Thank God, (or really thank myself for clicking on lots of random buttons and nearly killing my computer) that I've got my internet working again.
Hallelujah!
I've had my last BBQ blog in the works for over a year now. Just wishing and hoping that the sun will make a cheeky wee appearance.
If memory serves me correct, I think this is called sunshine?
Below I have compiled a playlist of all the songs that make me think of lazy summer days.
Lying on the grass on one of my Grannie's neon crochet blankets, sipping some sort of refreshing alcoholic beverage. Beer, cocktail, Methylated spirit.
Listening to some relaxing tunes and getting the BBQ fired up for a good ol' meaty feast.
Bring on the summer. Neon Granny blanket just in shot on left. Thanks Gran.
Please enjoy my little playlist or send me your own perfect summer playlist.
"THE APPETITE OF DESTRUCTION METALER'S GUIDE TO GRILLIN"
I just made that up. Do you like it?
This is gonna be another beast of a blog as I'm giving you recipes for every freakin thing. From sauces, pickles, burgers, veggies, salads. The lot.
(Check out my next blog for my ultimate lazy summer day playlist)
It will be a feast that will be forever remembered in time. Men will weep and fall to their knees at the sight of the meaty goodness. Woman will come over all a quiver and faint into the arms of the men still able to stand.
Oh yes. I know how to throw a mean BBQ.
Here is a little video to get you in the mood. I bloody love it.
I tell you, it's amazing what you can find online.
There is a song for everything. Whoop!
That was fun wasn't it?
So here is the list of everything that we shall make. It's alot. But you will thank me for it when you sink your teeth in. And you better get yourself a decent BBQ.
OK, here goes.
This is what we shall be concocting.
Beef and blue cheese burgers with grilled red onion and Bourbon, cola BBQ sauce
Hoisin pork burgers with pickled cucumber and wasabi apple mayo
Harrisa chicken burger with Southern slaw and Chipotle, red pepper ketchup
Lentil and sweet potato burgers with pepperjack cheese and Chipotle red pepper ketchup.
Spiced pomegranate lamb chops
Tandoori aubergine
Herby cheese and olive stuffed red peppers
Grilled cheesy corn
Spicy sweet potato chips
Tater salad
Big chop salad
Rawkamole (har har)
Boozy iced tea Coconut, honey lemonade cocktail
OK, so first we want to start with the sauces and pickles. You can make these a month in advance so you can let the flavours develop.
If you are feeling lazy then of course you can just buy ready made BBQ sauce and spicy ketchup but ,
YOU WILL SUCK!
Are you ready? Here goes.
Sauces and Pickles
Red Pepper and Chipotle ketchup
Yes, I recycle. This is my red pepper and chipotle ketchup and my Bourbon, cola BBQ sauce. oh, and my little friend Hernando.
Ingredients
700ml pasatta
2 chipotle chillies from a jar of chipotle in adobe sauce chopped (or 2 dried chipotle chillies which have been soaked over night in 100ml boiling water)
1 small onion diced
4 minced garlic cloves
2 large red peppers
1 cinnamon stick
Half teaspoon cumin seeds
Half teaspoon corriander seeds
1 teaspoon hot paprika
Half teaspoon salt
200ml red wine vinegar
200g caster sugar
2 bay leaves
Splash vegetable oil
Heat your oven to 220 degrees or equivalent.
Put the peppers onto a baking tray with a little splash of vegetable oil and roast for about 20 minutes until skin is browned and blistering. Leave to cool then peel off the skin and take out the seeds. Chop roughly
Put a splash of vegetable oil into a heavy bottomed pan and put onto a medium heat.
Add the onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes until softened and smelling fragrant.
Add the cinnamon stick, cumin seeds, corriander seeds, paprika and bay leaves. Cook for a minute until nice and fragrant. If the pan is getting a little dry just add a wee splash of water.
Add the passatta, red wine vinegar, sugar, chillies, roast red pepper and salt. Stir, bring to the boil then turn down to a low simmer and cook for about an hour and a half to two hours until thick.
Take out the bay leaves and cinnamon stick and discard and leave to cool for about 15 minutes then put into a blender or use a stick blender to puree till smooth.
Put a non metal sieve over the pot you were using for the sauce and pour the blended sauce through the sieve. You will need a wooden spoon to squeesh the mix through the sieve. You want to get as much sauce through as possible.
Put back onto the heat and bring to the boil. The sauce should be just a bit thinner than normal ketchup as it will thicken when it cools.
Pour into sterilised jars or bottles with non metallic lids, bang the bottom onto a surface a little to knock out any air bubbles, seal tight and leave to cool completely.
Leave for a couple of days before use. The sauce will keep for 3 months unopened but once opened, store in the fridge and use within 2 weeks. Note: You can sterilise bottles and jars by either putting them into a very hot dishwasher cycle or wash then thoroughly with hot soapy water, rinse, drain then put into an oven at 200 degrees for 15 minutes.
Bourbon and Cola BBQ sauce
Ingredients
1 can Jack Daniels and Cola premix
75g dark brown muscavado sugar
1 tablespoon tamarind paste
700ml pasatta
200ml cider or red wine vinegar
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon dark thick soy sauce
1 star anis
2 bay leaves
quarter teaspoon cayenne pepper
quarter teaspoon onion powder
quarter teaspoon garlic powder
This is a lazy persons BBQ sauce. Gooooooood, I hear you say.
Stick everything in a big pot. Give it a good stir.
Bring to the boil then turn down and simmer for about an hour, stirring every now and the until sauce has thickened. It will thicken again during cooling so leave it a bit runnier than you would usually have it when finished cooking.
remove cinnamon stick, star anis and bay leaves.
Pour into sterilised bottles or containers and seal well.
Leave to cool then put into fridge. Will keep for about 3 months.
Pickled cucumber
1 cucumber
200ml Japanese white rice or sushi vinegar
1 teaspoon Japanese mirin
small pinch chilli flakes
salt
Put the vinegar, mirin and chilli flakes into a small pot, stir, bring to the boil and then turn down to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
Place into a plastic sealable container.
Slice the cucumber thinly and lay each slice in a single layer on top of a large plate or non metallic dish.
Sprinkle the cucumber all over with lots of salt.
Leave for 15 minutes.
Squeeze the cucumber slices to get rid of the excess liquid and put into the vinegar. Mix to coat all the cucumber slices then cover and store in the fridge.
These will be ready to use in a few hours and will keep in the fridhe for a few weeks.
Now for the burgers
What you lookin at? Think you're gonna eat me? Jist try it PAL! Moooooooooooooooooo.
You can make the burgers and other meaty things a day before the BBQ or for ease you can make them all ahead and freeze. Just defrost fully before you want to cook them.
Basically you want to make as much as you can in advance and leave yourself as little to do on the day so you have plenty time to drink, listen to tunes and enjoy yourself . That's my motto. So crack open a beer while you're at it.
I recommend Astra. So good I got the logo tattooed on me.
You will obviously need good quality burger buns as el cheapo ones will just turn soggy and fall apart. Also get plenty of any extras you like for your burgers. Crispy lettuce, tomato, sliced pickles, mustard ,mayonaise, etc. The more condiments the better I say. I like a good condiment me!
Take inspiration from the Germans. They like sauce too. Or should I say "Senf".
I always put these on a wee table ready for people to help themselves to. Along with the toasted buns, salads, sides, forks, plates and napkins.
Let people help themselves to this so you aren't running around all day trying to serve everyone.
(Just for the record, while checking to see on my bottle of mustard how the Germans spell sauce, I just got cracked over the head by a glass bottle of rice vinegar. Now I smell like sushi).
Now I'm not gonna go into a huge spiel about how to fire up the perfect barbecue. Find a puffed chested Alpha male and get him to do it. Sit and drink a beer while you wait.
Just make sure the damn thing is hot.
With the beef burgers I cooked them for 4 minutes each side as I like them kinda pink. For well done cook for about 5 to 6 minutes each side.
For the pork burgers cook for 5 to 6 minutes each side and you can check to see if they are cooked by cutting one up and checking the inside. We don't want to poison anyone now do we.
For the chicken burgers cook for about 7 to 8 minutes each side and make sure they are cooked right through.
Cook the sweet potato and lentils burgers for 4 minutes each side until they are nice and crispy on the outside.
Beef and blue cheese burgers with grilled onions
Yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuum.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm, runny cheeeeeeeeeeeese.
Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese!
makes 4
500g quality organic beef steak mince
2 shallots diced fine
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon dark thick soy sauce
half teaspoon fresh thyme
quarter teaspoon salt
125g blue cheese. I used Roquefort but any softish blue cheese it good.
1 red onion sliced into thick rings
Put the mince, shallots, garlic, soy sauce, thyme and salt into a big bowl and give it a good old mix.
Separate the mix into 4, roll into balls then cut the cheese into 4 and push each bit of cheese into the centre of each burger and seal. Flatten the burger balls into a patty shapes making sure that the cheese is not poking through.
Wrap the burgers in parchment and store in fridge for a few hours at least before you cook them. Don't stick the burgers on top of each other without separating with parchment or they will stick together and you will get very annoyed.
Grill the red onion rings at the same time as you are grilling the burgers.
Stick your burgers into the bun with the extras you like, top with the red onion rings and smother in the Bourbon, cola BBQ sauce.
The juice will run down your arm. This makes it more fun.
Hoisin pork burgers with pickled cucumber and apple, wasabi mayo
makes 4
600g lean organic pork mince
100g hoisin sauce ( keep more hoisin sauce for serving)
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 teaspoon minced ginger
half teaspoon minced garlic
half teaspoon minced red chilli
4 spring onions sliced fine
2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
For the apple wasabi mayo
6 tablespoons mayonaise
half an apple (eat the rest)
quarter teaspoon wasabi paste
small splash Japanese rice or sushi vinegar
pinch salt and pepper
Pickled cucumber slices
Mix all the burger ingredients together, divide by 4 and flatten into patties.
Wrap with parchment and store in the fridge for at least an hour before use.
To put together, smear the bottom of your toasty bun with the apple, wasabi mayo and some lettuce. Top with the burger then some hoisin sauce and place some pickled cucumbers on top.
Yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuum.
Harissa chicken burgers with southern slaw and Chipotle, red pepper ketchup
makes 4
4 good quality organic chicken breasts
2 tablespoons harissa paste
half teaspoon minced garlic
quarter teaspoon paprika
quarter teaspoon ground cumin
juice of 1 lime
handfull chopped fresh parsley
handfull chopped fresh corriander
pinch salt
Southern slaw (recipe to follow)
Chipotle, red pepper ketchup
Mix the harissa paste, garlic, lime juice, paprika, cumin, parsley and
corriander together. Add the chicken and mix till coated all over.
Put in the fridge overnight.
To assemble, smear the bottom of your toasted burger bun with lots of Chipotle, red pepper ketchup and lettuce. Top with the cooked chicken breast then loads of Southern slaw.
Lentil and sweet potato burger
makes 4
200g cooked black or put lentils
1 large sweet potato cooked, mashed and cooled ( I like to roast mine and keep the skin on. You can do this by heating the oven to 200 degrees, cutting the sweet potato into chunks, drizzling with a little oil and roasting for for about 25 to 30 minutes until tender. Then mash)
1 small red onion diced very fine
big handfull sweetcorn
1 teaspoon tomato puree
2 roast red peppers from a jar chopped roughly
big handfull chopped fresh corriander
quarter teaspoon garlic powder
quarter teaspoon ground cumin
quarter teaspoon ground corriander
quarter teaspoon paprika
quarter teaspoon dried oregano
pinch cayenne pepper
big pinch salt and pepper
Pepperjack cheese or spicy Mexicana cheese for serving
Mix all the above ingredients together and form into 4 patties.
Store in the fridge for at least and hour till ready to be cooked.
Serve the burgers with lashings of Chipotle, red pepper ketchup and melty pepperjack cheese.
Non burger mains, meaty treats and other delights
Pomegranate lamb chops
makes 4
4 juicy organic lamb chops
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasas
50ml pomegranate juice
half teaspoon minced garlic
big pinch ground cinnamon
teaspoon ground cumin
teaspoon ground corriander
quarter teaspoon paprika
big pinch salt
Put everything in a big sealable sandwich bag and rub it all together. Swing it round your head a few times. You may also windmill hair at this point. Like these guys.
Leave to marinade for a few hours at least or overnight till ready to cook.
For pink lamb grill for about 3 minutes each side and 5 to 6 minutes each side for well done.
Tandoori Aubergine
serves 4
1 large aubergine
2 tablespoons madras curry sauce
24 tablespoons natural yoghurt
half teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon mint sauce
big pinch salt
Mix the Madras curry paste, yoghurt, garlic, mint sauce and salt together.
Slice the aubergine into half centimetre thick slices. Put into the marinade and coat all over.
Put in the fridge until ready to cook.
Take out of the marinade and grill for about 6 minutes on each side until tender and slightly crispy on the outside.
Herby cheese and olive stuffed red peppers
makes 4
4 pointy red peppers
400g herb cream cheese
100g feta cheese
big handfull pitted black olives sliced
big handfull fresh basil torn
couple fresh mint leaves chopped
cocktail sticks
Mix the cream cheese, feta, olives, basil and mint together.
cut the tops of the peppers off but leave whole. Take out the seeds.
Stuff the peppers with the cheese mixture then secure the tops back onto the peppers with the cocktail sticks.
Store in the fridge till ready to cook.
To cook, grill the peppers for about 8 to 10 minutes turning every now and then till slightly charred on outside and softened,.
Sides, glorious sides, salads and all
Spiced sweet potato chips with pumpkin seed oil
I like my meat bloody.
serves 4
3 large sweet potatoes cut into thick chips
1 tablespoons smoked Cajun seasoning
half teaspoon salt
50ml olive oil
25ml pumpkin seed oil
50g pumpkin seeds
half teaspoon dried oregano
Preheat you oven to 220 degrees.
Put the sweet potato chips into a large bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
Lay onto an oven tray in a single layer and roast for about 25 minutes until browned on the outside and tender inside.
You can leave these to cool and re heat them for 10 minutes at 100 degrees if you need to.
Grilled cheesy corn
makes 4
4 fresh corn cobs with husks taken off (you can use frozen corn cobs too. Just defrost them first)
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan
small handfull dried parsley chopped parsley
2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
100ml olive oil
juice of one lemon
Grill corn for about 8 minutes turning every now and then to make sure they are evenly cooked and have a nice char.
While the corn is cooking mix the rest of the ingredients in a shallow dish.
When corn is cooked roll it in the cheesy mixture and serve.
Southern Slaw
half a head white cabbage shredded
4 shallots sliced fine
2 teaspoons caster sugar
quarter teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons mayonaise
2 teaspoons hot sauce
big pinch white pepper
quarter teaspoon celery salt
Mix all together and leave in fridge overnight.
Serve on it's own and with the harissa chicken burger.
Tater salad
500g baby potatoes
1 small red onion sliced fine
6 gherkins chopped roughly
1 tablespoon capers rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons mayonaise
2 tablespoons creme fraiche
big handfull chopped fresh parsley
pinch salt and ground white pepper
Half the potatoes and cook them in a big pot of boiling salted water for about 10 minutes until tender but not falling apart.
Run under cold water till cold then drain.
Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a large bowl, add the potatoes and give a final mix until all coated.
Store in fridge until ready to serve.
Chop salad
1 head of romaine lettuce
1 red onion diced
half cucumber diced
3 tomatoes diced
4 eggs hard boiled and chopped roughly
big handfull pitted black olives chopped roughly
125g Stilton crumbled
100g diced pancetta fried until crisp, drained and cooled
Big handfull chopped fresh parsley
100ml extra virgin olive oil
30 ml red wine vinegar
half tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon clear runny honey
Pinch salt and pepper
Make the dressing. Pour all the ingredients into an empty jar, screw the lid on tightly and shake it furiously until it has emulsified.
Make the salad last thing before you serve the food.
Chop the lettuce roughly and mix with the rest of the ingredients.
Pour over the dressing just before you serve and mix lightly.
Rawkamole
4 ripe avocados
Half red onion diced fine
2 tomatoes chopped fine
half teaspoon minced red chilli
juice of 1 lime
pinch ground cumin
pinch paprika
couple splashes hot sauce
big handfull chopped fresh corriander
Pinch salt
There are 2 ways you can make this.
Either bung everything into a food processor and blitz till roughly mashed or
Skin the avocados and take out the stone. I've always had the urge to bounce the stone off someone's head. Don't know why.
Put into a bowl with the lime juice and mash roughly with the end of a rolling pin.
Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
Well, that's all the food out of the way. Phew. Now it's time for the booze.
Boozy iced tea
This is a great drink to serve on a sunny day. Sit back, relax. Sip your tea and lemonade then wonder why you're pished.
6 Earl Grey teabags
100g soft brown sugar
2 lemons
1 orange
500ml bourbon
lots and lots of ice
Put the teabags and brown sugar into a 5ltr jug.
Pour over 2 litres boiling water. stir and leave to sit until completely cooled.
Take out the teabags.
Cut the lemon and orange into slices and add to the tea mix.
When ready to serve pour the bourbon into the jug add lots of ice , mix well and serve.
Coconut, honey Lemonade
6 lemons
2 limes
150g caster sugar
2 tablespoons clear runny honey
200ml coconut rum (Malibu or Ko ko Kanu)
1.5 litres water
Lots of ice
Mix the lemon and lime juice with the sugar and honey and stir till dissolved.
Pour into a big jug. add the rum, water and lots of ice.
Stir well and serve.
Pheeeeeeeeeeeeeeew. Hope your BBQ goes good guys. Send in your most Metal BBQ photos and I'll post them on the blog. Appetite of Destruction. Over and out.
