Canberra Southern American BBQ restaurant Smoque catered the event, serving up burgers, ribs and wings with its signature "suicide chilli sauce".

Optimally timed photos, posted by the restaurant on Facebook, appear to show Mr Abbott first scoffing the meaty morsels and then strugging to to keep a straight face, as the chilli began its internal burn.

Smoque manager Emma Grech confirmed the photos were from the event and that the sauce was their spiciest. When asked how Mr Abbott handled the firey feed, Ms Grech simply said, "it is pretty spicy, and he gave it a red hot go which was good," Ms Grech said.

The restaurant appeared to be posting the photos as a compliment to the Prime Minister, commenting that "he was a true gentleman".

The event, organised by the American Australian Association, was held at the back of the US Embassy in Yarralumla. US Ambassador John Berry was also in attendance, fresh from recent his trip to the NSW South Coast town of Berry.

American Marines and other US expats were also at the event, Ms Grech said.

The incident was not out of character for Mr Abbott - he told Men's Fitness in August last year "if I see it, I eat it".

The Canberra Times has also recently revealed the ravenous appetite of newbie Senator Ricky Muir from the Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party after he was caught letting a bottle of BBQ sauce loose over a large plate of scrambled eggs.