Closing the lid on a big year… and getting the fire ready for 2026
Spotify Wrapped for BBQ… a 2025 BBQ Recap 2025 would be loud, smoky, and suspiciously beef heavy. A lot of steaks. A lot of pork. A lot of time standing next to a fire pretending I was “just checking temps” when really I was avoiding doing anything else.
There’s no neat algorithm to tell you how many kilos of meat you cooked this year, or how many bags of charcoal you burned through. But looking back, 2025 was one of the most consistent and enjoyable BBQ years I’ve had. Less chasing trends. More cooking food I actually want to eat.
So before we roll into 2026 and pretend we’re all organised, here’s a proper look back at the year that was. The cooks, the highlights, the lessons, and where Ollie’s Q is heading next.
The Food That Defined 2025
This year was built on backyard BBQ. Not competition cooks. Not overstyled plates. Just honest food that works.
Steak stayed king. Reverse seared when there was time. Hot and fast when there wasn’t. Thick cuts, simple seasoning, cooked properly. No nonsense. Steak content always performs, but more importantly, it’s what I love cooking. If that ever changes, something’s gone wrong.
Pork had a massive year. Otway Pork featured heavily, especially around footy season. Pulled pork, sausages, roasts, and snack style cooks that actually suit watching a game with mates. Pork is forgiving, versatile, and perfect for feeding a crowd. That showed up clearly in the content and the response.
Chicken quietly did the work too. Wings, thighs, quick cooks during the week. Not everything needs to be an all day affair. Some of the best feedback came from simple, repeatable chicken cooks that people could knock out after work.
Sides got more attention this year. Not because I’ve suddenly mastered them, but because they’ve always been my weak spot. I’m a meat-first bloke through and through, but you can only pile so much protein on a plate before it starts feeling lazy. This year was about pushing past that comfort zone and thinking beyond the hero cut. Simple sides. A bit of colour. Something that makes the meat better, not competes with it. Still learning… but it’s a start.
More than anything, 2025 leaned into practical BBQ. Food that tastes good, photographs honestly, and makes sense for real life.
Highlights From the Year – BBQ Recap
A few moments stood out when I look back across the year.
The Otway Pork sausage roll recipe was a big one. Simple idea, done properly, and shared in a way that people could actually recreate. That post did well on social, but more importantly, it performed on the website. That’s the direction I want to keep pushing.
Cooking consistently through the footy seasons was another highlight. From NRL State of Origin, to AFL Finals Series, BBQ and footy just work. There’s no forcing it. The content felt natural, timely, and enjoyable to create.
Getting more confident with long form content on the website was huge. Writing proper recipes. Explaining technique. Slowing things down a bit. Social media is great, but the website is where things actually live long term.
And then there were the quieter wins. Regular backyard cooks. Feeding family. Cooking for mates. No camera pressure. Those moments matter more than most people realise, and they keep the whole thing grounded.
Gear That Earned Its Place
2025 wasn’t about chasing every new shiny thing. It was about using gear properly and understanding it.
The Trimal grill became a standout this year. Reliable, consistent, and versatile enough to handle everything from quick cooks to longer sessions. Gear that works without fuss always ends up getting used more, and that was the case here.
Fuel choices didn’t change, and that’s by design. I’ve been running Heatbeads for years and at this point it’s second nature. I don’t overthink it. I know how they behave, how they burn, and how to get the result I want. That consistency lets me focus on the cook, not the setup. What has evolved is the gear around the fire.
This year I added a stack of CLD Fabrications gear to the lineup, and the quality of Rob’s work has genuinely levelled things up. Smart design, solid build, and tools that actually make cooking easier instead of just looking good on Instagram. Alongside that, I’ve brought in a few BBQ-adjacent pieces that have earned their place fast. Tucka Tribe for resting and holding meat properly. TurboJetPro for airflow on demand, when the coals need a wake up. Typhur for precision where it counts. Qubes Australia for keeping food and drinks exactly how they should be. None of it replaces the fire… it just supports it.
Knives, boards, thermometers… all the supporting gear earned their keep by being used, not just photographed. That’s the rule going forward. If it’s not getting dirty, it’s not worth talking about.
The Ollie’s Q Community
This is the part that doesn’t show up in analytics.
The messages from people cooking the recipes. The photos sent through of backyard cooks. The comments asking genuine questions instead of just dropping fire emojis and disappearing.
That’s the good stuff.
Ollie’s Q has never been about pretending to be an expert who’s got it all figured out. It’s about sharing what works, what doesn’t, and learning as we go. The community gets that, and that’s why it works.
Follower numbers are nice. Engagement is better. People actually cooking the food… that’s the win.
Lessons Learned
BBQ has a way of teaching you lessons whether you ask for them or not.
2025 reinforced a few things very clearly.
Simple usually wins. Overcomplicating a cook rarely makes it better. It just makes it harder to repeat.
Consistency beats intensity. Posting regularly, cooking regularly, writing regularly… that all adds up faster than bursts of motivation followed by silence.
Not every cook goes to plan. Not every post lands. That’s fine. If you only share perfect cooks, you’re not telling the full story.
And finally, patience matters. With BBQ. With content. With growth. You can’t rush flavour, and you can’t rush trust either.
The Website and Long Form Focus
The website took a real step forward in 2025.
Instead of treating it like an afterthought, it became a proper home for recipes and BBQ knowledge. Fewer posts, done better. Clear instructions. Straightforward explanations. No filler.
Highlighting website recipes through the newsletter made a big difference too. It gave people a reason to click through instead of just scrolling past another post.
That balance between social and long form is something I’ll keep refining. Social grabs attention. The website builds depth. They work better together than apart.
Closing Out 2025
Looking back, 2025 wasn’t about blowing things up or reinventing the wheel. It was about tightening things up. Cooking better food. Sharing it more clearly. Staying honest.
There were plenty of cooks. Plenty of content. Plenty of learning moments. And enough reminders that BBQ should still be fun, not forced.
That’s a good place to finish the year.
Looking Ahead to 2026
The plan for 2026 is simple.
Continue to post at least one solid website post a month. Recipes or techniques that actually help people cook better.
More honest gear use. Less hype. If something earns a spot, it’ll show up regularly.
Still plenty of steak. Plenty of pork. Plenty of backyard BBQ.
And most importantly, keeping Ollie’s Q grounded in real life. Family. Work. Fire. Food.
No big promises. Just turning up, lighting the fire, and sharing what I learn along the way.
Get Involved
If you’ve followed along this year, cooked a recipe, sent a message, or quietly read without saying a word… thanks. You’re part of this whether you know it or not.
If you want to be more involved next year
Follow along on Instagram and Facebook
Check out the website recipes
Tag your cooks and tell me how they went
Here’s to closing out 2025 properly… and starting 2026 with a full chimney and a clear plan.
Cheers
Ollie
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Absolute love it mate