It’s BBQ Season: Here’s How To Throw A Sizzlin’ Barbecue
It’s hot, it’s summer and it’s apparently National BBQ Week, so what better time to write about the classic British summer pastime: the barbecue! Every summer our diaries are jammed with family occasions, birthday celebrations, wedding invitations and they often all centre around a garden type gathering packed with the smell of burgers charring on the grill, clinking glasses and laughter.
If you’re hosting one this weekend or just want to know how to put on a good show, we’ve put together the ultimate guide to throwing a barbecue, from food to fire up to drinks to serve.
Food to fire up
The most important component to any barbecue is of course the food. There are plenty of avenues you can look to go down when it comes to serving up a succulent feast, from scouring Ocado’s summer range to buying the supplies from your local butcher.
But if you want to take the hassle out of the equation, you’ll want to give a barbecue in a box a try. Chefs, restaurants, butchers and just about everyone in between have launched boxes filled with the finest meats around, each designed with grilling in mind. These are our favourites…
HG Walters
Helping to pimp your barbecue is HG Walter, the independent family-run butcher based in London. Serving up prime cuts since 1972, they now offer some great meat boxes including two dedicated BBQ boxes. Go all out with their ultimate box packed with the likes of Wagyu burgers, juice Iberico chops, T-bone steak, trimmed lamb cutlets, caramelised onion sausages and beef bone marrow troughs.
BBQ in a Box
Want to have a box that’s filled with all of your favourite cuts? Now you can thanks to All in a Box. Born out of lockdown, the team creates freshly prepped, marinated and delicious boxes packed with flavour. You can mix and match, from classic burgers to the Island box, a box that pays homage to the company’s Caribbean roots filled with jerk chicken, sweet chilli salmon steaks, prawn kebabs and more.
Farmison
Give the frozen burger aisle a miss and order in a selection from Farmison & Co. They have dedicated BBQ meat boxes, filled with all of the essentials for a classic barbie or choose from their selection of new-in productions, from Korean ssamjang marinated lamb cutlets to Korean cut gochujang beef short ribs. They also have a special partnership with Middle Eastern restaurant, Arabica. Expect cuts such as Turkish coffee rubbed hanger steak; Lebanese style chicken shish kebab; and cherry molasses glazed pork belly steaks.
Steins at Home
Rick Stein always knocks it out of the park when it comes to his pre-prepped food boxes and he has just added another addition to its roster. The luxury barbecue box feeds six to eight people and will ensure you have a fuss-free occasion. Look forward to the likes of sea bass ceviche with pomegranate, shallot, tomato and chilli; spatchcock chicken with tarragon butter; ribeye steaks with Rick’s peppermix; potato salad; tomato and thyme salad with mixed leaves; and individual strawberry cheesecakes – yum .
Drinks to serve
Food might always be the main focal point of a barbecue but you’ve got to admit an afternoon with sausages grilling in the background isn’t complete without a cocktail, beer or soft beverage in hand. Thankfully for you we’ve whittled down our favourites to serve up a garden party, from mixers destined to impress to ice cold beers to cool you down.
Mix up your usual tipple and add in a bottle from our favourite premium mixers brand, Double Dutch. Set up by twin founders Joyce and Raissa determined to help add some flavour to the mixers world, they offer innovative drinks packed with unexpected flavour combinations. Think Cucumber & Watermelon, Bloody Mary Soda and Pomegranate & Basil. The result? Delicious drinks that are great served with spirits or sipped solo.
The result? Delicious drinks that are great served with spirits or sipped solo.
Right now you can get 20% off their premium mixers with our unique discount code HANDBOOK20 when applied at checkout.
For something light and refreshing, grab a case of hard seltzer and all of your guests will be happy. We love Whisp. Not only is it made in the UK, it’s 100% natural, plant based and the packaging is completely recyclable.
You can’t go wrong with a bucket filled with ice and cans of beer. Keep it local with Camden Town Brewery and order in a selection of their offerings, from pale pale packed with hops to their classic Hells Lager that’s perfect for warm weather and lazy afternoons in the garden.
BBQs worth investing in
If you’re looking to invest in a lifelong friend that’ll see you go from summer to summer without any trouble, there are some beasty American-style barbecues on the market here in the UK too.
At the top of the ranks is Weber, the BBQ company who have been helping budding barbecuers become pros of the coals (and gas…) since 1952. They have a wealth of options available ranging from different price points depending on your budget but the Spirit Classic E-310 is a great gas option for those who like to have plenty of space and control the temperature.
Taking barbecuing to a whole new level, the Big Green Egg might be an investment but it’s worth it for the smoky, charred flavours that are created.
If you’re a self confessed This is Us fan, then you might remember the Big Green Egg popping up in a few episodes. But if you aren’t, then let us introduce it to you. Taking barbecuing to a whole new level, this one might be an investment but it’s worth it for the smoky, charred flavours that are created. It’s not just a BBQ tool, the ceramic insert turns it into a convection oven, meaning you can roast, slow-cook, smoke and bake using this too, so it’s an all-rounder and well worth it.
Portable options for those in the park
The world of barbecuing can be an expensive game and with the UK’s weather often very temperamental, it might be worth investing in a portable number instead. Not only can you move it more easily and take it on camping trips, they are on the more affordable side too.
Of course there’s no harm in going with one of those little buckets you can get from your local supermarket – I still proudly use my pink BBQ bucket from The Range – but if you want one you can rely on year after year, there are some fancier portable BBQs now on the market.
The CUBE Portable Charcoal BBQ from Everdure by Heston Blumenthal is a great opt for travelling as you can use it on table tops and keep it away from ruining the campside grass, while the LotusGrill Mini Portable Smokeless Charcoal Barbecue will see you sizzling sausages in as little as five minutes.
Leave it to the experts & head to a BBQ restaurant
Not feeling confident with your charring skills or fancy the smoky flavours but there’s a downpour impending, fear not as London is home to some great restaurants serving up BBQ goods.
At the top of our list is Berber and Q. Taking inspiration from the Middle East, North Africa and Ottoman, they cook their ingredients over the open fire, all packed with spices and marinades to make the meat, fish and veggies succulent and delicious.
Taking inspiration from the Middle East, North Africa and Ottoman, they cook their ingredients over the open fire.
For wood-smoked meats and brisket that’s impossible to fault, Smokestak is a prime spot for meat lovers. Paired with a couple of their cocktails, you’re onto a winning combination.
Read our full edit of London’s best BBQ restaurants here.
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