There’s nothing quite like tucking into a barbecue on a sunny summer afternoon. We want to help you get the most out of your BBQ this year, whether that’s mastering the perfect burger every time or discovering our incredible, slow-cooked BBQ spare ribs to wow your guests with. Keep reading for four mouth-watering recipes you can cook on your BBQ this year. Each one is cooked on a different type of barbecue to give you a taste of what’s possible…
Perfect burgers every time
Recipe for a Charcoal BBQ
If you’re having a BBQ, chances are you’ll be cooking some burgers!
While barbecued burgers are an absolute classic, they’re also one of the most common foods to get wrong.
Want to find out how to get the perfect burger first time, every time?
Check out our foolproof method for cooking burgers below, or watch Eve in action by clicking here.
We’ve used a charcoal BBQ for this guide, but if you’ve got a gas BBQ the cooking timings are exactly the same – it’s just how you light it that’s different.
Follow step 1 on our hot dog guide below to see how to get your gas BBQ ready – it’s exactly the same process for cooking burgers.
Step 1 – Light your BBQ
Open the vent on the bottom of your charcoal BBQ. Half fill a chimney starter with briquettes, pop a few firelighters or the grill of your BBQ and place the chimney on top with the BBQ lid closed. After around 15 minutes your briquettes should be turning grey, which is when it’s time to pour them into one half or your BBQ and close the lid. Then simply wait until your BBQ reaches 200°C.
Step 2 – Direct grilling
Spray your grill with cooking spray to help prevent sticking, then place your burgers directly above the charcoal. Close the lid and leave them for about 2 minutes, flip, then close the lid and cook for another 2 minutes.
Step 3 – Indirect grilling
After the above, move your burgers to the other side of the grill, away from the hot coals. If you’re having cheese, now’s the time to pop it on your burgers. Then, close the lid and leave them until the internal temperature reaches 75°C. An instant-read thermometer is a must-have for this, letting you know exactly when your burgers are ready to serve.
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Hot Dogs made simple
Recipe for a Gas BBQ
Much like burgers, hot dogs can seem super simple but are easy to get wrong.
Using the proven combination of direct and indirect cooking ensure perfectly cooked sausages every time – as well as giving you those quintessential grill lines!
Here’s your three step-guide to cooking the best hot dogs on your gas BBQ…
Step 1 – Fire up your BBQ
For the best results, you’ll want to cook using the ‘50-50 method’. To do so, turn on the burner or burners on one side of your BBQ to high heat. Close the lid and wait until the temperature reaches 200°C.
Step 2 – Direct Cooking
Spray your grill with cooking spray to help prevents sticking, then place your sausages on the grill directly above your lit burner. After 2 minutes, lift the lid and give your sausages a flip. Repeat until they’ve got nice grill lines on all sides.
Step 3 – Indirect Cooking
After the above, move your sausages to the other side of the grill, away from the lit burner. Close the lid and leave them until the internal temperature of each sausage reads 75°C. An instant-read thermometer is a must-have for this step.
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Slow-cooked Spare Ribs
Cooked on an electric grill
You’ve mastered the barbecue classics – now why not turn up the heat and try something a little different?
Slow-cooked spare ribs are one of the best things you can cook on a barbecue, and we guarantee our recipe will be a crowd-pleaser at your summer gathering.
This low-and-slow cooking method gives amazing depth of flavour and melt-in-the-mouth meat, but obviously takes a good while so make sure you give yourself plenty of time!
Here’s the recipe…
Step 1 – Prepare and season your ribs
Start by peeling off the membrane on the back of the ribs, then season well with French mustard and your choice of seasoning mix. Make sure you cover both sides well for the best flavour.
Step 2 – Cook for 3 hours at 120°C
The cooking method we're using is known as the ‘3-2-1 method’, referring to the number of hours to cook for each stage. For the first stage, you’ll want to pre-heat your BBQ to 120°C, place your ribs on the top shelf, close the lid and leave them alone for 3 hours.
Step 3 – Wrap and cook for 2 hours
After 3 hours are up, carefully remove your ribs and lay them on a large piece of foil. Lay slices of butter along the ribs, then drizzle over honey and brown sugar. Wrap your ribs up well so all the juices stay in, then pop them back on the top shelf of your BBQ and cook at 120°C for a further 2 hours.
Step 4 – Glaze and cook for 1 hour
Last step! Open up your foil parcel, baste your ribs with your favourite BBQ sauce, then pop them back on the top shelf for a final 1 hour of cooking. Then all that’s left to do is slice them up and tuck in.
Reverse Seared Tomahawk Steak
Cooked on an electric grill
Got a bone-in Rib-eye or Tomahawk steak? Reverse searing on the BBQ gives incredible results, and really couldn’t be simpler.
The reverse-sear method refers to cooking the meat on a low heat first before searing on high-heat last for that perfect crust.
Here’s the super simple recipe…
Step 1 – Prepare your steak
We want the amazing flavour of the steak to shine so we recommend seasoning simply with oil, salt and pepper, rubbing in well on both sides. Then all you need to do is wrap the bone in foil, and insert your meat thermometer.
Step 2 – Cook on 120°C
Place your steak on the top shelf of your pre-heated BBQ, making sure you’ve got your meat thermometer inserted into the middle of the steak. Close the lid and cook until the internal temperature reads 49°C.
Step 3 – Sear on high heat
Set your BBQ to 315°C (or the closest yours can get to this). Once it’s reached temperature, carefully place your steak on the lower shelf, close the lid and leave for 1 minute. Then open the lid, flip it, and cook for a further 1 minute with the lid closed. Let your steak rest, then slice thinly and enjoy!
Thanks for reading.
