With the warmer weather well and truly upon us and National BBQ Week next month, Cornish chef and sustainability expert James Strawbridge shares his top tips to ensure you’re barbecuing to perfection this summer.
BBQ bundles available from 44 Foods
JAMES’ TOP TIPS:
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Cook over embers not flames – be patient and wait for charcoal or wood to really burn down to achieve a strong constant heat to cook with. Once you have hot embers it reduces the chance of flare ups and gives you much more control on the grill.
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Veg power – try grilling vegetables over embers as the star of the show rather than just serving salads and veg kebabs on the side. Spring greens work really well, cauliflower steaks, radishes or peas in the pod can all be cooked in a grill basket.
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Low n Slow – have a go at a slow cooked recipe this summer with some wood chips for smokey flavour. Try your own beef brisket hot smoked down at 120˚C with an internal temp of 94˚C for 5-6 hours for an authentic tasting BBQ
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Get down and dirty – try onions thrown straight onto the hot coals and cooked in their skins for 45 mins. Once blackened slice in half to remove the sweet, tender onions from their charred outer layers and toss with parsley and butter
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Chimney lighting – to avoid waiting till sundown to tuck into your BBQ get efficient and buy a chimney to light your charcoal. They are really quick and easy to use and massively reduce the set up time before you can start cooking
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Don’t forget the mop – to avoid your food drying out remember to baste, glaze or mop with a tasty BBQ sauce. Also try adding a bowl of water into your BBQ oven if indirect grilling to keep your meat moisture.
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Ole smoky – Add a handful of wood chips to your BBQ for a woody aroma and deep smoke ring. Try using apple, oak, hickory and cherry shavings.
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Probe safety – invest in a meat probe to keep an eye on the internal temperature of your food. They are really easy to use and help to understand what’s going on inside the BBQ.
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Burn baby burn – buy sustainably sourced charcoal to cook over rather than imported briquettes.
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Keep smiling – if you’re not smiling then you are doing it all wrong! Enjoy cooking over fire this summer and be creative with your recipes.
Cornish chef and sustainability expert James Strawbridge
James is the driving force behind Strawbridge Kitchen. He lives on the South Cornish coast with his wife Holly and their three young children. When he’s not developing new recipes or directing photoshoots, James can be found foraging for wild food with his family, out at sea gig-rowing for his local club or painting the Cornish countryside.
James recommends 44 Foods for your BBQ food bundles.
If you’re keen to hear more of his tips, head over to the 44 Foods podcast, Green Grass and High Tides, where James explores some of Britain’s best foods.
