It’s time to rip the tarp off the outside table, dust down the garden chairs in the shed, and rummage in the garage for charcoal – that's right, BBQ season is here!
Let’s face it, as soon as there’s even a glimmer of sunshine or hint of blue sky in the UK, our minds turn to outdoor eating.
To the charred edges and pink-blushed heart of a really good steak; to sticky sausages; glazed chicken drumsticks; sweet nibs of blackened corn on the cob; and a table laden with picky bits – from creamy slaws and potato salads, to an array of sauces, pickles and condiments.
The GBF team are just as obsessed as you are with barbecuing. And we’ve got a host of recommendations to share to make your al fresco cooking a proper treat. But, before we get stuck in, here are our top 10 tips for success this year.
1 - Don’t feel like you have to buy every meat under the sun. Go for one or two cuts and prepare and cook them beautifully, serving them up with a few delicious sides and sauces that make them sing. Cook mindfully and purposefully. A BBQ’d shoulder of lamb dished up with charred baby gem lettuce, herby new potatoes, asparagus and a salsa verde, perhaps; or a pork tomahawk (very on trend by the way), marinated in Cajun spices with hot honey corn, grilled potato wedges and a fruity pineapple slaw.
2 - If you’re cooking over charcoal, create two heat zones; one super-hot area with more coal for searing meat, fish and veg, and another area with less coals for lower, slower cooking.
3 - Try dry-brining meat the day before, by rubbing it with a seasoned salt. This will give all the flavours time to sink into the cut, really infusing it with flavour.
4 - Your BBQ is ready for cooking when the smoke is almost invisible. You’re after heat! White plumes of smoke will only impart a bitter flavour into whatever you’re preparing.
5 - Don’t be tempted to keep flipping meat on the BBQ – no matter how much of an outdoor cooking hero you think it makes you look! The pleasure of working with live fire is building up that umami, moreish crust on the outside. Use tongs to peek at the underside of your steaks, sausages and joints, ensuring you’ve got a really good seal and colour before you flip anything over.
6 - Just like cooking indoors, meat needs resting after it’s been BBQ’d. Give steaks around 5 minutes, ribs 10 minutes, and whole joints 15 to 30 minutes before tucking in.
7 - Get your timings right with marinades. Fish only needs 15 minutes to half an hour, shellfish around 15 minutes, chicken 2 to 12 hours, steaks 1 to 6 hours, and whole joints overnight.
8 - Add sugary marinades towards the end of cooking. We recommend using a dry rub first to infuse flavour, then brushing with a sticky glaze or marinade right at the end so it doesn’t burn, and so you can really taste all the flavours in the sauce.
9 - Pat fish and meat completely dry before cooking over a grill so the cuts will sear, not steam.
10 - When you’re applying a rub, it doesn’t matter how thickly you do it – some will come off on the grill anyway. What counts is rubbing seasonings in evenly. Get them into every nook and cranny so each bite delivers the same ‘whack’ of flavour.
5 British BBQ essentials
