Recipes

The Art of Smoking - Smoked BBQ Ribs

As summer is now in full swing, the holidays are here and you start planning your outdoor BBQ parties, why not impress your guests by making your very own BBQ spare ribs that will leave them wanting more. 3. Simmer the sauce until it becomes rich and glossy, then whisk in the ketchup, mustard and brown sauce.

Barbecuing your ribs

To barbecue the ribs, heat your coals until ashen or set a gas barbecue to medium. 1. Cook the ribs until nicely charred and hot all the way through 2. Then baste with the sauce to finish and cook until sticky.

If the weather’s not been kind you can cook them indoors on the grill. 1. Heat the grill. 2. Set a wire rack over an oven tray and place the ribs on top. 3. Baste well with the sauce and grill, basting with the sauce a few times, until it forms a charred, sticky crust.

Serving

Set aside to rest before serving with the onion rings and slaw or even some grilled corn on the cob with lashings of butter.

Here is a guide on how to make your very own smoked BBQ ribs at home using the oven for tenderness, making your own glaze and the ultimate finish over the BBQ coals.

Ingredients

• 6 meaty Welsh Beef short ribs (about 3kg/6lb 8oz), • 75ml Blodyn Aur Rapeseed oil • 3 onions, thickly sliced • 450ml Tiny Rebel, Cwtch Hoppy Craft

Lager • 700ml good-quality chicken stock • 140g black treacle • Small bunch thyme • 50g burnt oak wood chips, tied in a muslin bag • 100g Ketchup • 100g Mustard • 75g brown sauce

For the marinade

• 2 tbsp cayenne pepper • 2 tbsp smoked paprika • 1 tbsp toasted cumin seeds • 2 tbsp garlic powder • 1 tbsp cracked black pepper • 6 tbsp Blodyn Aur Rapeseed Oil

Method

Making your marinade

First, make the marinade. 1. Mix the spices and 3 tbsp salt in a bowl, then stir in the oil to make a paste. 2. Use a knife to make a deep hole in each short rib, then rub the spice mix

all over and into the hole, working the flavour into the meat. 3. Place on a tray, cover and chill overnight.

Slowing cooking your ribs

The next day, heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. 1. Heat the oil in a large, shallow pan, tip in the onions and fry until you start to get a deep, rich colour – about 20 mins.

Don’t be scared of the colour, this will add amazing savoury sweetness to the dish. 2. Pour in the beer and boil to reduce by half, then add the stock, treacle, thyme and oak chips, if using. Stir well and bring to a simmer. 3. Place the marinated short ribs in your largest roasting tin and pour over the onion and beer braising liquid, then cover tightly with foil. 4. Transfer to the oven and cook the short ribs for 5 hrs or until really tender. 5. Once the ribs are cooked, remove and put on a plate to rest and cool.

Making your glaze

1. Strain the braising liquid from the ribs into a saucepan. 2. Once settled, use a ladle to remove the top layer of fat, then set over a high heat.

Recipe by Chris Price, Hospitality Training

Officer, Cambrian Training

The techniques and skills used in this recipe are taught to apprentices, who are working towards an Apprenticeship Level 2 & 3 in Professional Cookery and covers preparing meat, cooking & finishing of complex dishes. For more information about how we can help support your business or help you become an apprentice,

please contact Cambrian Training Company at cambriantraining.com or email; info@cambriantraining.com

Mussels, Bacon and leeks

Th is recipe makes for a speedy starter as the mussels cook in no time at all.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• ½ kg of mussels • 1 leek • 2 garlic cloves • 1 tbsp of oil • 90g of streaky bacon • 2 sprigs of fresh thyme • 300ml of white wine or cider • 2tbsp of fresh parsley

Method

1. Th oroughly rinse the mussels discarding any that are broken. Scrub well to remove any sand, mud or grit. If the shells are open, give them a light tap; if they do not close, discard. 2. Wash and slice the leek and slice the garlic. Heat the oil in a large pan and sauté

the leek and garlic over a medium heat for a few minutes until the leeks are soft and translucent but not coloured. 3. Add the diced bacon and cook for 5 minutes until beginning to brown, then tip in the mussels, thyme and fi nally the white wine or cider. Steam with the lid on for 4 minutes or until the shells have fully opened. 4. Spoon the mussels into serving bowls and sprinkle the roughly chopped parsley on top. Pour over the cooking juices and fi nish with black pepper. Serve with wholemeal or garlic bread.

Recipe from ‘Welsh Food by Season’ by Nerys

Howell

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Welsh Lamb shanks kleftiko

Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 2 hrs 30 mins + | Serves: 4+

Ingredients

• 4 x PGI Welsh Lamb shanks • 3 tbsp olive oil • Seasoning • Juice of 2 lemons • 6 garlic cloves, crushed • 1 garlic bulb, halved • 4 bay leaves • 1 tbsp dried oregano • Sprigs thyme • Sprigs rosemary • 600g waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into

chunks • 4 large tomatoes, cut into thick wedges • 1 large red onion, sliced • 200g feta cheese, crumbled • 100ml dry white wine • Fresh chopped herbs to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190˚C / 170˚C fan /

Gas 5. 2. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a frying pan, place the shanks in the pan and season. Sear the shanks quickly, browning them all over. 3. In an oven tray or deep casserole dish, place the remaining oil, lemon juice,

garlic, bay leaves, oregano, thyme, rosemary, potatoes, tomatoes, wine and half of the feta cheese. Stir well. Place the halved garlic in the tray. 4. Place the lamb shanks on top and cover with foil. 5. Cook for approximately 2 - 2 hours 30 minutes, depending on the size of the shanks. 6. Remove the foil and place back in the oven for a further 30 minutes, basting the shanks with the juices. 7. Before serving, top with the remaining feta cheese and chopped herbs. Squeeze the garlic bulb into the juices. 8. Serve with crusty bread to mop up the juices.

Welsh Lamb kebabs with chargrilled summer vegetable and feta couscous

Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 15 mins | Serves: 4 +

Ingredients

• 800g PGI Welsh Lamb leg or chump steaks (or boneless neck fillets), cut into cubes

For the marinade

• 4 tbsp olive oil • 3 garlic cloves, crushed • Juice and zest of 1 lemon • Seasoning • ½ tsp paprika • 6 sprigs thyme leaves, chopped

For the summer vegetable couscous

• 200g couscous • Juice and zest of 1 lime • 1 tbsp chopped mint (keep some for

garnish) • 2 tbsp olive oil • 2 small courgettes, sliced • 1 red pepper, cut into cubes • Handful mangetout, sliced • ½ tsp garlic powder • ½ tsp dried herbs • 50g feta cheese, crumbled • Aioli to serve

Method

1. Place all the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl or a zip sealed freezer bag, add the cubes of lamb, refrigerate and allow to marinate for 30 minutes (1 hour if using the neck fillet). 2. After marinating, thread the cubes onto skewers and allow to reach room temperature. 3. Cook the couscous as instructed on the pack, then stir in 1 tbsp of olive oil, the mint, and the juice and zest of the lime.

Cover and allow to stand. 4. In a small bowl, mix together the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil, the garlic powder and dried herbs and use to brush over the prepared vegetables. 5. Cook the kebabs on a griddle plate, BBQ or grill and cook for approximately 10 - 12 minutes, turning occasionally (or cook to your liking). 6. While the kebabs are cooking, heat a griddle pan or place on the solid plate on the BBQ and cook the vegetables for a few minutes each side, keeping them nice and crunchy. 7. Serve the kebabs with the couscous, topped with the chargrilled vegetables and crumbled feta, chopped mint and a dollop of aioli.