Sunny weather, particularly over the weekend, makes a barbecue almost compulsory. Few things are more enjoyable than cooking and eating al fresco with family and friends. When the forecast is good, shelves are stripped bare of disposable barbecues, charcoal bags, burger buns, and pasta salads. However, many people have started taking outdoor cooking more seriously, investing in premium equipment and wanting more than just sausages and burgers. If you are looking for inspiration, three barbecue experts from the recent foodie festival Pub in the Park have shared their favorite recipes. They range from fresh herby chicken to Thai-inspired sirloin and Jamaican-style prawns.
1. Garlic and Balsamic Chicken with Tomato and Basil Dressing
Live fire expert Genevieve Taylor runs the Bristol Fire School. She is the author of the bestselling barbecue trilogy Charred (vegetarian), Seared (meat), and Scorched (fish and seafood), reports the Express.
Ingredients (serves four to six)
- 1kg skin-on chicken thigh fillets
- 6 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp sea salt flakes
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the dressing:
- 300g vine tomatoes
- 100g fresh basil, leaves and thinner stalks chopped
- 100ml extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of half a lemon, to taste
- 1 to 2 tsp sugar, to taste
Method
If you can, marinate the chicken ahead of time – anything from an hour to 48 hours is fine. Place in a single layer in a shallow bowl and add the garlic, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and generously season with salt and black pepper. Use your hands to work everything together so it is well coated, then cover and slide into the fridge.
When you are ready to cook, fire up the barbecue with a small central fire so you have a fire-free ring around the edge. Set the chicken thighs on the grill bars in a ring around the edge of the fire, so they are cooking indirectly but each is equidistant from the heat. Shut the lid and leave to cook for about 35 to 40 minutes, turning over halfway through, until the thighs are well on their way to being cooked – a temperature probe should read around 60C.
Meanwhile, make the dressing. Score the skin all around the middle of the tomatoes, then put them in a heatproof bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover. Leave for five minutes, then peel and discard the skins. Slice in half and then finely chop the flesh, scooping it into a bowl as you go. Stir through the basil and extra virgin olive oil. Add lemon juice and sugar to taste and season well with salt and black pepper. Set aside.
Once the chicken fillets have had their slow indirect cook, use tongs to lift them over the fire. Cook over direct heat, turning frequently, for another 10 minutes or until they are nicely colored all over and cooked through – a temperature probe should read 74C in the deepest part of each thigh. To serve, spoon the dressing over plates, then slice the chicken and lay on top.
2. Dry-Aged Beef Sirloin with Roasted Chilli and Tamarind Sauce
"In Thailand, grilled steak is served with a style of dipping sauce called 'nahm jim jaew' which is typically sweet, tart and spicy to help cut through the rich meat," said chef John Chantarasak from London's AngloThai restaurant.
Ingredients
- 300g beef sirloin steak
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp caster sugar
For the nahm jim jaew:
- 3 tbsp palm sugar
- 1 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp tamarind paste
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp chilli flakes, toasted briefly in a pan
- 1 tsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp coriander leaf and stem, roughly chopped
Method
Make the roasted chilli and tamarind sauce by dissolving the palm sugar with the water, then add the tamarind paste, fish sauce, and toasted chilli flakes. Finish with the lime juice and stir through the chopped coriander. It should taste sweet, tart, and spicy.
For the beef sirloin, combine the fish sauce and caster sugar and transfer to a wide bowl. Add the sirloin steak and liberally roll in the marinade. Set aside for five minutes.
Grill your steak over medium-high heat. The favored technique is to leave the steak alone once on the grill, allow it to color and develop a nice crust, which will likely take around two minutes depending on how hot your charcoal is. Flip and cook the other side for the same length of time. It will likely need longer, but now flip the steak regularly, being sure not to burn it. To ensure a medium cook, use a temperature probe and check the internal core is 48C before removing and resting the meat in a warm spot on your grill away from direct heat. The temperature will rise a few degrees as the steak rests; you are looking to reach an internal temperature of 55C after resting.
After resting your steak, slice into 2cm thick pieces. When you slice, look for the grain of the meat and cut in the opposite direction; this will make the steak more tender and delicious. Serve alongside the roasted chilli and tamarind sauce in a ramekin for spooning over.
3. Jerk Prawns
Melissa Thompson is an award-winning food writer and cook who started a supper club in her front room. Born in Dorset to a Jamaican father and Maltese mother, her food celebrates cuisines from around the world.
Ingredients (serves four as a starter)
- 20 raw shell-on king prawns
- 2 spring onions
- 2 tsp ground pimento (allspice)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 10g fresh ginger
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Zest and juice of 2 limes, plus wedges to serve
- 1 tsp golden caster sugar
- 5 sprigs of thyme
- Up to one Scotch bonnet, depending on heat preference
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
Method
Prepare the prawns by cutting through the back of the shell with a pair of scissors from the bottom of the head to just before the beginning of the tail. Use a toothpick to remove the dark intestinal tract from the back of the prawns. Place the prawns in a bowl.
Put all the remaining ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth, then pour over the prawns. Massage into the prawns to get the marinade into the shell, then leave to marinate while you light the barbecue.
Light the barbecue with the coals set up for 50:50 cooking. Place the prawns on the grill directly over the coals. Cook for a couple of minutes until you can see the prawn start to turn pink, then flip and continue cooking. Keep turning until the prawns are pink and the edges of their shells start to char. Move the prawns to the indirect-heat side once fully cooked, then when they are all ready, transfer them to a big serving platter. Serve with some fire-roasted tomato and garlic pepper sauce (below) and lime wedges.
Fire-Roasted Tomato and Garlic Pepper Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 red onions
- 1 garlic bulb, outer skin removed and root end sliced off
- 1 red pepper
- 2 tomatoes
- 2 Scotch bonnets
- 2 tbsp rapeseed oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 2 tbsp cider vinegar
- 2 tsp light brown sugar (optional)
- Pinch of salt, plus extra to taste
Method
Light the barbecue with the coals set up for 50:50 cooking. Place the onions directly onto the coals and cook, turning every 10 minutes, until blackened all over and soft when pressed. Place in a lidded container, then seal and leave to cool and steam. Drizzle some oil onto the cut side of the garlic bulb and sprinkle it with a pinch of salt, then wrap in foil and place over the coals, along with the red pepper and tomatoes. Cook the tomatoes and pepper, turning them frequently, until blackened all over, then place them in the container with the onions. Once the garlic has softened, about 20 minutes, remove it from the heat. Quickly blacken the Scotch bonnets over the fire, being careful not to burn them.
Once cool enough to handle, peel the onions, tomatoes, and pepper and remove the seeds, then transfer to a food processor. Add the Scotch bonnets, oil, vinegar, sugar, and salt. Squeeze the garlic cloves into the food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and add more salt if needed. Transfer to a sterilized glass jar or bottle and store in the fridge for up to three months.
