A great barbecue lives or dies on the meat. Get a good mix on the grill and you're a hero; rely on a sad pack of value burgers and, well, you know how that goes. Here's what to put on the coals for a barbecue people actually remember.
The crowd-pleasers
- Burgers — a proper thick, well-seasoned burger beats a thin frozen one every time. Handmade is the way.
- Sausages — the backbone of any British BBQ. Good-quality bangers with a high meat content won't split and spit.
The ones that make you look like a pro
- Chicken thighs and wings — more forgiving than breast on a hot grill, and full of flavour. Skewers (chicken or lamb) cook fast and look the part.
- Steaks — a couple of good steaks over the coals is a treat. Rump and sirloin are great value for the grill.
- Gammon steaks — underrated on a BBQ, quick, meaty and a bit different.
The showstoppers (for the low-and-slow crew)
- Ribs — pork or beef, cooked low and slow until they're falling off the bone.
- Brisket — the pitmaster's badge of honour. Not a quick one, but worth it.
Build a proper spread
The trick is variety, a few quick-cook items to feed people fast, plus one slower centrepiece. Mix proteins so there's something for everyone.
Let us sort the mix
Our BBQ range has everything ready to grill, and the BBQ hampers give you a balanced spread sized to feed a crowd, no guesswork. Not sure how much to get? See our BBQ portion guide.