So we’ve previously covered classic English picnic food as part of our Summer Wedding series and that brings us to the increasingly popular and mouth-watering BBQ part of our guide.
Check our guide for what to eat on the big day!
BBQs are great for so many reasons, the unique taste, the organic way of cooking food over hot charcoal, the ability to cook lots of food at the same time, and if you’re a man, the chance to show off your alpha maleness by demonstrating your chef skills and your ability to maintain the BBQ itself.
Now whether you’ll be manning the BBQ yourselves (pretty unlikely) or getting a specialist in, here are some suggestion that we and the ultimate BBQ experts Firepit and Grilling guru, think will make any guests mouths water:
Gourmet Sausages - Butcher-made sausages are a great option because they are delicious and filling, yet relatively inexpensive. There are also many flavor options so they can match several themes. From spicy Italian and Andouille sausages, to apple chicken or duck sausage, you have many delicious options. Because of their smaller size, they cook relatively quickly and you can fit many of them on a grill at the same time.
Marinated Skirt Steak - Skirt steak is a great option for steak at a wedding barbecue. Whereas other cuts of tender steak (like Rib Eye, New York, Porterhouse or Filet Mignon) can be very expensive and are quite thick, skirt steak is relatively inexpensive and tends to be thiner, cooking in a very short time, only a few minutes on each side on a hot grill. Skirt steak is great marinated and can hold up to marinating overnight or even longer. This means you can make a big batch early and have it ready to go the day of the wedding barbecue. The type of recipe you choose should fit the theme of your other foods but one of my favorite options is Mexican spicy skirt steak (similar to carne asada).
Teriyaki Chicken Strips or Breast Tenderloins - Chicken breasts cut into smaller strips, or if you just use the small tenderloins of the breast, cook much faster than trying to cook whole breasts. Again, marinating them ahead of time is great to add flavor. Simple garlic and herb with lemon, teriyaki or even orange marmalade glazes can help wake up the flavor of chicken, adding succulence and interest.
Beef Spare-Ribs - This is another beef cut option which is not as expensive and tend to be cut thinly and thus cook quickly. These are very versatile and can take on any style of cuisine. From Korean BBQ marinades to Chinese barbecue sauce to Worcestershire and garlic marinades.
Pork Tenderloin - A pork tenderloin (not to be confused with the whole loin) can be found at most butchers. They are inexpensive compared to beef tenderloin yet share the lean, tenderness. Although they are quite big, they are long and thin and thus cook pretty fast too. These really shine on a grill. I especially like brining pork tenderloins (soaking overnight in a special brine solution to seal in juiciness and flavor) prior to grilling. There are many recipes for pork marinades or brines but I particularly like apple cider brined pork! The apple flavor really marries beautifully with the barbecued pork flavor (pun intended).
Pork or Lamb Loin Chops - Chops are pretty small pieces of meat and are very tender and flavorful. While you can marinate them, these can be cooked on a grill very simply as well with just a bit of seasoning and maybe some spices or herbs. One of my all time favorite grill recipes is also one of the most simple! Take your good quality lamb loin chops, rub them with extra virgin olive oil, rub with fresh sprigs of rosemary (and crushed garlic too if you like) and freshly ground black pepper. After letting them sit to marinate at least a few hours, simply remove the rosemary, salt both sides generously and throw on the grill! For a bit of added flavor, throw the sprigs of rosemary on your fire to add a savory roasted rosemary aroma to the air and to your chops!
More information on BBQs and Cooking with Meat, check out these books:
For more on our Summer Series, check out Picnic Foods Here
