Celebrity Chef, and all-round barbecue expert, Ben Bartlett (aka BBQ Ben) is championing the Great British Barbecue. Winner of the Britain’s Best BBQ’er, Ben is using his passion for all things Al Fresco to inspire us with some tasty treats from the grill this summer.
Ben’s first book, The Haynes BBQ Manual, has all the information you need to get your barbecueing off to a great start. With marinades and rubs to the infamous beer-can chicken, the BBQ Manual contains BBQ Ben’s top 100 mouth-watering recipes, from his fruity tomato and strawberry glaze to meaty feasts for the more adventurous – pigs’ trotters, kangaroo kebabs, barbecued octopus and grilled ostrich.
But barbecues aren’t just about meat – recipes for fish, shellfish, vegetarian dishes, sauces, salads, breads and pizza are all included, along with basic techniques, such as smoking, to liven the palate. Get your hands on a copy of the book today.
With years of experience, both in commercial restaurants and for the sheer joy of cooking with friends, Ben shares his expertise and knowledge at events and festivals around the globe. This year demonstrations include the Ideal Home Show, Street Food Festival, Dorset Seafood Festival and Kent BBQ Festival later this summer.
BBQing began for Ben when he offered to barbecue for a friend’s wedding. He’d been used to cooking on barbecues, but when the guest list hit 100 and he had to use three grills it was a totally different situation – and he loved it! They entered him into Britain’s Best Barbecue Contest and his prize was to visit Kansas City and learn from Slaughterhouse Five, a chain of barbecue restaurants. That was in 2003 and he’s been hooked ever since!
His top dishes that go down a treat on the barbecue include pork – pulled pork and pork ribs, chicken trio – thigh, breast and wings, king prawns and scallops, and beef brisket. Ben says, “pork is great and very forgiving on the barbecue. A fish kebab works well and so do fruit or vegetable ones. Jacket potatoes work well too. Cook them, scoop out the inside and mix with cheese, peppers, onions, and chopped bacon. Re-stuff the skins and pop them back on the grill”.
Ben has judged international BBQ Championships, cooked for the stars, and given his top tips for successful outdoor cooking on radio and TV on shows such as This Morning, Ready Steady Cook and even had the chance to go international in shows such as Good Morning America.
Being Ambassador for Crown Verity barbecues, Lions sauces and the Seafish Industry Authority keeps Ben busy. His favourite item to barbecue is fish, because you can char-grill, steam in foil, wrap in salted vine leaves or cook on wood (planking) – the options are endless! Mackerel and sardines work well, all you need are fresh herbs, oil and flavours and the end taste is fantastic.
Ben says, “There are also some unsung barbecue heroes such as Sweetcorn, as well as aubergines and courgettes. Octopus is great and literally takes just two minutes to cook. All it needs is a marinade of tomato sauce, a few chillies, a bit of brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Don’t forget desserts. Bananas, peaches and pineapple are fabulous on the barbecue. Wrap a banana in foil and place on the grill. When it’s soft to the touch, slice it open and pour in a generous measure of Irish cream. Simple, but delicious”.
The European BBQ Championships this year are in Sweden and the best teams from 40 countries are competing. A few years ago, Ben was a judge at the one in Morocco and says it was amazing and fascinating to witness the different styles of barbecuing from around the world. The Moroccan competitors wore their traditional dress and sat on stools hand-turning the goat they were barbecuing for three hours. The team from Argentina cooked their meat on a huge metal cross and threw charcoal on the floor below it. They too hand-turned the meat – and danced while it was cooking!
His latest book, Carry on BBQing is now available on Amazon and will amuse and inspire all those BBQ parties you never tried before and have fun.
In summary Ben says, “I am on a mission to bring the joy of outdoor cooking to the nation. Yours in fire, food, friendship and fun!”.
www.bbqben.co.uk
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BBQ Ben