Something different for the BBQ

Celticfire

Due to the fact that the weather for the last two weeks has been fantastic I have been using the BBQ quite a bit, but I'm starting to get bored with burgers (homemade), steaks and chicken kebabs.

Does anyone have something quick and simple yet different and delicious that I could try out?

All ideas are welcome

kenco

Not sure if you like Salmon but if you do then you will like this! Its a Jamie Oliver recipe that you should be able to dig up on google but basically stuff a whole salmon with herbs, etc and then wrap it in newspaper, soalk the bejaysus out of same and then stick it on a barbie for 30 odd mins.

Do remember however to close the lid of the barbie (as I forgot to do the first time I tried this!!)

Wacker

Try a swordfish steak. Pricy, but seriously delicious.

cee_jay

Seafood barbie is definitely the way to go!
We have done something similar to the salmon idea before but with Snapper/Speckled Emperor.
Sprinkle the fish with loads of herbs, lemongrass and the like, wrap in tin foil and pop on the barbeque. Delicious!
Or do kebabls, but with king prawns.... yum!

bubonicus

Banashers!

Cut banana with rasher wrapped around it. Lovely

RE*AC*TOR

Tuna steaks might be a good plan. Marinade in soy sauce with salt and pepper, some crushed garlic and sherry or wosterchire sauce if you have any.

You will need the BBQ very very hot, and they will cook quickly (3 minutes each side max - depending on thickeness obviously - my estimate based on 1 to 1/5 inch thick). You want them to remain pink/red in the centre (otherwise they taste like crap). Obviously make sure you buy them nice and fresh.

Celticfire

I think I'll have to try fish on the BBQ. Never cooked fish that way before..

Lynfo

Sausage skewers

get yourself some sausages - pre cook them before u bbq them, just 5 mins under the grill should do the job.
Some button musrooms and baby tomatoes.
mix together mustard, honey & ketchup.
cut the sausages to bite size, and thread on to the skewers along with mushrooms & tomatoes.
smother them in the sauce and bbq.
Delicious, every time i have a bbq i make these and they always go down well.

bonkey

As with a lot of cooking, I try and get out of the mindset of "quick" and into the mindset of "not so much effort, nut requires a bit of planning".

F'r example...the day *before* you're gonna BBQ...

Simmer a rack of pork-ribs in some beer (the cheaper the better, and you can water it down one-part-beer-to-one-part-water if you need) for about 2 hours.

Towards the end of this, make up a BBQ sauce. A simple version is 4 parts ketchup, 2 parts soy, 2 parts vinegar, 2 parts honey (or brown sugar). You can add chilli, garlic, ginger, whatever takes your fancy.

Remove ribs from beer, pour sauce over.

So far, this takes about 5 mins kitchen time, right?

Then, the day of the BBQ, you just slap the ribs on the barbie for 15-30 mins, basting with the marinade about every 3-5 mins. turn as needed.

Parboil spuds for 10 mins, wrap in tinfoil with some salt, finish on the BBQ for about 20-30 mins.

Ditto *fresh* corn on the cob, only with 3-5 mins boiling. Don't use salt when boiling/cooking fresh corn. Add it when serving. It stays more tender that way, apparently.

Get a whole onion, skin it, and cut a cross in it to about 2/3 of its depth. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt, wrap in tinfoil, sit on BBQ. About 45 mins. Similar technique for courgettes, peppers, or anything else you want as a side veg. YOu can add any herb (fresh, ideally) that takes your fancy to stuff like this.

All these side-dishes don't even take watching, if you can keep your temps under control (easier on some grills than others). Bung 'em on, go in and finish preparing the meat and just get your timing right so they're finished when the meat is done.

Stuffed mushrooms work a treat too. If you want the tops crisped cover them in a "lid" made from tinfoil once they're sitting on the grill.

Then its on to marinades etc. Again, its best as a "day before" job. Cube meat, bung in a marinade (can be easy or complex) and then on the day in question just skewer it up, slap on the BBQ and cook in 10-20 mins.

Granted, in such cases you need to be sure enough of tomorrow's weather. Over here (Switzerland) thats usually not a problem in summer. In Ireland...I remember that not always being the case

On the fish side...and this is quick n easy...

mix lime-juice, oil, chilli, garlic, coriander and a pinch of salt. Smear over your tuna steaks. Go light the grill. By the time the grill is ready to cook, your fish is marinaded and ready to rock. Flash-grill on both sides (3 mins per side, max, if its a thick steak). Just be careful the tuna doesn't start to fall apart...you don't want to turn it more than once.

This works OK with chicken fillets too. They dont' fall apart either

In call cases, I'd avoid olive-oil for BBQing, and go with something like rapeseed, sunflower, or a light nut oil. Its personal...I know some people who swear by olive-oil for everything.

If your BBQ has a lid, use it to increase that smoky flavour. Cover the food, only lifting the lid to check on it (although your grill will need vents to let air in and not get smothered). If you don't have anything fatty enough to "drip", generating smoke, use a slice of streaky bacon. Just make sure it doesn't start a fat-fire

useruser

Delicious and simple dessert - take an unpeeled banana, split one side and pour in any spirit you have handy (rum is really nice), wrap in foil and leave on the bbq for 30/40 mins (not on full heat). Fantastic with a bit of ice cream.

Tree

any suggestions for the veggies? Goin to a bbq hosted by a veggie and while i fully intend making my super savage beef burgers, some veggie stuff might be a nice thingy

bonkey

Portobello mushrooms, stuffed with breadcrumbs, feta cheese, pine-nuts and herbs.

Chick-pea burgers / skewers can also work a bomb, as long as you get the consistency right. You can blend them up (pre-soaked, of course) with some breadcrumbs, egg, cheese if you like, chopped onion, and whatever spicing takes your fancy. They can be a bit crumbly, though, so take care to only turn them once. Also...rub them in oil before putting them on, so the outside crisps up.

Frequent

There is very little that can be added to all of these awesome bbq ideas...but here's one:

When I used to go camping as a teenager with friends, we would pile minced beef, chopped rashers and diced vegetables and potatoes into a tinfoil parcel, season it well with salt, pepper and whatever else might have been to hand (I recall cheese making it into the mix too), and then bunging it either into the fire or onto the bbq until everything was tender. Absolutely delicious - and fun to make up too!

Celticfire

Some great ideas there, thanks. Here's to a long hot summer (hopefully)

Diogenes

Get a piece of lemongrass, chop the top and bottom, and scar down it's length with a knife, cut a length ways slit through a chicken breast and skewer it with the lemon grass. Marinade this in chili puree'd corriander, soy, and lime, for a few hours. Divine.

Mr Magnolia

Diogenes wrote:

Get a piece of lemongrass, chop the top and bottom, and scar down it's length with a knife, cut a length ways slit through a chicken breast and skewer it with the lemon grass. Marinade this in chili puree'd corriander, soy, and lime, for a few hours. Divine.

Prawns are fantastic done this way, prawns+lemongrass


I love red mullet bbq'd, just gut it and stick it on with or without a marinade.