Our friends from across the pond are looking for UK contestants for a BBQ sauce contest in Austin, Texas.

Do you have a winning BBQ sauce recipe?

Drew Thornley from the Man Up Texas BBQ blog, sent us an email to say that the annual Gettin Sauced! competition is now busting out of Texas and going international.

If you have a secret BBQ sauce recipe ready to challenge the legendary Texas barbecue masters, visit the Gettin’ Sauced! website and fill out an entry form.

Before you bottle and post your BBQ sauce here are a few things you should know:

• Allegedly, Texas is a place where they barbecue everything, except ice cream.

• In Texas everyone owns a barbecue, from oil barons to hobos.

• Beef brisket is the meat of choice for an authentic Texan BBQ.

• Texans use ‘BBQ rubs’ to flavour the meat before cooking, sauce is added after cooking.

• The original Texas BBQ sauce should be tomato-based with a spicy sweet flavour.

If you want to master your BBQ cooking skills this summer, check out the fantastic range of gas and charcoal barbecues at Dobbies.com.

Download the Dobbies.com Barbecues Guide

Download this free Barbecues Guide from Dobbies.com to learn absolutely everything you need to know about barbecues, just in time for the great British summer.

Find out the essentials of barbecue safety, including how to ensure children stay out of harm’s way and a comprehensive checklist of important precautionary measures.

Discover which barbecue is right for you in our superb buyers guide, with detailed advice on gas, charcoal, chimenea and portable barbecues, as well as recommendations about the best barbecue accessories available on the market.

And most importantly, enjoy the fruits of your labour with our exciting menu of delicious barbecue recipes, from old favourites such as BBQ ribs and BBQ chicken to more exotic ideas such as Tuscan Trout. We’ve also included a number of tasty vegetarian dishes to ensure everyone is catered for at your Dobbies inspired barbecue.

Click here to download the Dobbies.com Barbecues Guide (PDF)

A delicious barbecue sauce isn't difficult to make

Homemade barbecue sauce is not only great for your favourite cuts of meat on the barbecue, but you can have it handy for dipping other snacks such as chicken fingers or chips.

A basic BBQ sauce recipe starts out with complementary flavours of sweet sugar and sour vinegar. From here, some spice is added to give the sauce some extra tang.

So it’s an easy condiment to make at home – all you’ll need are a few basic ingredients and some time and patience. And homemade barbecue sauce is a great alternative to expensive bottled varieties from the shops.

The basic ingredients for a good barbecue sauce include tomatoes (tomato sauce and tomato paste, but some recipes call for ketchup), brown sugar or honey for sweetness, vinegar, minced onions, crushed garlic, Worcestershire sauce and mustard.

Optional ingredients commonly found in some speciality barbecue sauces include whiskey or bourbon, hot pepper such as cayenne, and sometimes cinnamon or clove.

Basic barbecue sauce ingredients

1 small (8oz can) tomato sauce
1 small (6oz can) tomato paste
1 small onion, finely chopped
2-3 cloves crushed garlic
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon mustard
Cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper to taste

For a simple barbecue sauce recipe suitable for anything from chicken to barbecue pork ribs, start off with one small can of tomato paste and combine with one small can of tomato sauce and stir to combine in a bowl.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, sweat the onions and garlic until translucent. Stir in vinegar and allow to reduce for two minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine thoroughly.

Allow to come up to a slight simmer. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary. At this point the barbecue sauce is ready to use; however, you could puree all this in a blender to produce a thicker uniform consistency.

Marinade or seasoning – it’s up to you

Your barbecue sauce can be used as a marinade and brushed onto meat while cooking. The sugars drawn out from the tomatoes in addition to the added brown sugar will help create a caramelized crust from the high heat of your grill.

Other equally tasty variations include a honey barbecue sauce (simply substitute the sugar for honey). For a mesquite sauce, look for an ingredient called ‘liquid smoke’ which is made by filtering the smoke produced by burning mesquite wood chips through water to collect the essence.

You can add this rich liquid to your sauce to infuse it with deep smoky mesquite flavour. Another variation is to substitute your favourite whiskey or bourbon in place of or addition to the vinegar to add a tangy richness. While cooking, the alcohol content will burn off, making this type of sauce appropriate for all ages.

Spice it up

As for spice, almost anything goes. Cayenne and black pepper usually provide an adequate amount of heat without overpowering the overall flavour. For more intense heat, add ingredients such as smoked chipotle peppers, jalapenos, or for the most intense heat possible, add habanero, also known as scotch bonnet peppers. If using fresh peppers, chop and sweat these with the onions and garlic. If using dried peppers, toast these over an open flame until fragrant, and grind to a powder using a blender or spice mill and add your desired amount to the sauce.

Chinese Hoisin sauce, made with soya beans and a type of Chinese sweet potato, makes an excellent barbecue sauce for chicken or meat.

A southern American, Memphis-style barbecue focuses mainly on a seasoning meats with a dry rub and smoking them over a long period of time. This tender meat is usually served with a vinegar-based sauce for additional moisture.

Firm fish like salmon is great for barbecuing

Barbecuing fish might seem scary to the novice. Fish doesn’t respond well to rough handling, and barbecuing bring to mind images of uncontrolled heat, pieces of meat sticking to the grill, jabbing forks and spatulas.

And it is true that cooking by barbecue, done badly, is an excellent way to utterly ruin a nice piece of fish. But if you prepare carefully and arm yourself with the right equipment, you can cook fish with unparalleled flavour and juiciness. Here are some tips on how to accomplish this.

Firm, not flaky, and don’t get stuck

The best fish for barbecuing are those with relatively firm flesh, such as salmon, bass, tuna or cod, rather than delicate, flaky types like halibut.

Cut the fish into steaks or fillets, or better yet have your fishmonger do it. Getting an even thickness throughout each piece will make your job much easier later on. Leave the skin on. It will help hold the flesh together through the stresses of barbecuing.

With the fish in hand, it’s time to turn your attention to preparing your work site. First, you need to reduce the chance that your fish will stick and crumble. This means the barbecue grill must be as clean as you can get it. If you have the sort of grill that’s crusted with soot and old bits of food then give it a really good scrubbing. Or get a new one if there’s no hope of a return to cleanliness.

Then brush the grill lightly with oil, or spray it with non-stick spray, to make absolutely sure it’s not sticky.

If you’re really worried about sticking, lay a piece of foil across the grill and put the steaks or fillets on it. You can even buy fish baskets that are specially made for grilling fish. But unless you’re completely ham-fisted in wielding the spatula, that would be an unnecessary expense.

If you follow the advice above, your fish should be well prepared to make it through the grilling process safely. The best spatula for handling fish, by the way, is one that has an especially thin, wide blade, the better to get under each piece and lift it all at once.

Lots of heat, skin side down

Build the fire in the barbecue so it’s quite hot. If it’s a gas barbecue, turn the heat up high. If you’re using charcoal, don’t be stingy; use a lot of charcoal, and then be sure to let the coals burn down until they show white. Lots of heat will help the fish cook quickly, before it has a chance to bond with the grill.

Once you’ve achieved the desired temperature, place the fish on the grill, evenly spaced and with the skin side down.

Fish cooks fast, and cooks even faster on high heat. So once you’ve put the steaks or fillets down, don’t take your eyes off them. At the same time, though, resist the temptation to fiddle. Don’t poke at them, don’t squeeze them to see if they feel done, and please, please don’t lift them up to see if they’re cooked.

You want to turn the fish once when they’re done on one side, and take them off when they’re done through, and that should be the limit of your handling of the fish.

Adding flavour

So how do you tell if the fish is done? When it turns opaque on the side closest to the heat, it’s done on that side. When it’s opaque all the way through, it’s done. For extra flavour, sprinkle the fish with lemon juice or herbs while it cooks, or add flavoured wood chips to the fire.

Another way to prepare barbecued fish is to wrap it in foil or parchment paper. While you lose out on the smoky flavour and char that you get from a regular barbecue, this method allows you to wrap flavour in with the fish: citrus slices, fresh herbs, butter, garlic or whatever else takes your fancy. If you use parchment paper, be aware that it will probably burn, but this will not spoil the fish.

Hopefully this article has given you some ideas and the confidence to try barbecuing fish yourself. Master these skills and you’ll have a delicious, impressive dish to serve your family and friends, as well as the chance to experience the unique flavours that barbecuing brings to fish.

Prawns taste delicious straight off the barbecue

Barbecued shellfish can be a wonderful hors d’oeuvre or, in the case of lobster, the heart of a delicious meal. The smoky flavours imparted by barbecuing complement the natural delicate taste of the fish.

Best of all, it’s not as difficult as it looks to cook and it’s a change of pace from the usual fare one finds on barbecues, so it gives you the potential to really impress your guests.

Quickly does it

The most important thing to remember when barbecuing shellfish is speed. Not only do shellfish cook very quickly, but you need to be prepared to serve them straight off the grill. If you let them sit after taking them off the heat, they’ll turn to rubber by the time you get round to serving them.

You can tell that shellfish is done when the meat changes from translucent to opaque, so watch carefully. In most cases, it will take only a few minutes to cook a piece of shellfish through using medium to high heat.

Be safe

As with any other shellfish application, you must be vigilant for signs that something has gone wrong. Undercooked or spoiled shellfish can be dangerous, even lethal. It’s best to buy fresh shellfish on the day you plan to grill it, store it in the bottom of your refrigerator until you’re ready to cook, and wash it thoroughly in cold water before you put it on the grill.

Also, be sure to carefully wash your hands after handling raw shellfish, and clean any surface or utensil it touches. If you notice strange colours or smells, especially a smell like ammonia, or if a piece of shellfish does not cook completely, just bin it! There’s no need to take unnecessary risks.

Here are some specific guidelines for cooking various types of shellfish on your barbecue …

Clams, mussels, and oysters

Clams, mussels, and oysters all cook in basically the same way: after washing them in cold water, put them in a grill pan or on a sheet of aluminium foil, close the cover, and let them cook for a few minutes until the shells open, then serve immediately. Don’t put them directly on the grill or you’ll get burnt shells.

In the case of mussels, trim their beards, which are a fire hazard, first. Oysters should be placed with the cup side down to avoid losing the juices. In all cases, if one of these shellfish does not open, discard it – it won’t be safe to eat.

Scallops

Scallops purchased out of the shell, are best put on soaked bamboo skewers to make them easier to handle, and then laid directly on the grill for two to five minutes on each side, turning once. You do not want anything more than slight colour on each side.

They do have a tendency to dry out, but this can be alleviated by basting them with melted butter while on the grill, or marinating them in a flavoured oil beforehand.

Prawns

Prawns should also be cooked on skewers and require more preparation. If you are using frozen prawns, thaw them completely under a stream of cold running water. They must also be de-veined before going on the grill, if they are not already. You can either buy a tool made specifically to do this, or make a small v-shaped cut in the back of the prawn using a sharp knife and then peel the vein out.

You may also remove the shell and tail, or not, depending on your preference. Cook prawns between two and four minutes per side, basting with butter and turning when the meat on one side has become bright pink.

Crabs

Crabs should be bought live and killed before grilling – submerging them headfirst in boiling water is the easiest way. Once killed, turn the crab on its back, pull off the tab, cut out the gills with a paring knife, and clean away the entrails. Wash the crab meat in cold water.

If you are working with soft-shell crabs, crack the shell before placing the crab on the grill. In the case of hard-shell crabs, it’s easier to grill the meat with the shell off, and then replace it in the shell for presentation. Cook for two to five minutes per side, basting with butter, until the meat has become opaque.

Lobster

Lobster must also be killed via the boiling water method or by cutting its head in half with a sharp knife between the eyes. You can grill the lobster whole, but it is easier to split it lengthwise. Remove the sac just behind the eyes, remove the intestinal tract, crack the claws, and wash the whole thing thoroughly in lots of cold running water.

Place the lobster halves on the grill, cut side down, and leave them there for three to five minutes or until the shell turns bright red. Turn the halves over, baste with melted butter, and let them cook for another four to eight minutes or until the meat is white.

Another alternative is frozen lobster tails, which can just be thawed in cold running water. Once they are thawed, butterfly each tail (i.e. cut it almost in half and fold it open). Grill for three to four minutes on the cut side and five to ten minutes on the other side, basting after the turn, until the meat is opaque.

Barbecuing vegetables can be tricky

When you think of barbecues, you tend to think of meat – burgers, steaks, chops, etc. But there’s no reason for vegetarians and vegans to miss out on the fun and flavours of barbecuing.

There are many options for a meatless grill and it’s easy to produce delicious, healthy vegetarian meals on the barbecue with only a little knowledge and preparation.

Don’t get stuck

Be sure your barbecue is clean before you set about your work. This is important for more than just sanitary reasons. Vegetarian food doesn’t produce as much fat as meat does when it cooks, so it’s more likely to stick to a hot grill.

But if you keep your grill clean and brush it with a little oil before cooking, or spray it with nonstick spray, you’ll reduce the chances of sticking. Your vegetarian guests will appreciate not having to eat food that was cooked on a grill with bits of meat stuck all over it, too.

Vegetarian burgers and sausages may be purchased at the supermarket, and there are dozens of vegetarian burger recipes on the internet (and we give one below). Be sure you read the instructions carefully before you try them, though.

Many vegetarian burgers are intended to be pan fried and don’t stand up well to the direct heat of barbecuing. And you don’t want to find out that you’ve picked the wrong recipe by watching your burgers dry out and fall apart!

How to make vegetarian burgers

Here’s a simple and sturdy burger recipe:

1. Sautee 1/2 chopped yellow onion in a little oil until soft (5-6 minutes).
2. Mix onions with: 2 cups cooked, drained black beans; 2 cups shredded cheese; 1 cup cooked brown rice; 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs; 1/2 cup chopped scallions; 1 1/2 tsp. tomato paste; 1 tsp. soy sauce; 1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder; 1 1/2 tsp crumbled dried oregano; 1/4 tsp. ground cayenne; 1 tsp. ground cumin; 1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper.
3. Mix all these ingredients well, mashing the beans. A potato masher works well for this.
4. Form the mixture into patties, move them to your refrigerator, and give them about half an hour to chill and come together before you put them on the grill.
5. Cook for about four minutes on each side, turning once.

Tasty tofu

Tofu may also be cooked on the barbecue. However, only extra-firm tofu is suitable for grilling, and it must be pressed between paper towels or in a clean tea towel to dry it out and compress it further. Cut it into dice, marinate it in barbecue sauce, teriyaki sauce or your favourite flavourful marinade, and thread it on skewers before grilling.

Better yet, mix it with chopped, marinated peppers, pearl onions and button mushrooms on the skewer to create shish kebabs. This treatment also works well with another vegetarian protein, seitan.

Vegging out

Grilled vegetables are a favourite for carnivores and vegetarians alike. Almost any type of vegetable is suitable for grilling. Tougher vegetables, such as potatoes and carrots, should be wrapped in foil before cooking, and may be placed directly in the coals if you are cooking with wood or charcoal.

Other vegetables should be cut into strips or slices, brushed lightly with oil, and placed on the grill until they acquire a bit of colour and crispness. Aubergines, bell peppers, asparagus, marrows, courgettes, portobello mushrooms and onions all cook up excellently this way.

Corn on the cob is delicious grilled, but trim the silk off, pull off all but the bottom layer of the husk, soak in cold water for half an hour and then pat dry – or you’ll have a fire to deal with!

While grilled vegetables are usually a side dish in most meals, you can make them into a complete meal by serving them over pasta, rice or other grains, or making them into a sandwich on pita, naan or foccacia bread.

You can also produce a tasty vegetarian pizza on your barbecue. Take your favourite dough and roll it thin, about a quarter inch, brush on both sides with oil, and place on a grill pan or sheet of aluminium foil and cook it on the barbecue until the surface begins to dry.

Then sprinkle on cheese and spread on your choice of sauce, add toppings, such as grilled peppers, onions, and mushrooms, and cook until the cheese melts and the dough is crisped.

BBQ chicken is delicious when prepared correctly

Look at any number of cook books, cooking websites and magazine articles and you will discover there are many delicious and exciting ways to barbecue chicken.

The endless recipes, ideas, tips, and tricks can leave your head spinning. Understand that there is no one right way to cook chicken on the barbecue. In fact, each recipe is distinct and special in its own way.

In the absence of a set method for preparing such a delicious, meaty dish, there is plenty of room for the individual cook to experiment and develop his or her unique recipe for BBQ chicken.

Various methods, different results

First and foremost, barbecued chicken can be prepared on the grill, in a crockpot, in the oven, on a griddle or in a skillet – each will produce a different result.

Grilled barbecued chicken finishes with that crispy, summery, charcoal-like flavour – very smoky and hearty.

A crockpot barbecue will make chicken that is incredibly tender and tasty.

Oven-baked chicken, if done well, can yield a flavoursome meat.

The griddle and the skillet offer something similar to a grill but typically don’t provide that same smoky flavour.

Don’t forget the sauce!

Regardless of the cooking method chosen, all barbecued chicken must have one essential ingredient: barbecue sauce – it’s not complete without it!

Again, with so many different barbecue sauces and flavours, there is plenty of room for experimentation. So not only can you try different cooking methods, but you can also try many different types of sauces.

The longer you marinate your chicken, the richer the flavour will be. If possible, thaw the meat the day before. Several hours before you plan to cook the chicken, cover it completely in barbecue sauce, cover the dish or bowl and allow the chicken to marinate in the refrigerator. If your chicken is particularly thick, you might also consider pounding it out for a more tender meat.

Using a crockpot

If you’re going to cook your meat in the crockpot, you probably won’t need to marinate. You can throw the chicken into the pot five or six hours before meal time with a load of barbecue sauce and onions and allow the meat to cook slowly. Your chicken will be falling off the bone and dripping with a rich barbecue flavour.

Baking chicken

When baking chicken, it usually takes about one hour for it to cook thoroughly. The stove should be on about 180 degrees. You should, of course, douse the meat in your chosen barbecue sauce. You can also add onions, peppers, potatoes, green beans or carrots to simmer in the sauce while the chicken bakes.

Most recipes tell you to cover the baking pan with tin foil but some experimentation could be necessary – you might need to remove the tin foil at some point during the baking process.

Timing

BBQ grilling takes about 30 to 40 minutes for slow-cooked, delicious chicken. The crockpot simmers the chicken for five to six hours for best results. The oven requires about one hour of baking time. The griddle and skillet take around 20 to 30 minutes.

The rest is up to you, the cook! Choose barbecue sauce that is spicy or mild, sweet or tangy, normal or exotic. Combine meat with butter, seasonings, spices, vegetables or fruits. You might try coating the chicken in breadcrumbs before cooking. You can then cover it in a simmered barbecue sauce.

You could add tomato sauce, pineapple, sugar, oranges or rice for unusual and varying results.

You can barbecue chicken breast, thigh or legs – the various parts of the chicken all yield different tastes and textures, so again, experimentation is a must.

Practice makes perfect

As you can see, barbecuing chicken is quite the adventure. You will probably never have the same taste or result more than once, but you can certainly perfect the art with some practice.

You must be willing to try new things with different types of chicken, barbecue flavours, food combinations and cooking methods.

The end result will be a meat you will revisit time and again for picnics, dinner parties and delicious family meals.

Barbecued steak really brings out the taste in the meat

Want to know why steak tastes so great from the BBQ? It’s because the barbecue infuses the meat with a unique smoky flavour that cannot be achieved through any other means of cooking. A BBQ also uses high heat and a live flame to produce a juicy texture and taste by quickly searing the outside of the meat.

Choose wisely – fat is good!

When choosing meat to BBQ, opt for high-quality grass-fed or certified Angus beef. Look for beef that has a high amount of marbling, or fat, interwoven in the muscle tissue. A high amount of marbled fat will produce a really tender steak.

Choose cuts that are at least 4cm or thicker so that they won’t dry out or overcook on the grill. Recommended cuts are ribeye, T-bone, filet mignon or sirloin. These usually contain the highest amount of marbled fat from the animal.

For seasoning, choose basic ingredients. In most cases simple salt and pepper will suffice. Another option is to look for pre-blended BBQ or steak seasoning which often contains a blend of garlic, onion, salt, pepper and lemon.

High quality steaks such as rib-eye or T-bone only need to be seasoned just before cooking. Other cuts such as flank steak or skirt steak (also known as fajita) should be marinated for at least two hours before cooking to tenderise the meat. For an interesting variation, brush your steaks with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with rosemary to impart flavour.

One of the biggest problems encountered while grilling or barbecuing any type of food is temperature control. For best results, buy a BBQ with clearly labelled temperature controls, or purchase a thermometer. Heat your grill to 175 degrees, then scrape off any burnt-on remains with a grill scraper and use a non-stick grill spray or brush the grate with olive oil.

Next, pat and dry your steaks with a clean towel. Season with dry seasoning such as salt and pepper on both sides, pressing the seasoning into the meat. If desired, brush lightly with Worcestershire or soy sauce.

Grilled to perfection

Place the meat on the grill and close the lid of the BBQ (this will prevent flare-ups and also infuse the meat with a smoky flavour). Allow the meat to cook for about three minutes (depending on thickness), then without flipping turn 45 degrees to give your steak diagonal grill lines. (By the way, use tongs instead of grill forks as piercing the meat will cause the juices to drip out and the meat to become dry.)

A 4cm thick steak will take approximately five to six minutes per side to cook to medium. An 8cm thick steak will take slightly longer, approximately eight to nine minutes per side. If possible, use a meat thermometer to check. A rare steak will register at 50-52 degrees, medium steak approximately 60 degrees and a well-done steak at 70 degrees.

When the meat has reached your desired temperature, allow the steaks to rest before serving. Remove the steaks from the grill and place on a serving platter. Loosely cover with foil and let them sit for five to ten minutes. This will allow the juices in the meat to redistribute, ensuring each bite is perfectly juicy.

Finishing touches

You can serve your steaks plain, with steak sauce or prepared horseradish sauce. Another option is to crust your steaks with a mixture of 50% breadcrumbs and 50% crumbled blue cheese in the last two minutes of cooking. This will create a rich, delicious crust to complement the complex flavours of the meat.

You can add another tasty accompaniment by creating a quick red wine sauce by reducing your favourite red wine with some garlic or rosemary in a small saucepan directly on the grill. Season this reduction with salt and pepper and serve alongside your BBQ steaks.

Several side dishes can be served with BBQ steaks which you can also cook on the grill. Simple grilled peppers, onions and mushrooms are a great side. Slice them all into roughly uniform-sized pieces and skewer onto bamboo or metal kebab sticks. Grill these until the onions begin to caramelise and the peppers are wrinkled and tender.

Other options include roasted grilled potatoes or fresh corn. Wrap your potatoes in aluminium foil and place on the grill approximately 20 minutes before you plan on cooking your steak. (Potatoes are done when easily pierced by a fork.)

Express yourself

If you’re looking for variations on a theme, try wrapping your steaks in bacon before barbecuing. This method is especially popular with small cuts such as filet mignon. You can also experiment with international flavours such as Hungarian smoked paprika or adobo spice from Latin America. In fact, feel free to experiment all you want – remember, these are just guidelines, so get cooking and get creative!

BBQ ribs have a reputation of being difficult to prepare

Many people view cooking BBQ ribs as a challenge – and they’re right. It’s not easy because ribs are a complicated meat. Not all types are equal and each deserves special attention.

Also, there are many ways in which they can be prepared for the barbecue, with countless marinades, rubs, and sauces to choose from. However, getting a handle on a few basics will make a world of difference when you sit down to eat.

Pork, beef, back, loin, spare or short ribs? They are all delicious

Pork baby back ribs, also known as loin ribs or back ribs, are the most common and the easiest to cook. Back ribs are lean, so reaching for that moist, melt-in-your-mouth satisfaction becomes a little difficult. But they cook quicker and are meatier than other varieties.

Pork spare ribs are also meaty, but they are larger and take much longer to cook because they have more fat, but they have the added bonus of being extremely tender.

Beef short ribs have less bone and are more versatile. If you are looking for a rib that you can cook quickly and incorporate into another dish, beef short ribs are ideal. However, when cooked properly, each type of rib is delicious.

Cook ‘slow and low’ but keep it safe

Since there is less fat to ‘protect’ the meat from cooking, it’s relatively easy to overcook ribs, producing a dry and tasteless disappointment. However, if the ribs are undercooked, health risks come into play. The key to mastering the art of BBQ ribs is slow cooking over low and indirect heat.

Cooking BBQ ribs in the oven or in a slow cooker will produce the softest results. Keep the temperature between 105 and 135 degrees Celsius. Maintain this temperature, and place the ribs on a wire rack inside a deep baking dish. Cover the dish and cook for one to four hours depending on the size of your ribs.

Even if you want that fresh-off-the-BBQ flavour, ribs should always be cooked in the oven first for the best results. After they are finished in the oven, throw them on a lightly heated BBQ grill for five to ten minutes. Make sure the internal temperature is at least 70 degrees Celsius to avoid food poisoning.

Ribs are not like hamburgers that can just be thrown on the BBQ; they require a bit of preparation depending on the variety you are dealing with. For loin and baby back ribs, you can remove the outer membrane and they are ready to go. Spare ribs are not so neat and tidy. Sometimes, there is a flap of dark meat on the underside of the ribs – in which case, cut it off. You can always cook that meat separately, but to ensure even cooking, it must be removed.

Marinating and rubbing

Marinating is the next step – optional but highly recommended. This will help to tenderize loin and spare ribs that may be larger as well as filling them with flavour. For the ultimately soft, fall-off-the-bone ribs, marinate them for six to eight hours or overnight. Make sure to leave them refrigerated.

The best tasting and most effective marinades are ones that contain some form of acid. Citrus juice and vinegar are the most common. Soy sauce is also popular – just take caution not to use too much; you don’t want the flavour of the ribs masked behind the salt.

While marinating ribs is a popular process, an expert will tell you that ribs are all in the rub. Rubbing the ribs with a seasoning can add delicious flavour, but unlike marinades it is easy to overdo it. Remember, less is more. Often, heating the rub will enhance the flavour. Also, never use a dry rub more than two hours before cooking. It is best to apply the rub right before you are about to start.

BBQ sauce

BBQ ribs simply would not have that BBQ taste without the sauce. Choosing a flavour is entirely up to your taste buds, but application is a bit of a science. Unlike the rub that gets applied before cooking, the sauce does not get added until at least halfway through cooking.

Brush on a light coat during the last 20 minutes. You can continue adding light coats for a more intense flavour until the ribs are thoroughly cooked, but putting the BBQ sauce on too early will result in burning.

After you have mastered the simple aspects of making BBQ ribs, you can start experimenting with confidence. Try adding a light coat of mustard to the ribs before applying the rub for a more complex flavour.

Make your own marinade instead of using a shop-bought one. Why not concoct your own secret BBQ sauce – it could the hit of the summer BBQ season!

Barbecues aren’t just for carnivores but if you’re a vegetarian you can feel left out if the food on offer is bland to say the least. Fortunately, Delia Smith has got some amazing recipes for veggies, including this one for Marinated Halloumi Cheese Kebabs with Herbs from Delia Online:

Ingredients

• 12 oz (350 g) halloumi cheese, cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) cubes
• 1 medium pepper (any colour)
• 1 medium red onion
• 4 medium cap mushrooms

For the marinade:

• 1 level teaspoon each of chopped fresh thyme, oregano, rosemary, mint and parsley (or similar combination of whatever herbs are available)
• 1 fat clove garlic
• 2 fl oz (55 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• Juice 1 lime
• Freshly milled black pepper

Method

Begin by cutting the pepper and onion into even-sized pieces about 1 inch (2.5 cm) square, to match the size of the cubes of cheese. Then chop the herbs and garlic quite finely and combine them with the oil, lime juice and some freshly milled pepper. Now place the cheese, onion, pepper and mushrooms in a large, roomy, non-metallic bowl and pour the marinade over them, mixing very thoroughly. Cover and place in the fridge for 24 hours, and try to give them a stir round every now and then.

When you’re ready to barbecue the kebabs, take the two skewers and thread a mushroom on first (pushing it right down) followed by a piece of onion, a piece of pepper and a cube of cheese. Repeat this with more onion, pepper and cheese, finishing with a mushroom at the end. Place the kebabs over the hot coals, turning frequently till they are tinged brown at the edges – about 10 minutes. Brush on any leftover marinade juices as you turn them. Serve with Oven-roasted Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary

Credit: Delia Online