Barbecue with the Master ... or don't bother

It's not a surprise that Glenn McGrath fancies himself as a master of barbecues. He's grilled 542 Test batsmen to become the world's most successful fast bowler while impressively improving his stock at No. 11. Now he's rating himself highly with a pair of tongs and a kiss-the-cook apron. "Little known to the general public," he reveals, "I am a very competent barbecue cook and have entertained people with my barbecuing skills."

He enters this project with similar focus to a regular service of his bowling action, ladling advice with his personal cooking creed, a history of the barbecue method, notes on the right equipment and tips on which grill and fuel to use. Don't nod off, the food is coming. However, the recipes, which are battered with commercial product placement, are more "eeewww" than "ooh aah". While The Matthew Hayden Cookbook, a brave left-field publication, is full of carefully discovered taste mixes and techniques that produce satisfying results, McGrath relies on his business allies for those special - and significant - ingredients.

Feel like a Bearnaise sauce with beef fillets? Add a 175-gram pouch of sponsor's Bearnaise finishing sauce. Anyone for teriyaki chicken drummettes? Half a cup of sponsor's marinade will do the trick. For mustard steak with garlic mash and onion jam the extras are taken care of with sponsor's crushed garlic, sponsor's mild English mustard, and sponsor's caramelised onion and red wine touches. Mouths of university students can start watering now.

Tandoori paste and smokey barbecue marinade are missing from the range - they must still be in testing - as a chicken dish and a ribs plate are the only compilations without a corporate herb, spice or condiment. If the company ever drips meat and vegetables into a jar future editions can be titled Pouring with the Master.

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