Barbeque season is back, but do you know what’s going to be going on top of the grill? If you’re wanting to be the talk of the street, then the standard two meats probably won’t cut it — but, not to fear, here with Flogas Gaslight, we’ve taken care of the hard part, helping you cook up a storm this summer. Check out our 12 best barbeque options.
Barbecued banana split
Don’t be fooled into thinking the barbeque is only about beef burgers!
Ingredients
4 bananas
20 giant milk chocolate buttons
8 pieces salted caramel fudge
Vanilla ice cream, to serve
Whipping cream, to serve
4 glacé cherries, to serve
2 tablespoon chopped mixed nuts, toasted
Method
Leave the skin on otherwise things will get mushy! Make a slit in the bananas from top to bottom using a sharp knife. Place chocolate buttons and fudge in the gap, then wrap the bananas in foil. Ensure that the cut stays facing upwards, and place onto a preheated grate. Cook for 20-25 minutes, allowing the chocolate and fudge to melt. Allow to cool then remove from the foil, topping with a scoop of ice cream, whipped cream, cherry and toasted nuts.
Barbecued figs with honey and cinnamon
A classic combination that doesn’t leave you feeling guilty — just over 100 calories per serving!
Ingredients
8 ripe figs, stems removed
3 tbsp clear honey
15g (½oz) salted butter, diced
Ground cinnamon, to sprinkle
Pistachio nuts, roughly chopped, to serve
Ice cream or cream, to serve (optional)
Method
With a knife, make a cross-like incision on each individual fig, stopping before the base of the fruit. Squeeze the base to make the figs open up (similar to a flower-shape). Place into a heatproof dish or foil tray and drizzle with honey. Add drops of butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Place the dish or tray, away from direct heat, onto the barbecue and close the lid. Allow to cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the fruit has softened. After cooling, scatter the nuts and serve.
Marshmallow & strawberry kebabs
Perhaps the easiest yet tastiest dessert. Pair it with salted caramel sauce and things only get better!
Ingredients
20 marshmallows
16 strawberries
1 tin of Nestlé carnation caramel
Toasted hazelnuts or crumbled digestive biscuits to serve
Method
On a skewer, place four chopped strawberries and four marshmallows. Hold over the barbecue for 30 seconds on each side, or until the marshmallows are toasted. Stir the caramel in a bowl and add a pinch of salt, then drizzle over lightly adding the nuts of biscuit as a delicious extra.
Chicken satay skewers
One of your favourite Asian dishes brought direct to your garden!
Ingredients
Chicken:
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup milk
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon each ground coriander, ground turmeric and ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon coconut extract
Satay:
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup milk
2 green onions, chopped
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 to 3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon fresh coriander
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1/8 teaspoon coconut extract
Method
Start by flattening the chicken to approximately ¼ inch. Once you have done this cut the meat into 1-inch thick strips. Use a plastic bag to combine the milk, garlic, brown sugar, seasonings and extract. Add the chicken, seal the bag, and refrigerate overnight.
Whisk all of the sauce ingredients together in a bowl until smooth, cover and refrigerate until serving. Take the chicken mixture out and drain the marinade, then place the strips onto the skewers. Grill on a medium-hot heat, uncovered for 2-3 minutes on both sides or until the juices are clear. Serve with the satay sauce.
Lemon and lime chicken breast
You’ve had sweet satay, now indulge in citrus chicken! Why not cook up a batch of sweet potato fries to enjoy this one with — the perfect al-fresco dinner!
Ingredients
6 boneless chicken breasts
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoons each lemon juice and lime juice
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
Method
Marinade the chicken by placing all the ingredients into a resealable plastic sandwich bag and placing into the fridge overnight. Drain the remaining sauce (or keep it and use as a salad dressing!). On a preheated BBQ, grill the chicken at a medium – hot heat for 15-18 minutes, turning once and ensuring that the juices run clear before serving.
Portobello mushroom burgers
Fed up with beef burgers year on year? Try this mouth-watering meat free alternative.
Ingredients
¼ cup of olive oil and 3 tablespoons of olive oil divided
6 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar divided
4 sliced red onions (cut ¼ inch thick)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon dried basil
4 portobello mushroom caps
1 tablespoon honey
4 brioche buns
4 lettuce leaves
3 salad tomatoes
4 ounces fresh vegetarian-friendly mozzarella cheese cut into rough slices
Method
Using a plastic resealable bag, mix together balsamic vinegar, oil, and red onion. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, basil and remaining oil, and brush the mixture over the mushrooms. Set these aside and add the remaining vinegar and honey into a small saucepan, allowing it to cook until thickened.
In the meantime, drain the marinade from the onions and coat a grill rack with a non-stick cooking spray, meanwhile heating up the BBQ. Grill the mushrooms and onions for 10-12 minutes or until tender, turning frequently. Serve in brioche buns with lettuce, tomato and mozzarella, drizzling the left-over honey and balsamic sauce.
Superfood shrimp skewers
Shrimp is considered to be one of the healthiest foods around, but pair this recipe with a tossed salad and you’ve got yourself a top-notch meal!
Ingredients
1 ½ lbs. of jumbo shrimps (with heads removed)
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice and 1 large whole lime
3 teaspoons sea salt
3 teaspoons freshly ground white pepper
Metal skewers
Method
Rinse the shrimp with cold water and pat dry with a piece of kitchen roll. Place the shrimp into a Pyrex dish and sprinkle with lime juice, adding a teaspoon each of salt and white pepper, mixing to coat. Marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes.
In a separate bowl, mix sea salt and white pepper with the juiced lime. Heat the BBQ and brush the grate with oil. Place the shrimp onto the grate and grill, turning until the meat is pink. This should take about 2 minutes on each side. Use tongs to remove from the grill and place onto the skewers. Drizzle the sauce over and enjoy!
BBQ turkey burgers
Turkey, just like shrimp is low in fat and high in protein! Plus, it tastes fantastic.
Ingredients
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil (divided)
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon dry bread crumbs
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
12 ounces ground turkey
4 hamburger buns, split
4 lettuce leaves
1 large tomato, sliced
Method
Grab a bowl and mix both basil and mayonnaise. Cover and place into a fridge until serving. Apply non-stick cooking spray to your grate and preheat the grill. In another bowl, mix milk, onion, salt, bread crumbs, salt, pepper and the rest of the basil. Add the turkey and mix well, then mould the mixture into patties, placing onto the grill over an indirect medium heat. Grill for 5 to 6 minutes on each side, serving when the meat is no longer pink. Serve on buns with lettuce, tomato and basil mayo.
Sesame steaks
Ingredients
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
4 T-bone steaks (about 1-inch thick)
Method
In a plastic resealable sandwich bag mix the first seven ingredients. Place the steaks into the bag and coat with the mixture, seal and allow to marinade for 4 hours. Drain and discard the left-over marinade. On a preheated grate, cook the steaks on a medium heat for 5-7 minutes each side, or longer depending on preference.
Haloumi gyros and tzatziki
One of the best meat-free barbeque meals!
Ingredients
Gyros:
200g haloumi cheese
2 pieces pitta bread
1 tomato
2 cups rocket
1 baby brown onion
Tzatziki:
1 cup Greek yoghurt
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Lemon juice
Lemon zest
2 tablespoons olive oil
Pinch of salt/ black pepper
1 cucumber, seedless, peeled and shredded.
Method
The tzatziki is prepared by simply mixing all the ingredients together in a plastic resealable sandwich bag. Season to your taste preferences. Cut the tomato in half and slice finely, doing the same with the onion, then place both to one side. Cut the haloumi into centimetre thick slices, placing onto the BBQ at a medium heat. Cook for 2 minutes each side or until browned, then place the pittas onto the grate to warm gently for 30 seconds each side. Assemble the gyros with the haloumi and the tzatziki, adding the onion and tomato to garnish.
Oriental grilled baby back ribs
Ribs are a perfect addition to any barbeque as seasoning can be altered to suit your preference.
Ingredients
4 racks of baby back ribs
6 cloves of garlic
1 piece of fresh ginger peeled and chopped coarsely
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon sea salt
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
For the sauce:
4 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons white pepper
4 limes halved
Method
If the ribs consist of a paper membrane, remove it first. If you are using a large rack of ribs, cut in half and place flat in a Pyrex baking dish. Use a pestle and mortar, or food processor, to ground down the garlic, ginger, sugar, salt and black pepper. Slowly add the honey, soy, and fish sauce to the mixture, then spread on both sides of the ribs. Cover and place in the fridge, allowing them to marinate for 1-4 hours.
Prepare the dipping sauce by mixing 4 teaspoons of salt, and 4 teaspoons of white pepper with the juice of the limes. Ensure the grill gate is clean and heat up the BBQ Then, place the ribs bone side down for 8-12 minutes per side — cook until golden brown (this may require a little longer if you are using large ribs). When cooked through, the meat will have shrunk back from the ends of the bones by around ¼ inch.
Citrus salmon and zesty salsa
Ingredients
Salmon:
1/2 cup raspberry vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons ground fresh coriander
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 salmon fillets (6 ounces each)
Salsa:
3/4 cup pink grapefruit segments, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup orange segments, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon ground fresh coriander
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Method
In a resealable plastic bag, mix together the first seven ingredients and place it into the fridge for three hours. In a small bowl, combine all of the salsa ingredients and mix well, then cover and keep cool until serving. Drain the marinade and coat your BBQ grate with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat and place the salmon skin side down on to the grill, cooking while covered at a medium heat for 15-20 minutes until a flaky texture is achieved. Drizzle the salsa over and enjoy.
So, there you have it, 12 wonderful options, all you need now is the weather!
