri recipe, Smith’s global array includes Brazilian Cachaca Chicken Skewers, Japanese Seven-Spice Calamari, Thai Chili-Coconut Surf & Turf Skewers, Greek-Style Slow-Cooked Lamb Roast and Edamame Burgers with Red Onion Jam.

And if you think an Australian grilling collection should include a shrimp recipe, it’s here. Only it’s a Louisiana Prawn Po-Boy, made with spiced grilled shrimp and topped with remoulade.