It’s National BBQ week and you’ve probably already been picking up wafts and hints of summer barbecue cooking. Although you probably don’t usually go for the most expensive cuts when it comes to barbecue meats but if you want to take your summer outdoor grilling to the next level, then it’s well worth shelling out for a special cut. So, no matter which is your family favourite, the butchers at Hugh Phillips Gower Butcher has prepared a list of the best cuts for this summer barbecue.
BBQ Temperatures
Before we outline the best meat cuts, firstly we thought it would be helpful to give you some guidance on how to cook your meat and at what temperature. For starters, your barbecue, whether it’s a charcoal or gas fired one, should be very hot. It’s also very important to let your meat warm to room temperature before you start cooking it, this relaxes the flesh and allows it to cook more evenly. Your meat will also be more tender and juicy, with less chance of overcooking or drying out.
On that note, the mistake most people make is that they overcook the meat. To ensure this doesn’t happen, let the meat colour on the BBQ but only to the point where if you press the cut, then a little juice or blood comes through. Flip once and let the other side colour, then lift the meat off the heat while it’s still pink in the middle and rest it on a plate, where it will keep cooking as it cools. It’s a mistake to keep flipping the meat over and over, it’s much better to just let it be.
Summer Barbecue Grills
For meats that are easy to barbecue but big on flavour opt for lamb cutlets, sirloin or fillet steaks and, of course, the ever-popular sausage. Anything on the bone, like a T-bone steak, is also succulent and tasty as the bone helps the flesh retain moisture and texture. What’s more, anything cooked on the barbecue on the bone seems to hold it juiciness.
A thick rib eye steak on the bone is also a delicious cut on the BBQ. A tip with thicker cuts is to season the meat with salt and pepper and quickly seal each side in a very hot oiled pan; brush with butter, move to the BBQ, cook each side for a few minutes, rest then serve.
Sausages and Burgers on the BBQ
Smoky, browned BBQ sausages are a summertime treat, and the smoky heat of the BBQ is one the best possible ways to flavour a fresh sausage. Too often though, grilled sausages can dry out and become tasteless as they haven’t been cooked properly. People tend to cook sausages for far too long and direct heat will make the juices boil and the sausages burst.
If you cook a sausage over direct heat, the heat of the flames will quickly bring the juices of the interior of the sausage past the boiling point, and this will cause the sausage to split. All of those tasty juices will run out of the sausage and onto the flames, creating flare up, causing the sausages to burn. It’s far better to BBQ a sausage is through indirect heat.
Always grill your burgers over high heat to form that nice crust, full of flavour, that we all love. Avoid using your spatula to press down on your burgers while cooking as otherwise you will push out the tasty juices.
As with your steak, flip your burgers only one time–about 4 to 5 minutes. Allow your burgers to rest for a few minutes before serving. This will ensure that the juices redistribute into the meat.
How to BBQ Chicken Cuts
With chicken, it’s important that the meat is cooked right through so we advise poaching the cuts first for around 15 minutes. This will keep the meat moist whilst ensuring the chicken is cooked in the middle. Brush with a little oil or other marinade and then book on the BBQ.
For chicken legs and breasts, cook for around 10 minutes, flipping the chicken at the halfway point in order to have beautiful sear marks on each side of the chicken.
Hugh Phillips Gower Butcher
Hugh Phillips Gower Butcher not only offers a whole range of steaks, lamb cuts, sausages and burgers which are ideal for your summer BBQ but we can also provide you with everything you need with one of our famous meat boxes.
We have a standard BBQ meat box which, for just £52.30 includes chicken drumsticks and thighs, sausages, burgers and peppered steaks plus some delicious minted Kofta kebabs. We also offer a deluxe BBQ meat box for four to six people which includes rib eye and pork steaks, lamb chops and butterfly chicken breasts for £65.50.
These can be ordered from our online shop at www.bestonlinebutcher.co.uk and delivered to your home in time for your next summer BBQ.