Three quick and easy recipes to make your BBQ rock..
Do you ever find you get a bit bored of the usual barbeque fare? Burgers, sausages, steaks… Sometimes, especially when we have friends over, I want to get a bit more creative – but then the whole point of a BBQ is that it’s quick and easy and, supposedly, no fuss. So what to do? Stick with the basics, I say, but add a little flair.
Here are my three favourite twists to lift boring to brilliant. Okay, so a little more prep time than usual is needed, but these quick and easy dishes will lift any barbeque to new heights.
Here are my 3 favourite twists on barbecue:
Thai-inspired chicken
Ingredients
One small chicken breast per person, or fresh mini fillets
One tablespoon of lemongrass paste
One dessert spoon fresh crushed garlic (you can cheat and use a jar, but I think it’s best fresh)
One tsp cumin seeds
Two tbsp lemon juice
One tbsp lime juice
Wooden skewers
Method
Chop your chicken breast into 2cm chunks, or trim the mini fillets, and lightly season with salt.
Put all your ingredients into a large bowl and stir (or use your hands) to make sure all the chicken is thoroughly coated in the mix.
Cover and put in the fridge for at least two hours
Soak your wooden skewers for 30 mins – this will help prevent them charing too quick
When you’re ready to go, remove the chicken and thread it onto the skewers
You can intersperse with chunks of red pepper or red onion, as long as you roll these in a little oil, first.
Grill for 15 minutes, turning regularly, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through.
Alabama-inspired pork belly slices
Ingredients
At least one pork belly slice per person
4 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp soft brown sugar
1 tbsp cider vinegar (I ran out once, and red wine vinegar worked too)
1 tsp English mustard
1 clove garlic, crushed
Method
Heat your oven to 160 degrees/fan 140/ gas 4
Mix all the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl,
Dry off the pork belly slices and season with salt and pepper.
Wipe the bottom of a deep roasting tray with oil
Drop the pork belly into the bowl with the sauce and coat all over, then lay the slices in the pan.
Drizzle the rest of the sauce over the pork, and cover the roasting tray tightly with foil.
Roast for 90 minutes without touching the foil.
Finish them on the BBQ, basting them with the sauce from the roasting pan.
Moroccan-inspired cauliflower steaks
Ingredients
Two small cauliflowers
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp harissa paste
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp sunflower oil (or light olive oil)
1 tsp runny honey
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp coarsely ground black pepper
Small pot natural yoghurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp garlic powder
Pomegranate seeds
Fresh coriander
Method
Tip the lemon juice, garlic powder and yoghurt into a bowl and mix
Remove the leaves from the cauliflowers
Trim the stalk close to the base
Place the cauliflower on its head and, using a large knife, cut the cauliflower on each side, vertically, to remove the loose florets. Then cut two even ‘steaks’, at least 1 to 1 ½ inches thick.
Mix the marinade ingredients in a small bowl and, using a pastry brush, brush each steak all over with the mix.
Place the steak on the BBQ at a medium-high heat and cook for 5 minutes, then brush more of the mix on the top of each steak and flip over to cook the other side for another 5 to 7 minutes.
To serve, drizzle with the yoghurt dressing and scatter the pomegranate seeds.
Forton Leisure.
Cheshire’s leading independent & dedicated outdoor cooking shop selling BBQ’s, furniture and accessories. At Forton we are service before sales. Call Jim on 0777044375 to book your bespoken appointment today.
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Eddie – Friday 13th June 2025. (Images supplied of BBQ products from Jim at Forton Leisure).
