With the weather heating up and summer just around the corner it’s time to get ready for your BBQ events and luckily, we’re here to help. It doesn’t matter if you have just purchased a grill from us or if you’re dusting off last years ready for action – follow the key tips below to help guarantee a successful day!

Preparation is Key
Try to have all your key ingredients and essentials ready to go the day before the BBQ. This also means cleaning your oven in preparation for use and marinating any meat to be cooked. Having your cutlery, napkins and music playlist ready to go will help things on the day to run as smoothly as possible. Try to be ahead of the game and get the BBQ fired up before your guests arrive to make the cooking process nice and easy.

Split your BBQ

Separate the BBQ top into two clear cooking areas. One of these zones should allow you to sear food directly over the flames whilst the other zone should be used for the meat to be cooked indirectly in order to achieve a thorough cook. Try and manage the work space efficiently by working out how many grill loads you are cooking and allocating foil trays to each group of meat that you cook. Keep a selection of kitchen utensils to hand as should you need them in the moment you will not want to abandon your cooking station.

Slow and Steady – it’s not a race!

Avoid the temptation to rush yourself when barbecuing – try to ignore any impatient guests and focus on giving a top-notch BBQ experience! Patience is paramount and allowing the meat some space and time to cook properly will mean that the result has been more than worth the wait. You should also limit how much you interact with the meat itself as too much poking and pressing will result in it losing the delicious juices that make it so great!

Nobody wants overcooked or under cooked meat and it’s up to you to make sure that doesn’t happen. Thoroughly check the meat by cutting into the thickest part, usually the centre, to ensure that juices are running clear and meat is cooked throughout – in particular, white meat such a chicken should not be pink. You should also use a temperature probe to insert into the meat and check it is at the prime temperature, this may vary depending on what it is you are cooking.

Get Saucy

Adding a glaze or sauce to your BBQ meat is a fantastic way to add a pop of flavour but you want to make sure you wait until the opportune moment to do so. Our advice is to wait until most of the cooking is done as this will help boost flavour without burning the sauce. As glazes contain such high sugar levels, they are susceptible to burning easily making the taste very bitter. Be sure to avoid this otherwise all that time and money spent cooking will be for nothing!

Scrumptious Sides

As fantastic as BBQ food can be, why not branch out a little and try some out of the box side dishes to keep your guests interested? A yummy Greek salad with feta or a home cooked ratatouille can really add something to the meal as well as offering an option for any veggies you may be catering for. Speaking of which, don’t be afraid to skewer up some tomatoes, peppers and onions for the grill to add a delicious warm option they will be sure to love.

National BBQ Week returns for the 22nd year on Monday 28th May, ending on Sunday 3rd June 2018, and the country will be breaking out the barbeques, grills and hog roasts to fill the air with that delicious smell that is synonymous with British summer.

The British BBQ has developed over the years, as the food, tastes, cuisines and methods have changed to make barbeques become artisan, hip and a favourite for many. Not much can’t be cooked on a barbeque grill, yet it still has its roots in fun, relaxing social gatherings with family and friends.

Join in celebrating National BBQ Week by firing up your grill, treating yourself to a hog roast spit for sale or trying a new recipe for the barbeque. Remember to share your barbeque adventures on social media too!

Here are three of our favourite recipes for you to try in National BBQ Week along with burgers, sausages and steak:

Glazed Spare Ribs
A delicious – and messy – staple of summer barbeques, this glazed spare ribs recipe is sure to be a favourite and can be done in the oven if grey skies appear. If a whole rack is too much, you can divide it, though don’t go smaller than three or it is likely to become overcooked.

Ingredients
1 to 2 rack of ribs
2 to 3 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp English mustard
2 tbsp soft brown sugar
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
2 to 3 tbsp vinegar

Method
Crush the garlic and salt together with a fork to make a paste in a bowl. Add all the other ingredients for the marinade, saving vinegar until last. Add the vinegar in small doses, mixing well till it becomes a thick emulsion.

Spread the marinade over the ribs until it is coated on all sides. Leave it from one to five hours, adding an extra coat of the marinade.

When the barbeque is at a medium to hot heat, place the ribs over without wiping off any marinade. Avoid over blackening by turning frequently, and add extra marinade as you go. The ribs should be cooked within 15 minutes.

Stuffed Peppers
For vegetarians at your barbeque, these stuffed peppers will be very popular, and they are a healthy option for people who don’t want to gorge on meat.

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
50g pine nuts
140 long grain rice
2 garlic cloves, chopped
350g vegetable stock
1 bunch spring onions, thinly sliced
140g cherry tomatoes halved
150g ball mozzarella, chopped
140g Gorgonzola
A handful of parsley and basil, chopped
3 red and 3 yellow peppers

Method
Start with the stuffing; heat the oil in a medium pan with a lid and fry the pine nuts until they are roasted, then add the rice and fry until it is glossy. Stir in the garlic, then add the stock. Bring it to boil, cover and cook it for 10 minutes until the rice is tender. Remove from the heat, letting it cool slightly and stir in the spring onions, tomatoes, cheese and herbs. Season and leave to cool.

Take the peppers, cut them in half and remove the seeds, membrane and stalk. Spoon in the stuffing into the pepper, being careful not to overfill, and place the other half over the top, to create a whole pepper. Take a length of string and tie it around the pepper securely.

Grill the stuffed peppers on a moderate heat for 15 to 20 minutes, turning the peppers until they are evenly browned.

Spit Roast Bourbon Pork
A delicious pork spit roast recipe that you will want to make over and over again, the bourbon marinade brings out all the amazing flavours of pork, and the spit roast will keep the meat moist and cooked to perfection.

Ingredients
2.5kg boneless pork shoulder
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp light brown sugar
2 tsp black peppercorns
2 tsp mustard seed
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
240 ml bourbon
64g light brown sugar
1 small onion, finely chopped
60 ml ketchup
60 ml corn syrup
30 ml brown mustard

Method
Use a food mixer to blend the peppercorns and mustard seed into a fine powder, and add the two tbsp light brown sugar, paprika, garlic and onion powder. Rub the mixture all over the pork shoulder, then wrap it in cling film and leave in the fridge for 12 hours.

Remove the pork should from the fridge and let it stand at room temperature for 45 minutes. Season with salt before placing on the spit roast. While the roast is resting out of the fridge start on the marinade, simply whisk all the remaining ingredients together in a bowl.

Secure the shoulder onto the spit roast, and cook over low heat for 3 and a half to four hours. The internal temperature should be around 63 degrees Celsius when done. After the first hour of cooking, apply the marinade every 20 minutes.

Remove the pork shoulder from the spit roast, cover it with foil and leave it to stand before serving.

Will you be trying out some of your favourite barbeques and spit roast recipes throughout National BBQ Week? Let us know via our social media channels!

If you are a keen hog roaster or just want to find out a bit more about how these fantastic machines came to be, we have taken a look back through history at how hog roast ovens originated across the world to become what we know them as today.

Early man didn’t turn to cooking a hog roast to impress their wedding guests, that’s for sure, but what they did know was that cooked meat was better for them and tasted great to boot! They developed ways to lift their juicy pig up off the flame and cook it nice and slowly. It’s at this point that the concept of skewering was created. Obviously, there were no metal skewers at the time, so wood or bone would have been used instead.

This brings us into Bronze and Iron Ages, here we had a great surge in craftsmen working to fashion whatever they could from precious metals and one of the most prevalent areas in which innovation occurred was the kitchen. In what was almost an overnight success, pans, pots, knives and all kinds of utensils were brought to the fore – revolutionising cooking.

The Middle Ages
Next came the Middle Ages and at this point It would have been more unusual to see a kitchen without a form of spit roast than with one. It was in these kitchens that people would have roasted an entire hog, skewered on a heavy iron bar over an open fire. In the more luxurious abodes, such as castles with big kitchens, there more than likely would have been a worker who was assigned to purely cranking the hog slowly while the chef would add spices and baste – in an almost surgical procedure.

Renaissance Roasting

It was the Renaissance period that was behind sauces being added to hog roasting. In Italy, when most people were learning and enjoying their painting, the chefs of Florence were getting busy basting their pigs with sugar and orange juice. Thanks to those innovative chefs, this notion spread in no time at all and the concept of “basting sauce” spread rapidly, with people trying their own sauces for themselves.

Sadly, as kitchens progressed, became more advanced and took on adapted forms, roasting an entire hog went out of favour, largely because there just wasn’t the room that there used to be. As an alternative, butchers would offer cut up sections of the hog for customers to cook more conveniently – not too different from what we see today!

By the late 1700s the hog roast was resigned to being offered at special events and was cooked over a specially built fire pit.

Hog Roasts in other Cultures

In the Pacific, islanders used to line a pit with heated lave rocks. They would then season their hog with salt and wrap in banana leaves. Once this was complete they would carefully lower the hog into the pit making sure they covered it with palm fronds immediately after. After being left for around 6 hours, the hog would be primed and ready to eat!

The Modern Hog Roast 

Today, as you will no doubt be aware, hog roasts have more than regained their popularity and relevance. As we mentioned at the top of this post, people now use a hog roast as a focal and talking point for a whole host of events, and there are festivals devoted entirely to people offering the most amazing flavours of pig that they can conjure up. If you are looking to expand your catering business with a machine that is capable of cooking not only pig but lamb, vegetables, pasta and even pizza! Click here for more information.

Our hog roasts and gas griddles for sale are ideal for spring and summer barbeques. And while your barbeque will be delicious on its own with the juicy meats and refreshing vegetables you grill, you can add some extra flavour with some homemade sauces and marinades which will have you and your guest’s mouths watering for more! Best of all, these recipes can whip up a good amount of the sauce, leaving you leftovers for another barbeque and no need to make it again!

Chicken or Beef Marinade
A rich marinade that can be used for any type of beef or chicken you want to grill. Make it spicy by adding chopped hot peppers!

Ingredients
60 ml soy sauce
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp white vinegar
1 ½ tsp garlic powder
1 ½ tsp ground ginger
180 ml vegetable or olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 tsp ground black pepper

Method
In a large bowl, mix the ingredients together. Place the meat in the marinade, and refrigerate for up to four hours before grilling.

Garlic and Herb Marinade
A garlic and herb marinade is easy to make and versatile – you can add it to meat, veg or use it as a salad dressing.

Ingredients
80 ml water
80ml white vinegar
80ml vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried mixed herbs (or any of your choosing)
1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper

Method
In a medium bowl, combine the ingredients together, mixing it well. Apply using a brush to your favourite meat, or infuse the meat in the marinade for up to one hour, keeping it refrigerated.

Bourbon Whiskey BBQ Sauce
Adding a whiskey twist to a barbeque sauce is nothing new, but this is our favourite. For the best results, refrigerate the sauce for a day or two before you use it, so the flavours blend.

Ingredients
½ onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
180 ml bourbon whiskey
½ tsp ground black pepper
½ tbsp salt
470 ml tomato sauce (ketchup)
60 ml tomato paste
80 ml cider vinegar
2 tbsp liquid smoke flavouring
60 ml Worcestershire sauce
120 ml brown sugar
80 ml hot pepper sauce

Method
In a large skillet or frying pan on a medium heat, combine the onion, garlic and whiskey. Simmer for 10 minutes. Mix in the remaining ingredients and bring to the boil. Reduce to a medium-low heat and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes. If you prefer a smooth sauce, run it through a strainer.

Devil’s Steak Sauce
Bring out the flavour of any grilled steak with this sauce. The raspberry jam adds a unique twist and will get your guests talking!

Ingredients
2 tbsp raspberry jam
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp tomato sauce
2 tbsp malt vinegar
5 drops hot pepper sauce
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Method
In a saucepan on a high heat, blend the ingredients together. Bring it to a boil on a high heat, then reduce to a low heat. Let it simmer for 10 minutes or until it thickens.

Cajun Spice Mix
A mildly hot Cajun spice mix using common spices, this mix rub can be added to any meat for an extra spicy kick!

Ingredients
2 tsp salt
2 tsp garlic powder
2 ½ tsp paprika
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 ¼ tsp dried oregano
1 ¼ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Method
Stir together the ingredients until even-blended together. Store the mix in an airtight container until you need to use it.

Summer is just around the corner, and that means the return of the British barbeque! Sunny evenings with great food, family and friends are on the menu, and we are sharing our top tips on how to have the perfect barbeque!

Get Your Equipment Ready
If you want to upgrade your barbeque skills, you need the proper equipment and tools. A long handled pair of tongs to keep your arms away from the hot grill are essential, and a temperature probe is also be required, especially for outdoor cooking as it is harder to tell meat is cooked through.

Of course, you also need the equipment and might be in need of an upgrade. Take a look at our grills and hog roast spits for sale. Having good quality equipment can make all the difference to a successful barbeque, and it will also last for longer, meaning you know you will be enjoying barbeques for years to come!

Prepare in Time
Preparation can make all the difference when it comes to cooking for a large number of people. Having a burger and sausage per person, and a good assortment of steaks and chops is a good idea for where to start. If you overdo it, have freezer space ready for leftovers; steaks and chops keep well, burgers and fish don’t so try to use them up. Once you have the meat, it needs marinating for some flavour. Marinate overnight – we have some excellent choices for homemade sauces and marinades – so the meat has the fullest flavour. You may want to leave some aside un-marinated if people like it unseasoned.

It’s not just the meat you need to prepare – get the condiments, sauces and sides ready too! Cold meats, cheese, chips and salads are all popular for barbeques, and you may find you have vegetarians among your guests you need to cater for.

Avoid Fridge Chill
Before you put the meat or fish onto the barbeque, take it out of the fridge at least 20 minutes beforehand, so it loses its chill. Putting the meat on the grill when it is too cold could burn the outside before it is cooked in the centre. This is important for white meats such as chicken and pork especially. Burgers should also be defrosted before putting them on the grill so they will be cooked to the centre.

Charcoal Choice
Getting the right charcoal for your barbeque is important, especially when cooking a variety of meats. Lump charcoal burns for an hour while briquettes burn for three hours, making it good for roasting joints. Charcoal can add flavour to your meat too; charcoal from oak trees can give subtle smoky caramel flavour, and charcoal from orange wood has a marmalade flavour that is great for bird meat. You can also add hickory wood chips for a smoky taste or apple wood to try something sweeter.

Test and Rest the Meat
Before serving out the meat, test it to ensure it is cooked through. It can be hard to tell if the meat is cooked properly on a barbeque from look alone. Cut into the chicken and pork and check whether the juices run clear, or use your temperature probe.

Along with testing the meat is properly cooked through, you should rest it for a few minutes before eating. This allows it to reabsorb the juices and becomes more tender. Keep it warm by placing it on a tray, cover with foil and place away from the direct heat of the barbeque. Bigger cuts should be rested for longer.

Be Prepared for a Change in Weather
British barbeques can’t always rely on the weather, so be prepared for a sudden change in the weather is a good idea. Have griddle pans and the oven prepared in the event of a rain shower so that the barbeque vibes can continue!

Take a look at our other blogs for ideas and tips on catering and barbeques!

Nobody particularly enjoys the time-consuming task of cleaning out the grill – we certainly don’t! With so many nooks and crannies to your gas BBQ or griddle, it can be a big task just knowing where to start and how best to tackle the job. Why not take a look at some of our tips to help you get started and get your grill Spring-ready?

1. Burn off the grease first

Whack the heat up for roughly 15 minutes until there’s little to no smoke, then let everything thoroughly cool off. This a great way to get rid of residual grease and destroy any burnt-on food morsels. Just do a double-check before you incinerate anything valuable! If it’s cold outside when you’re doing this, you’ll likely find it easier to use propane over butane, thanks to its higher pressure and much lower boiling point.

2. Check for uneven flames

Whilst you’ve got the gas running and before you shut it off, take a look at your burners. If any of the flames seem lopsided or weaker than they should be, it’s worth giving that some attention once you start cleaning. Be advised that you should ONLY disconnect your burners to clean them if you’re certain you know what you’re doing. Failing to reconnect them properly could be hazardous. If you are removing them, push a pipe cleaner through the ports to loosen any debris and tap the burners on a hard surface. The next time you fire it up you can check to see if it’s worked.

3. Disconnect the gas before cleaning

It seems simple but we can’t stress this enough. When you’re sure the tank is tightly closed off, disconnect the pipes and store your tank somewhere sheltered and safe from wandering hands. If in doubt, put your ear close to the tap and listen for any hissing sounds.

4. Use a dishwasher

Not everything has to be done by hand here. If you’ve got a dishwasher with enough space for hot plates and the like, why not stick them in there with any tools or utensils? It’s more water efficient, and you can tackle the bigger jobs at the same time. Make sure you’re adding something to cut through the grease.

5. Give it a good soak

There are specialised BBQ grate cleaners that you can buy for the job, but as with so many things, a bucket of warm, soapy water will work just fine. Soak the grates for several minutes to soften up any stubborn bits before you brush them off. Avoid harsh chemicals like oven cleaners, and don’t use rough materials like steel wool – both of these can harm the finish and protective linings of your BBQ.

6. Invest in a good cover

A great vinyl cover will work wonders for protecting your grill from insects, rust and weather. If you can keep it under shelter or inside a shed or outhouse then even better. A good BBQ protected from the elements will serve you well year after year.

Tasty Trotter is a well-established brand that offer a broad range of catering equipment ideal for hog roasts, BBQ’s, weddings, parties or other events where people need feeding!

Contact us today for a great deal:

E-mail marketing@riberproducts.co.uk or Call 01246 866800

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A new year brings new trends, and there a few that are barbeque and catering-themed to get excited about for 2018. People are more in tune with food than before and, with a rise of cooking and baking shows on TV, and consumers are eating differently to how they were even a couple of years ago. Knowing the consumer needs helps inform the trends that are to come.

Global Fusion

Barbeque techniques are changing, bringing in ideas from all over the world. This is leading to a melting pot of flavours and recipes, with traditional barbeque meeting cuisines from across the globe. Creating a fusion barbeque with a variety of flavours and cuisines adds a new spin to a cookout, and also allows you to cater to more tastes and dietary requirements. The globalisation of food has also come about due to easier travel and wanting to replicate fantastic food on home soil. Chefs are growing, and cooking ingredients that are more typical of exotic cuisines, with geographical barriers falling down.

Thinner Steak

For many years, it has been the case of bigger is better when it comes to meat; bricks of fillet, porterhouses that cover the plate, so it may be a surprise to see that thinner cut steaks are becoming all the rage. Thinner cuts have many advantages including marinating and cooking faster, a better ratio of flavourings to meat. Thin cuts also expose more meat to the heat of the grill, which results in a savoury exterior. Those acquainted with Korean or Japanese grills will know the merits of thin steaks already. Another bonus for caterers of a thinner steak or chop is they cost less per serving.

Pork Steak

Any fan of grilling will appreciate a good pork shoulder and cut it crosswise into half an inch thick to give you a pork shoulder steak. The marbling and tender meat is moister than a pork chop and costs less. Pork steaks are great at absorbing the marinades and smoke but can be hard to get a hold of them in some places. Talk to your butcher if you want to get a cut.

Hasselback Potatoes

While Hasselback potatoes are not new, these are becoming more and more popular, especially for the grill. The crispy, buttery and cheesy roasted potatoes originate from Sweden but, by adding hardwood chips to the grill when cooking them, gives the potatoes a delightful smoky flavour.

Veg-Centric

Meat-free dining is becoming a lifestyle choice for several health and environmentally consumers and is something they dip in and out of, which has led to more vegetable-centric trends. Veg-centric cooking has been around for a while, but with a rise of ‘flexitarians’ and vegans, vegetable options in dining out and catering are becoming more prominent. Combine the veg-centric with the global cuisine influence, and you have some tasty meals to cook up!

Local Beer and Wine

The younger millennial generation dines out more, and also read the package labels more than older generations. This, in turn, has led to a rise in buying local food and drink, particularly beer and wine. Though craft beers, ales and ciders have been around for decades, their popularity is soaring due to more environmentally conscious consumers. Selling local beers and wines is a great idea for caterers, who already poses the ‘local’ feeling, and consumers are more likely to warm to paying for a locally sourced drink.

Food on the Go

On-the-go food is a trend that is expected to evolve and blow up wider in 2018 and is an opportunity hospitality and catering businesses don’t want to miss. For the busy working climate the UK has, on-the-go food is a fantastic trend to get on board with, and while the sandwich is a favourite lunchtime choice, there is room for doing something different, that also fits into the fast-paced lifestyle of the majority of consumers.

What trends are you excited for? Get started grilling some great food with the range of gas griddle and hog roast for sale we have available on our online store.