Hone Your Technique

BBQ Season: The Art of Marinades

As we enter the summer months and you start planning your BBQ parties, why not impress your guests by making your very own meat marinades that will leave them wanting more.

Here is a good technique for one of my favourite marinades - Welsh Honey, Lime and Coriander. It helps maintain flavour and keep your meats tender and is suitable for everyone’s taste.

Ingredients

• 60g lime juice and zested limes if using fresh ( should be 5 limes ) • 70g Welsh Runny honey • 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce • 1 Tablespoon olive oil • 2 garlic cloves, minced • 1 bunch fresh coriander, finely chopped • ½ teaspoon salt • ¼ teaspoon pepper

Making your marinade

For a good marinade, you need a balance of acid, oil and spice.

1. So simply mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.

2. Place your meat/poultry into a zip sealed bag and pour over the marinade, zip the top and mix all over. Leave in the fridge for 12hrs or until you need them.

3. Remove from the bag and place straight onto the hot BBQ or grill. You are looking for nice grill marks on either side with a nice golden brown colour.

4. You could also make a spare mix and brush each side of the meat/poultry each time you turn it over to add some extra punch.

If you’re short on time and can’t marinade your meat/ poultry, then you can simply rub the marinade around them and put them straight onto a hot grill or BBQ.

Chris Price, Training Officer, Cambrian Training

The art of marinating & grilling develops skills learnt by apprentices when working towards an Apprenticeship Level 3 in Craft Cuisine and covers preparing and cooking of a range of meat and poultry. For more information about Apprenticeships contact Cambrian Training Company at cambriantraining.com or Tel: 01938 555893.

Chef’s Top Tips

• If you marinade your meats/poultry the day before, you are giving them extra time to soak up those lovely herb flavours and help tenderize tougher cuts of meats.

As the summer holidays are fast approaching, why not try out this fantastic recipe of Spicy Braised BBQ Beans, Sourdough toast and Hafod Cheese on your campfire at home or whilst camping to feed your family & friends a true Welsh delight.

Here is a step-by-step guide to preparing and cooking this wonderful outdoor dish that serves 4:

Ingredients

• 2 red onions • Stock (whichever flavour you prefer) • 4 Garlic cloves • 100g brown sugar • 50ml red wine vinegar • Chorizo Sausage Log • 1 Tin Butter Bean • 1 Tin Kidney Bean • 1 Tin Haricot beans • 2 Tins chopped tomatoes • 1 Tin Piquillo peppers • 2 tbsp. Smoked Paprika • 2 tbsp. BBQ Dry Rub • 200g Hafod Cheese • Sourdough • Olive Oil

Preparing and Cooking your BBQ Beans Dish:

1. To begin, place a pot over the camp fire and heat with a drizzle of olive oil

2. Dice the red onions, crush the garlic to a paste and place into the hot oil and cook until softened

3. Add in all the beans, largely chopped Chorizo and seal in the hot oil until slightly coloured

4. Next, add in the dry spices and cook for 1 minute to release the flavours

5. Add in the red wine vinegar, brown sugar and reduce

6. Once the vinegar has reduced, next roughly chop and add in the Piquillo peppers

7. Pour over the chopped tomatoes and stock to cover just over the beans

8. Braise slowly over a low heat for 45 to 50 minutes until the pot has reduced and matured

9. Season to taste then remove from the heat

10. Once the beans are ready cut the sourdough into thick slices and toast over the open fire using tongs or skewers

11. Serve with the BBQ beans on top of the sourdough and shave or grate Welsh Hafod cheese over the top and allow to slightly melt for the best finish.

Braising is a way of cooking meat, fish, seafood or vegetables by first searing the item in hot fat, and then simmering it, covered, in liquid to finish. Braising differs from stewing in that the item to be cooked is usually in large pieces, as opposed to smaller pieces for stews. In addition, the amount of liquid used in braising is less than for stewing, normally barely covering half of the item to be braised.

Equipment

• Camp Fire/Camping stove • Medium sized saucepan • Wooden Spoon • Knife • Chopping Board • Tongs/Long Skewers • Grater

Chef’s Top Tips

• Substitute the Chorizo for Cep Mushrooms and remove the Hafod

Cheese to cater for your

Vegetarian and Vegan guests William Richards, Training Officer, Cambrian Training

Mastering the art of Braising is a key technique for apprentices to have in their reportoire as they can utilise cheap local products, cuts of meat and elevate the flavour when handled and cooked correctly. Apprentices develop these whilst working towards a Foundation Apprenticeship in Professional Cookery and Craft Cuisine Level 2. For more information about Apprenticeships contact Cambrian Training Company at cambriantraining.com or Tel: 01938 555893.