Bargain Barbecue part.1

I don’t know anybody who doesn’t like a barbecue. It’s always sunny, you’re never far away from your friends and you get to eat at least six different types of food and not be labelled a gannet. At no other time is it acceptable to make yourself some dinner where you have some beef, chicken, pork and maybe even prawns all on the one plate. Added to that a couple of different salads and dips, One could be considered something of a pig. Excellent.

Ribs aren’t always the first thing people think of when it comes to a barbecue but they’re cheap and guaranteed to impress. A pack of raw ribs from the supermarket cost about £3. Again not the most popular cuts of meat so you can buy them when they’re reduced for about £1.50 and freeze for when you need them. Bargain.

shot with a Canon Eos 350d  

RIBS

In a bowl pour a carton of passata with a handful of crushed garlic, a (really big) glug of Worcester sauce and a couple of tablespoons of honey. You can marinate it for a few hours if you like but you don’t have to. Put the ribs on a baking tray, pour over the sauce, cover with tin foil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes on 180c. Uncover and turn the ribs over, spoon some of the juices of the ribs and pop them back in the oven for another three quarters of an hour. Wrap them in foil and take them with you, you can eat them warm from the foil or you can burn them on the barbecue, your choice.

taken on a Canon Eos 350d

BURGERS

A pretty obvious one but people who like burgers like burgers more when you make them. A cheap pack of lamb mince does the trick, even lamb haters like lamb burgers. Throw in an egg along with a big spoon of dried mint, a small handful of breadcrumbs to soak up the moisture and a good bit of seasoning and you’re almost there. The next touch is where it becomes a little bit special. Roll the lamb into balls and press a little bit of goat’s cheese in the middle (make sure you can seal them back up otherwise you’ll have wasted your time filling them in the first place when it all melts out in flames) sear them on the barbecue for a few minutes each side then load them up with coleslaw in a seeded bun. A winner every time.