Saturday 26 September 2015

Ten Delicious Ideas on What to Serve at a BBQ

For most people stocking up on burgers and sausages instantly springs to mind when hosting a barbecue. It’s not surprising when this type of food is easy to find in the shops, reasonably priced, simple to cook, and is just served in a bun. However, cooking from brick BBQs doesn’t have to be about throwing the simplest things on the grill (unless you are catering for a large group and want to cut down on costs). If you love cooking and are hosting a party for a small group, an attractive brick BBQ is your chance to show off your skills and get creative. Unsure what to cook? Here are ten delicious ideas from Big K who sell a range of high quality outdoor living products, stone and brick BBQs, barbecue accessories, and summer fuel.

Although the barbecue season is nearly over there's still chance to host at least one more gathering before the weather cools. And, with these ideas you can impress your guests with your culinary skills.

Big K Products – Click here to order your barbecues and summer fuel products for home delivery.

Kebabs – You can skewer most things in your refrigerator from chicken pieces to monkfish, lamb, prawns or vegetables. Kebabs are easy to put together and they make a welcome alternative to burgers. For an extra kick, try out various marinades to see which one works for you. If you are making chicken kebabs, for instance, why not try Jamie Oliver’s delicious summery marinade by whizzing together coriander, mint, garlic, salt, pepper and lemon juice in a food processor, then adding olive oil? Alternate between the marinated chicken, red peppers and onion on the skewer.

Steaks – Rump steaks, such as Aberdeen Angus, are firm favourites on the barbecue. However, as steaks are quite pricy it’s important that you cook them to perfection (or almost!) each time. Experts advise on choosing thick steaks as it’s easier to control how much you cook them. Although there are all sorts of marinades to choose from (including adding a dash of Worcester sauce), a juicy steak is packed with flavour and tastes good just as it is. A top tip is to cut your steaks into chunks after cooking, if you have a quite a few mouths to feed.

Chicken Wings – According to the Bon Appetit website, to make the perfect chicken wings you need to marinade them for at least an hour in advance (or the day before if you have the time). For the marinade, use a mix of fresh oregano, rosemary and olive oil in equal quantities, plus a few cloves of chopped garlic. Then grill the wings for about 20 minutes on a medium heat, and voila, your guests will be queuing for more!

Vegetables – Corn makes a tasty and colourful alternative to grilled meat and the results are simply delicious! They require virtually no preparation at all; you just grill the cobs wrapped in aluminium foil or even in their own husks. Serve with chilli butter or just brush with olive oil as an alternative to plain butter. Aubergine and asparagus also taste wonderful when barbecued.

Fish – Grilled fish is another option and, like the vegetables above, it is better on the waistline. Lemon sole, salmon steaks, seabass, trout, swordfish and red snapper are ideal choices for your barbecue. Grill a selection of fish and cut them into pieces when they’re done, so guests can take their pick. Grilled seabass with garlic butter or salmon steaks with dill and lemon are easy to make and are firm favourites among seafood lovers.

Shellfish – Prawns are always a big hit on the barbecue and can be grilled by themselves, or on a skewer. If you want to go all out to impress your guests, however, grilled lobster tails are simple to cook and make a fantastic party piece. The lobster can be chopped into chunks and served with garlic butter.

Brick BBQs are an attractive addition to a garden and are the perfect choice for outdoor parties and celebrations. Click on the link above to see our full range of charcoal and gas fuelled barbecues from Big K Products.