Raising the Bar

BBQ Gold

Add some sizzle to your summer!

Gareth Ward

Hosting a BBQ for family and friends can be a joyful experience, but it can also be grim if it’s not done well. Whatever your approach, here’s the lowdown on how to get the best out of your BBQ.

Almost anything can be cooked on the BBQ, but Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef truly excels on it. Michelin star and award-winning top chefs and BBQ a cionados alike share a passion for grilling and smoking this naturally delicious produce.

With a Michelin star at Ynyshir Restaurant and Rooms, Gareth Ward is no stranger to cooking with the nest local produce, and Welsh Lamb is no exception. While Welsh Lamb can be cooked in many ways, Gareth likes to cook his slowly and on a low temperature but chars the meat rst. “Charring the lamb over hot coals just gives it that smoky avour you can’t quite get in a griddle pan. I also tenderise the meat before cooking as this breaks down the sinews, and it just makes it easier when you’re marinating the meat. You really can’t go wrong with Welsh Lamb on the BBQ.”

Hywel Gri th, chef director at Beach House Restaurant, Oxwich is also a huge fan of Welsh Lamb. He says: “When it comes to cooking lamb on the BBQ or in a smoker, it lends itself absolutely perfectly. A shoulder or breast is best suited to longer and slower cooking, while the best end, rack of lamb and legs can be cooked medium rare – quickly and over a high heat. It’s absolutely delicious.”

While Welsh Lamb is regarded an excellent all-rounder on the grills, Welsh Beef also has a loyal ame-inspired fan base.

Sharing his sizzling burger secrets, Owain Hill of HILLS burger restaurant in Brecon says: “ e secret to a good burger is the quality of the meat, and you can’t get better quality than Welsh Beef. It’s all down to the cuts of beef used in the mince, and the weight and temperature of each burger before cooking. A good sturdy bun, to embrace that all important juicy burger, is also a must!”

Getting to grips with the grill

Whether you’re a complete novice around a pair of tongs, or a pro on a parilla, here are some handy hints and tips for brilliant barbecuing.

1. Firstly, you need to use the best quality fuel you can a ord. Lump wood charcoal is a good option if you’re using a charcoal BBQ. Add oak or hickory woodchips to the hot charcoal, or some fresh aromatic herbs, for some extra avour. 2. Light the BBQ at least 30 minutes before cooking on it. It will be ready when the ames have died down and the charcoal looks a powdery greywhite and has a red glow underneath. If you start cooking on it too soon, it will not have reached its ideal cooking temperature and the ames will burn the meat on the outside and it will be raw on the inside. 3. While you wait for the BBQ to re up, it’s an ideal time to get your meat ready (if you haven’t done so already!). To make sure the meat cooks evenly, take it out of the fridge 15 minutes before cooking. If marinating the meat, do this a few hours earlier or even the day before. And remember to time your prep well so that you start cooking only when the charcoal is glowing red underneath and has that grey-white appearance. 4. Another tip to consider when preparing the meat is to avoid using too much oil. Excess oil on the meat will drip onto the charcoal and fuel the ames. Before cooking, dab any excess oil from the meat with kitchen towel. It’s also worth noting that squashing burgers down at on the grill can also create too many ames, so it’s best to avoid this – besides, you’ll be squeezing all the lovely juices out of them! 5. When it’s time to cook on the BBQ, make sure you have the right tools: long-handled tongs and forks, heat-resistant aprons and gloves etc. make the job a lot easier. If you’re not sure if the meat is cooked through and safe to eat, test it with a meat thermometer. Simply insert the probe into the centre of the meat and it will give you an accurate reading. 6. While marinades are a good way to add avour to the meat, you can also add avour in other ways.

For example, you can use rosemary sprigs instead of stainless steel or wooden skewers. ey will add avour to the meat from the inside. And don’t forget your buns! Welsh Lamb and Beef burgers deserve the best tasting buns! Toast the insides of the buns on the grill for that extra BBQ avour. 7. When the last morsels have le the grill, it’s time to alleviate the BBQ of its duties. Hot charcoal takes a while to cool down, so leave it for at least 12 hours before discarding it safely. And don’t forget to clean the grill a er each use - those burnt-on bits are much harder to remove at a later date. Allow it to cool down and give it a good clean - it will save you time (and e ort) the next time!

Hywel Griffith’s Welsh Lamb shoulder with a chunky tomato and fennel salad

Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 4hrs 30 mins | Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients

• 1 PGI Welsh Lamb shoulder joint • 5 garlic cloves, boiled in water for 10 minutes • Handful of fresh basil leaves (about 15 leaves) • Salt • For the salad: • 5 spring onions, roughly sliced • 1 head of fennel, roughly chopped • 5 ripe plum tomatoes, roughly diced • Salt • 50ml olive oil (good quality) • 50ml balsamic vinegar (good quality) • 2 aubergines • 150g rocket • 1 ciabatta loaf

Method

1. Preheat the smoker. It will be ready when the coals are just dying down and the temperature has reached 120°C. 2. To prepare the lamb, make five randomly spaced incisions on the skin side of the shoulder. 3. Push one blanched garlic clove and basil leaf into each of the incisions. (Blanching the garlic beforehand gives a more mellow flavour). 4. Sprinkle plenty of salt over the lamb, ensuring it gets into the incisions – this helps to season while it cooks. 5. Place the lamb (with the incisions facing up) onto the grill in the smoker. It will need to cook for 4-5 hours. 6. Meanwhile prepare the salad. Add the spring onions, fennel, tomatoes, a good pinch of salt, the olive oil and the balsamic vinegar to a large mixing bowl.

Mix well. Cover the salad with cling film and leave to marinade in the fridge. The acidity of the vinegar will marry all the flavours together. 7. After the lamb has been cooking for about

1 hour, place the aubergines on the grill next to the lamb. 8. Take the aubergines off the grill after 1 – 2 hours. They should have a smoky appearance and reduced in size a little. 9. Cut the aubergines in half lengthways then scrape the flesh out onto a chopping board. Add a pinch of salt to the aubergine flesh, chop it and place onto a large serving platter. Set aside. 10. Take the salad out of the fridge and add the rocket. Roughly chop the remaining basil leaves and add to the salad. Mix well and season to taste. 11. The lamb should be ready after 4 – 5 hours of cooking. If possible, check the temperature with a probe – for well done, slow cooked lamb that will easily come off the bone, the recommended core temperature for the meat is around 68°C and 72°C. 12. Carefully take the lamb out of the smoker – it should have reduced in size a little and crispy on the corners, with the meat easily falling away from the bone. Place onto the serving platter with the bread, salad and chopped aubergine. Sprinkle a little more salt on top of the lamb if you like.