Some would argue that you can’t go wrong with grilling a few burgers and sausages on a grill, but a chef has revealed that barbecue-loving Brits are missing out on some truly delicious food by making a simple adjustment. According to the culinary expert, even rogue vegetables like cabbage can be turned into a mouthwatering barbecue dish with the right approach.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, Mike Reid, culinary director of Rare Restaurant, who also appeared alongside Michel Roux Jr. on Five Star Kitchen: Britain’s Next Great Chef, said: “It’s all about controlling your heat – to master the barbecue you must first master the flame. If you are cooking with coal or wood make sure you give it time to die down before cooking on it.”
Mike urged: “Check the hotspots by holding your hand above the grill to gauge the heat.
“Depending on how long you can hold your hand there is a reflection of the temperature: one second being the hottest and five seconds being the coolest.”
In terms of timing, meat and vegetables love high heat generally. However, the cooking expert notes that a good rule is that the higher the fat content, the higher the heat it can handle.
For example, ribeye or sirloin steak will tolerate a much higher heat than leaner cuts (fillet or rump), which prefer cooler heat.
“With vegetables char equals flavour – there is a big difference between burnt and char,” said Mike.
He revealed: “Veggies have so many natural sugars inside that shine when barbecued over a higher heat. Keep basting, keep turning and watch a boring cabbage morph into a charred, delicious, crispy thing of beauty.”
Perfectly barbecued food is about more than just mastering the char. Mike says, “it’s all about the marinades and rubs” regarding moreish flavours.
“What you put into your food is what you will get out of it in the end. I promise you, once you try making your own rubs and marinades, you’ll never go back,” he said.
Swapping shop-bought flavourings for homemade ones is easier than you may think and almost always cheaper. Adding a rub or marinade to your food in advance will boost the flavour of your barbecue to a professional level.
One of Mike’s go-to concoctions is a simple tandoori marinade — it’s completely versatile and can be applied to meat, fish, and vegetables.
When it comes to white meat, brining it before cooking is another “necessity”.
Brining meat involves soaking it in a saltwater solution to increase moisture and flavour before cooking. This process can be done in a wet brine, where the meat is submerged in the solution, or through dry brining, where the meat is covered in salt and left to rest.
Mike suggests adding spices and aromatics to the brine for extra flavour.
Mike’s tandoori marinade recipe
Ingredients
Four tbsp plain yoghurt
One tsp garam masala
Four tbsp single cream
Two tbsp paprika
One tsp chilli powder
One tsp ground cumin
Two tbsp lemon juice
Two tbsp vegetable oil
One tsp salt
Half tsp turmeric
One tbsp tomato purée
Four 4 garlic cloves, crushed
Two tsp ginger, peeled and finely grated
Simply add everything to a blender and blitz into a smooth paste.