Barbecue recipes to enjoy on your picnic

Food on fire!
Simply season and sizzle

There are millions of barbecue recipes available so what I’ve tried to do is put together a barbecue bible of easy ones – after all most of us are looking for quick, easy recipes, which do not require a lot of preparation but are a little bit different and taste divine!

When we haul the BBQ out of the shed for another summer, burgers are often the first thing we think about.

It is possible to buy some nice fat ones in the shops these days but those you make yourself taste a thousand times better and you know exactly what you’re putting into your body! - not always the case with commercial ones.

With these homemade hamburger recipes you can make your own quickly and easily!

Steaks are also fantastic for quick and easy barbecue recipes - a bit more expensive of course so perhaps more suited to a special meal with friends.

For a slower beef recipe (at least before it hits the barbie) try this barbecue brisket recipe, which I've added to my collection.

Moving on to pork – always a favourite on the BBQ are sausages - especially with children. Buy the best quality you can afford – and with the most meat content.

You’ll please more people more of the time if you choose classic sausages and let them add flavourings in the way of mustards, sauces and salsas.

The grown-ups might like to try more exotic flavourings in the form of homemade Thai pork burgers.

Of course you can also barbecue pork ribs, pork chops and steaks, as well as pork fillet or tenderloin and larger pork joints.

I’ll leave the whole suckling pig for another day!

Like chicken, make sure you cook pork all the way through. It’s only beef and lamb that should be ok rare.

For a traditional American picnic chicken recipe, try baked barbecue chicken.

Then there's guinea fowl, turkey or duck. Just make sure it is cooked all the way through with no pink meat.(duck breast can be an exception to this rule).

You can make burgers out of poultry too, such as my husband's favourite, low-cal turkey burgers.

Fish barbecue recipes are just wonderful too. One thing to remember about fish is to always salt it before you grill. With meat the reverse is true. You should never salt meat before cooking because salt will release all the juices and make it dry.

Fish is quite simple to barbecue as long as the flesh is fresh and firm. Don't handle it too much as the delicate flesh breaks up easily. A grill rack with a handle is useful as the fish can be turned without trouble and removed from the heat if it's too hot. Don't overcook or it'll become dry.

All types of oily fish are ideal because they are such a healthy option as well as being easy to barbecue.

Seabass, grouper and sea bream (dorada) are also good because these fish have firm flesh and tough skin so they don't fall apart on the grill.

Mediterranean red mullet can also be barbecued but I think you should choose large ones. I find the small ones have far too many small bones and therefore become annoying to eat! That's a pity because they are a superb and pretty fish with a very distinctive flavour.

You can even barbecue fish cakes and you'll find them extra tasty grilled this way.

Seafood on the barbecue is quite special too.

Barbecued squid is a fast and fun starter or try barbecued lobster if you want a real (and expensive!) treat, - or crayfish, langoustines or king prawns.

For vegetarians you can add a cheese like Halloumi and make wonderful vegetarian kebabs.

And herbs – don’t forget them! Not just for barbecue recipes but also for the fire.

If you have a rosemary bush in your garden (and I suggest you grow one if you have the space because they need no looking-after and grow very fast) then throw a bunch onto the embers to make delightfully fragranced smoke.

Other herbs can work too but its normally rosemary that you’ll have in abundance.

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