Barbecue

B r i l l i ant BBQ recipesMeat and veggie grills to wow your friends and family

Chilli, yogurt and oregano chicken wings

This recipe uses a two-stage method, cooking the wings over indirect heat, then crisping them up at the last minute. This produces the very best results – juicy wings with a little char on the skin.

1 HOU R | S E RV E S 6 | E A S Y | GF

ground cumin 4 tsp paprika 4 tsp cayenne pepper 4 tsp whole black peppercorns crushed to make 1/4 tsp chicken wings 30, tips removed and jointed oregano a big handful, chopped YOGURT SAUCE garlic 6 cloves, crushed lemon juice 3 tbsp natural yogurt 300g

1 Prepare the barbecue for indirect cooking by banking up the coals on one side so there is a hot side and a cooler side. 2 For the yogurt sauce, mix the garlic with the lemon juice in a bowl and set aside. 3 Combine the spices and 2 tsp of fine sea salt in a bowl. Toss the wings with 3 tbsp of this mixture in another bowl. Cook the wings on the cooler side of the barbecue, with the lid closed, for 30 minutes, turning halfway through. Then move the wings to direct heat, over the coals, and cook for another 5 minutes, moving and turning them to ensure even crisping. (Alternatively, heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 6 and divide the wings between two trays. Roast for 45 minutes until cooked through. Heat the grill to high and transfer the wings to a large tray, discarding any cooking juices. Grill for 15-20 minutes, turning every 3-4 minutes, until charred and crispy.) 4 Finish the yogurt sauce by straining the lemon and garlic mixture through a sieve into the yogurt with a pinch of salt, and mix well. Toss the wings in the remaining spice mixture, then tip onto a platter and drizzle over some of the yogurt sauce, serving the rest on the side for dipping. Scatter over the oregano and serve.

PER SERVING 406 kcals | fat 23.3G saturates 6.8G | carbs 9.9G | sugars 8.4G fibre 1.8G | protein 38.2G | salt 3G

Sticky sichuan peppercorn short ribs

Short ribs can be tricky as they need plenty of time to cook slowly. Finishing them on the barbecue will produce meltingly soft meat with a smoky, spicy char from the glaze. After slow-cooking, the ribs will keep for up to two days in the fridge, should you want to get ahead.

6 HOU R S | S E RV E S 4 | E A S Y beef short ribs 4 sichuan peppercorns 1 tbsp cumin seeds 2 tbsp dried red chilli flakes 1 tbsp dark soy sauce 3 tbsp black vinegar 3 tbsp soft light brown sugar 100g chicken stock 750ml ginger 2 thumb-sized pieces, peeled and sliced garlic 8 cloves, bashed coriander a small bunch, stalks only, plus leaves to serve SMACKED CUCUMBERS cucumbers 2 rice vinegar 6 tbsp caster sugar 1 tbsp chiu chow chilli oil 2 tbsp garlic 3 cloves, finely chopped

1 Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 2. Season the short ribs really well and put into a large roasting tin that fits them snugly. Heat the peppercorns and cumin seeds in a dry frying pan until smelling toasty, then crush lightly with a pestle and mortar. Add to the roasting tin along with the dried chilli flakes. Whisk together the soy, black vinegar, sugar and stock in a bowl, then tip into the tin. Tuck in the ginger slices, garlic and coriander stalks. Cover with a layer of baking paper, then seal the tin with a sheet of foil. Bake for 5 hours until the short ribs are meltingly tender but not falling apart. 2 Take the ribs out of the oven, leave to cool slightly, then remove to a tray or plate. Pour the braising liquid into a large, shallow pan and cook over a medium heat until reduced to a glaze. Remove the garlic, ginger and coriander stalks. 3 For the smacked cucumbers, use a rolling pin to bash the cucumbers until they split and soften. Cut them in half lengthways, then in half again and chop into chunky pieces. Tip into a bowl and toss with the rice vinegar, sugar, chilli oil, garlic and a big pinch of salt. Leave to marinate for 1 hour. 4 Heat a barbecue to high. Carefully put the ribs onto the grill and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until caramelised, carefully turning so they don’t fall apart. Brush liberally with the glaze and cook for another 1-2 minutes but keep an eye on them as the glaze can burn. Serve the ribs with plenty of the left-over sauce, the cucumbers and a few coriander leaves.

PER SERVING 872 kcals | fat 47.2G saturates 18.8G | carbs 47.1G | sugars 40.6G fibre 3.5G | protein 60.2G | salt 3.6G

BBQ cooking tips | Direct and indirect heat

❚ The most efficient way to BBQ is to use direct and indirect heat. Once the coals are ready, use long-handled tongs or similar to push them over to one side. This gives you greater cooking control as it creates a hot zone which has direct heat for searing and crisping, and a cooler zone which is perfect for gentler cooking. This set-up comes into its own for something that needs a little more cooking time, such as bonein chicken thighs or thicker pieces of meat. Use the direct heat of the barbecue to sear the meat, then move it over to the cool side and put the lid on to cook through. ❚ Alternatively, nestle an old roasting tin in a stack of coals, then cook on a grill over the tin, covered by the lid. The heat circulates, giving you a hot-smoked/spit-roast effect, ideal for larger joints, meat on the bone and fish. Where the coals are stacked, you have direct heat for quick browning.

Mexican elotes

This is a classic way to eat sweetcorn in Mexico, and it’s usually bought from street vendors.

3 HOU R S 2 0 M I N U T E S | SE RV E S 6 | E A SY | V LC GF

butter 50g garlic 1 clove, crushed

cayenne pepper

corn on the cob 6, husks removed cotija or feta 50g, crumbled coriander a small bunch, chopped lime wedges to serve MEXICAN CREMA soured cream 100g double cream 50g

1 For the crema, mix the soured cream and double cream with 1/4 tsp of salt. Cover and leave at room temperature for 3 hours. Keep out if using straight away or chill for up to three days. 2 Light the barbecue and wait until the coals are grey and the flames have died down. Meanwhile, heat the butter with the garlic and a pinch of cayenne in a small pan until melted, then season. Char the sweetcorn cobs on the barbecue for 10-15 minutes, continually turning, until the kernels are tender and lightly charred all over. 3 Brush the cobs with the melted butter, then evenly spread over the crema. Crumble over the cotija and sprinkle with a good pinch of cayenne pepper. Scatter with the coriander and serve with lime wedges to squeeze over.

PER SERVING 258 kcals | fat 18.8G saturates 10.7G | carbs 12.6G | sugars 4G fibre 6.6G | protein 6.6G | salt 0.6G

Spicy BBQ pork buns with kohlrabi slaw

This recipe makes quite a lot of spicy pork but it will freeze well. Just defrost the pork overnight in the fridge and reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water.

4 HOU R S 2 0 M I N U T E S + M A R I NAT I NG | SE RV E S 8-10 | E A SY | LC

boneless pork shoulder 2kg, skin and most of the fat removed

vegetable oil

soft white rolls to serve soft lettuce to serve DRY RUB ground cumin 1 tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp hot smoked paprika 2 tbsp whole black peppercorns crushed to make 1 tbsp SPICY BBQ SAUCE tomato ketchup 150ml red wine vinegar 100ml worcestershire sauce 2 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp brown sugar 75g mustard powder 1 tbsp KOHLRABI SLAW kohlrabi 1, apple-sized, peeled and shredded green apple 1, cored and cut into matchsticks red onion 1/2, finely sliced soured cream 1 tbsp mayonnaise 1 tbsp lemon a squeeze of juice

1 Mix together the ingredients of the dry rub with 1 tbsp of salt, then spread all over the pork. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours but preferably overnight. Heat the oven to 220C/ fan 200C/gas 7. Put the pork in a large casserole, drizzle with 2 tbsp of oil and cook in the oven, uncovered, for 30 minutes. 2 Turn down the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3, cover the pork with a lid, then cook for 3 hours 30 minutes or until the meat is falling apart. 3 To make the BBQ sauce, put the ingredients in a pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour off the fat from the casserole, then add the sauce to the meat and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes. 4 Toss together the slaw ingredients. Shred the meat into chunks and toss through the sauce. Pile into rolls with the lettuce and slaw.

PER SERVING (10) 510 kcals | fat 18.5G saturates 4.8G | carbs 38.5G | sugars 17G fibre 2.8G | protein 46G | salt 3G

These juicy lamb kebabs are fragrant with coriander stalks and pack a fair whack of chilli – perfect wrapped inside a soft naan with the pickled red onion salad, cucumber and raita.

4 0 M I N U T E S | M A K E S 6 | E A SY | LC GF

RED ONION PICKLE red wine vinegar 50ml caster sugar 1 tbsp sea salt flakes 1 tsp red onion 1, finely sliced RAITA greek or natural yogurt 350g lemon juice 2-3 tbsp mint leaves, a small handful, finely chopped SEEKH KEBABS minced lamb 450g green chillies 2, finely chopped coriander stalks finely chopped to make 3 tbsp (save the leaves to serve) garlic 4 cloves, crushed ground ginger 1 tsp mild chilli powder 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp, toasted and ground garam masala 1 tsp cornflour 2 tsp TO SERVE naans 6 cucumber 1/4, thinly sliced

1 For the pickle, combine 100ml of cold water with the vinegar, sugar and salt, stirring until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Add the onion and set aside. 2 For the raita, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and season with salt. Set aside. 3 Light the barbecue and, when ready to cook, move the majority of coals to one side. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine all the kebab ingredients with a generous pinch of salt and mix well. Use your hands to massage the meat, kneading it as if it were bread dough – this will help to achieve the right texture. Do this for 5 minutes or until you feel the texture of the meat become tacky. Divide the mixture into six balls then, with damp hands, roll each out into an even log shape and skewer. 4 Once the barbecue is ready, put the kebabs over the direct heat and cook for 10 minutes, turning, or until cooked through. If the fat drips cause flare-ups, move to the cooler side of the grill. 5 Serve with the reserved coriander leaves sprinkled over, the pickled onions, raita, naans and sliced cucumber.

PER SERVING 259 kcals | fat 16.3G saturates 8.6G | carbs 9G | sugars 6.2G fibre 1G | protein 18.5G | salt 0.8G

BBQ cooking tips | Which fuel is best?

❚ There are two main options for charcoal. Lumpwood charcoal is carbonised wood – it will burn really hot but not as long as briquettes (see right). It will, however, add a distinctive woody smokiness to your cooking, and you can buy different types of lumpwood to give different flavours. There are lots of sustainable and locally produced lumpwood charcoals available – check out the range at Oxford Charcoal and Tregothnan. ❚ Briquettes are dense bricks of combustible biomass materials such as coal dust or sawdust. They’re densely packed, so they burn hot for a long time, making them useful for grilling all afternoon. Instant-lighting charcoal bags are smaller briquettes wrapped in flammable paper that ignite easily – they’re useful for quick barbecues but purists say they can taint the flavour of food due to the accelerants used.

❚ Barbecue wood chips can be added to the coals to give a smoky flavour to foods – look out for hickory, apple and mesquite.

Grilled halloumi, pickled peach and chipotle-thyme yogurt kebabs

If you prefer to use fresh peaches, make sure they’re very ripe, remove the skin and adjust the vinegar accordingly (you’ll need a little less as they won’t be as sweet).

3 0 M I N U T E S | SE RV E S 6 | E A SY | V

halloumi 750g, cubed or thickly sliced flatbreads 6 large or 12 small, warmed PICKLED PEACHES peaches in natural juice 2 x 415g tins cider vinegar 170ml caster sugar 2 tbsp sea salt flakes 2 tsp red chilli 1, finely sliced CHIPOTLE YOGURT natural yogurt 500g thyme leaves 3 tbsp lemon juice 2 tsp chipotles in adobo 4, finely chopped, plus some of their juice

1 Light the barbecue. Drain the peaches, reserving the juice, and slice into thick wedges. Add the vinegar, sugar, salt and chillies to the peach juice, and stir to dissolve. Pour over the peach wedges and leave to sit. 2 Mix the yogurt with the thyme, lemon juice, chipotles and some of their sauce (add according to your taste). Season with salt. 3 Skewer the halloumi cubes or put slices directly on the hot barbecue. Cook for a few minutes on each side until golden. Serve with the pickled peaches, chipotle yogurt and flatbreads.

PER SERVING 698 kcals | fat 32.6G saturates 22.5G | carbs 57.8G | sugars 21.8G fibre 4.5G | protein 41.2G | salt 5.3G

Beer-B-Q ribs

Cherry beer adds tang, fruitiness and maltiness to this sauce – great on pulled pork, bacon sarnies or these slow-cooked, fall-apart ribs.

2 HOU R S 3 0 M I N U T E S | SE RV E S 3-4 | E A SY baby back pork ribs 2 racks kriek lambic (Belgian cherry beer, such as Lindemans or Boon) 375ml BEER-B-Q SAUCE tomato ketchup 200g cider vinegar 50ml soft light brown sugar 40g kriek lambic 150ml garlic granules 1 tsp white pepper a pinch ground allspice a pinch worcestershire sauce 2 tbsp

1 Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Put the ribs into a deep roasting tin in which they fit snugly in a single layer, and pour over the beer. Top up with water (about 1 litre) until the ribs are just covered, and cover the tray tightly with foil. Cook for 2 hours until tender but the meat still holds to the bone. 2 Put the sauce ingredients in a pan and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat. 3 Drain the cooked ribs and put them, meat-side up, onto a shallow tray. Brush them liberally on both sides with three-quarters of the sauce. Turn up the oven to 240C/fan 220C/gas 9 and cook the ribs for 15-20 minutes or until sticky and glazed. Serve with the remaining sauce for dunking.

PER SERVING (4) 322 kcals | fat 14.7G saturates 4G | carbs 29.6G | sugars 28.3G fibre 1.2G | protein 14.8G | salt 1.4G

Ashfields Grill 4 chicken & chorizo kebabs, 320g, £3.49

These skewers of chicken breast and chorizo sausage in a smoky paprika marinade make a great ready-made BBQ option.

BBQ tips and tricks

❚ Don’t start to grill if the coals are still flaming. It’s ready to use when the flames have died down and the coals are ashen but glowing. ❚ Have a spray bottle of water to hand to dampen down any large flames that may rise when hot fat drips onto the coals. ❚ Keep raw and cooked meats separate – make sure you have different areas for both so there’s no danger of putting cooked meat on a plate that has previously held raw. ❚ If you’re serving vegetarian or vegan guests, make sure you use one side of the barbecue for meat and the other side for vegetables or plant-based foods. You can wrap a coil of foil down the centre of the barbecue before you heat it up to mark out the two areas. Also remember to use separate tongs.