Canadian summers are far too short to waste a single second slaving away indoors over a hot stove! Instead, cultivate culinary genius in your backyard with our "Queen of the BBQ" tips, then graduate to the savoury recipes below.

Meat & Fish » Easy Meat Marinade » Super Fast Barbecue Sauce » Citrus Shrimp and Scallop Brochettes » Grilled Oysters » Cedar Maple Salmon » Quick Tuna Steaks

Easy Meat Marinade

This works well for those who enjoy improvising in the kitchen. Use it to soak any kind of meat – steak, chicken, lamb or even bison – in the refrigerator overnight.

Ingredients:

Quantities are not specified. The ratios are up to your tastebuds!

• Olive or canola oil
• Fresh lemon or lime juice
• Apple cider, wine or balsamic vinegar
• Fresh herbs (try rosemary, cilantro, basil, oregano or thyme)
• A clove of fresh garlic, if desired
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine the ingredients in a shallow dish.

Quick Tip:

If working with fresh rosemary, save the sprigs to use as skewers for chicken, beef or vegetables.

Super Fast Barbecue Sauce

This incredibly easy basting sauce tastes best when heated on the stove, but it can also be microwave-warmed. Use it when grilling any kind of meat, but be sure to wait until the meat is almost done before applying, since - like all barbecue sauces – this concoction burns easily on a hot grill.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups ketchup
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• ½ tablespoon dry mustard
• ½ cup dry red wine and/or ¼ cup apple cider, red wine or rice vinegar
• ½ cup minced onion
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
• Salt and pepper (preferably freshly ground) to taste

Directions:

Combine ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat for about ten minutes, stirring frequently. Sauce can be kept in the fridge for up to a week.

Quick Tip:

If a spicy kick gets your motor running, add a finely chopped jalapeno pepper to the mix. Have a sweet tooth? Throw in some honey, brown sugar or Canadian maple syrup.

Citrus Shrimp and Scallop Brochettes

These brochettes have a light and summery taste, and are ready in two shakes of a shrimp’s tail!

Ingredients:

• Fresh tiger shrimp
• Fresh scallops
• The juice of a lemon, an orange and a grapefruit
• 1 teaspoon olive or canola oil
• 1 teaspoon minced or crushed garlic
• ¼ cup dry white wine or vermouth
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme or
• ½ teaspoon dried Salt and pepper to taste
• Lemon juice and tabasco optional

Directions:

Pre-soak wooden skewers in water so they won’t catch fire. Thread fresh shrimp and scallops on the skewers.

Mix the remaining ingredients and pour the mixture over brochettes. Grill for five to seven minutes, turning frequently, until the shrimps are pink and the scallops are opaque.

Quick Tip:

Concoct a fiery dipping sauce for this dish by combining lemon juice and Tabasco sauce.

Grilled Oysters

Wow your backyard barbeque guests with these ultra unique ‘grill-roasted’ oysters. The shells open on the grill, which eliminates the need for time-consuming shucking.

Ingredients:

• Fresh oysters
• Accoutrements: Coarse sea salt
• Seafood sauce
• Lemon wedges
• Horseradish
• Vinagrette
• Hot sauce

Heat the grill to high and place the oysters directly on in a single layer. After about five or ten minutes, the shells should begin to open. Discard oysters whose shells do not open. Remove the oysters and place them on a platter lined with salt. Serve with all the usual oyster accoutrements, including seafood sauce, lemon wedges, horseradish, hot sauce and vinaigrette.

Quick Tip:

For a special treat, add lemon juice and crushed garlic to melted better and drizzle over the oysters or to serve as a dip.

Cedar Maple Salmon

Salmon never had it so easy! This recipe proves that it pays to invest in a cedar plank, which infuses grilled foods – especially fish – with a subtle, woody essence.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup melted butter
• ½ cup Canadian maple syrup
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Lay whole salmon, steaks or fillets on the plank and place atop the grill. Cook over medium heat for about fifteen minutes. Meanwhile, combine the following ingredients:

Pour the sauce over the salmon, turn up the heat to medium-high, close the lid of the barbecue and cook for five more minutes. The sauce should begin to caramelize slightly. The salmon is done when it’s still slightly opaque in the middle. Squeeze on fresh lemon juice and enjoy!

Quick Tuna Steaks

Tuna steaks are especially tasty when grilled. For a yummy treat in no time flat, try this easy, Asian inspired recipe.

Ingredients:

• Tuna steaks (sliced two inches thick)
•  Sesame oil
• Soy sauce
• Lime juice

Directions:

Soak two-inch thick tuna steaks in a combination of lime juice and soy sauce for fifteen minutes prior to cooking. Meanwhile, as you preheat the barbecue to medium-high, brush the grill lightly with sesame oil. Cook the tuna steaks for about four minutes per side, brushing occasionally with the soy and lime juice mixture. Tuna is best when still red to pink in the centre.

Quick Tip:

Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top of the cooked tuna steaks. To toast sesame seeds – which brings out their flavour – place them in a small, dry skillet in a single layer and cook at medium, shaking the pan frequently, until the seeds darken slightly and begin to make a popping sound. This can also be done in a cast iron skillet directly on the grill.