FIRST MEAL
FTB’S FAST FOOD When the rain eventually goes away, it’s time for barbecues to come out to play. A modern day barbecue isn’t as simple as just a few sausages and burgers, however. An abundance of meats, flavours and sauces have made it more of a challenge to find the right food to wow your guests. FTB has done the hard work for you and tried and tested the best barbecue food the UK’s top supermarkets have to offer GET YOUR GRILL ON
TEST WINNER
WAITROSE
SAINSBURY’S
TESCO
CO-OP
4 caramelised onion & ale beef burgers, £4; 4 spiced beef & lamb kofta kebabs, £4; sweet chilli chicken breast kebabs, £4; chicken shawarma king kebab, £8; 4 pork, chorizo & Manchego whorls, £4
Taste the Difference New York deli hotdog x4, £3; Summer Edition 4 raw chilli & garlic prawn skewers, £4; Summer Edition Harissa salmon sizzlers, £4.15; 2 Taste the Difference British beef steak burgers with chorizo, £2.50; Summer Edition 4 Pigs in beach towels, £4.50
Fire Pit 4 Indian spiced chicken thigh kebabs, £3; Fire Pit BBQ cauliflower wing bites, £2.25; Fire Pit grilling cheese & vegetable kebabs, £2.75; Fire Pit mango, coconut & lime chicken mini fillets, £3; Wicked Kitchen 4 garlic & herb kebabs, £3.50
GRO Cajun-style butternut ribs, £2.50; Irresistible Limited Edition Hereford beef rib & brisket burgers, £3.25; 6 minted lamb kebabs, £4; Nacho cheese hot dogs, £3; Irresistible prawn & salmon burgers with coconut & chilli, £4
The quality of Waitrose barbecue food
Tesco’s barbecue range is good value for
Co-op’s range of barbecue food is
a wonderful taste and texture. The
Sainsbury’s offers a great variety of
money. The Indian spiced kebabs are full
pleasant enough, but perhaps lacks
caramelised onion & ale burgers were
options in its barbecue range. The New
of flavour, with the chutney sachets really
the overall quality of some of the other
very flavoursome and they all kept
York deli hotdogs are massive and have
adding something extra. The cauliflower
food selections that we tested. The
their size on the barbecue well without
a wonderful smoky flavour. The chilli and
wing bites will somewhat divide opinion
Cajun flavoured butternut "ribs" are
shrinking. If you like a bit of spice
garlic prawn skewers are nice but the
as they have a slightly acquired taste,
an interesting plant-based version of a
in your life, then the spiced beef &
sauce didn’t add quite as much flavour
although the smokiness will be enjoyed
classic barbecue item – although some
lamb kofta are a great choice and go
as expected. The salmon sizzlers are
by some. They are also a little hard to
may find it hard to get to grips with
brilliantly with a green salad and some
tasty, with the harissa seasoning really
cook effectively on a barbecue. The
the similarity, they certainly do taste
feta. The sweet chilli chicken kebabs
standing out along with a nice crispy
cheese and vegetable kebabs are both
good. The beef rib burgers were the
had a nice kick to them although were
skin when cooked correctly. The beef
sweet and salty with the courgette,
best of the bunch, with the cheese and
perhaps a little on the small side.
and chorizo burgers are an excellent
peppers and cheese making a lovely
caramelised onion melt forming an
The chicken shawarma kebab was
alternative to your average burger,
combination. The coconut and lime
excellent addition to an already tasty
definitely the pick of the bunch, with
with the chorizo keeping them nice and
fillets have a nice flavour but are a little
burger. The minted lamb kebabs were
a perfect spice balance and huge
moist. The idea behind the pigs in beach
on the dry side when cooked through.
a little on the dry side and could have
portion in the pack. The whorls blow
towels is a good one, but the bacon
The garlic and herb kebabs are a good
been a little mintier as well. The nacho
the average sausage away as they
is difficult to cook on the barbecue
vegan alternative and are very creamy,
cheese hot dog is a novel idea but
pack a real flavour punch and are sure
without burning it and the sausages
packed full of garlic and melt in the
these were quite fiddly to put together
to be enjoyed by your guests. Overall,
were a little bland. Overall though, a
mouth nicely. Overall, a good selection
and ended up tasting a little on the
an excellent selection from Waitrose.
decent selection of barbecue food from
from Tesco.
heavy side.
★★★★★
Sainsbury’s.
★★★★★
★★★★★
shone through, with all items having
★★★★★ If you’ve ever had a sausage slip through the rack or a marinade make a mess, you’ll see the appeal of this Lakeland Magic reusable non-stick barbecue and oven cooking tray. Essentially a heavy-duty, reusable oven tray that’s perfect for barbecuing, it keeps food contained, ensuring smaller items like prawns and drumsticks don’t fall through the grill. As it is non-stick, the cooked food releases with ease, and just as you thought it couldn’t get any better, it’s dishwasher-safe too and comes with the Lakeland three-year guarantee. Priced at just £9.99, it’s a cheap must-have for your barbecue this summer. lakeland.co.uk
First Time Buyer August/September 2021
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