Here in the UK it’s not always easy to plan around the weather, so when the opportunity for a barbecue comes along on a sunny Sunday afternoon it’s usually all hands on deck to get the garden ready before the clouds roll over again!
To make sure your barbecue is a relaxed affair rather than a mad rush to get everything ready in time, we’ve put together one of our own favourite “emergency barbecue” food guides. Take a look below for a simple, hassle-free afternoon in the sunshine!
Meat
While it’s nice to have beautifully-marinated chicken and slow-cooked ribs, it’s a lot of hard work. Burgers and sausages might not sound fancy, but if you can pick them up from your local butcher rather than the supermarket you’ll find that they’re just as satisfying. Lamb and mint burgers make a nice change, and go fantastically well with blue cheese, while you just can’t beat a good hot dog with quality meat and lashings of your favourite toppings.
It’s also pretty easy to knock up some skewers of meat, even with a little marinade on them. Here’s a quick and easy recipe courtesy of one of Wren’s very own BBQ lovers!
Korean BBQ Skewers
You will need:
- 250g diced beef
- 300g chestnut mushrooms, cut in half
- For marinade: The Kitchen’s Korean BBQ Marinade, a sticky-sweet Asian marinade which mostly uses ingredients you’ll have at home.
Simply make up the marinade and pour over the beef, allowing it to sit for as long as you like. When you’re ready to cook them, slide the chunks of beef onto skewers with half a chestnut mushroom between each one. Keep basting with the marinade while they cook, until the beef is tender and cooked through.
Sides
For quick and easy side dishes that’ll make just as much of an impression as the meat, go for raw foods that take no time at all to prepare. We recommend two fantastic options that should satisfy the tastebuds of any guest:
Asian Slaw
A delicious and healthy alternative to classic coleslaw from BBC Good Food, using ginger, sesame and limes in place of the usual mayonnaise and cream.
Avocado and Tomato Salad
This creamy and light salad from Salad Pride can also be thrown together without the pistachios and seeds for a quick salad that’s perfect as a filling for burgers, as well as on its own.
Extras
There are just a few extras you’ll need to really finish your BBQ off – but don’t worry, they won’t take any effort to prepare!
Cheese: You can’t go wrong with cheddar cheese; it goes with everything. If you fancy it, a lump of soft blue cheese is a nice indulgence, but don’t fret about it – your guests won’t miss it!
Breads: Rather than bags of the cheap, soft white rolls you can get for a low price, go for a smaller selection of artisan or granary breads, just one or two per person. A good burger is useless without a good bun, so make sure you’re dining on something with flavour and a little crunch!
Condiments: Whatever you’ve got in the fridge will be fine. BBQ favourites include tomato sauce, mustard, mayonnaise and at least one good chutney – but again, don’t worry if you don’t have something. Just relax and enjoy the afternoon!
