5 Halal BBQ Tips For Summer

Summer’s coming, which can mean just one thing for meat lovers: It’s barbecue time. Whether you’re catering a relaxed wedding, or a big outdoors event, putting on a sizzling spread which impresses every guest is a great way to keep true carnivores happy. That means investing in your produce, checking up on its provenance and making sure you’re serving halal meat which every guest can enjoy.

If you’re ready to get grilling, these 5 halal BBQ tips will make sure your summer is truly sizzling…

1. Know your provenance

No matter which marinades you use, or how expertly you can chargrill a steak, if you’re using less-than-premium meat, your barbecue prowess will not shine through. The true route to an outstanding spread is quality meat with a provenance you can be proud of.

Knowing your ingredients well will also impress clients and customers, allowing you to state your halal credentials loud and clear. Before you light up the grill, invest some time in finding a top notch supplier who really understands their product so you can pass that goodness on to your diners.

Avoiding pork products is essential to true halal cuisine too so, if you also plan to serve sausages and ribs to non-Muslim guests, make sure you prepare these foodstuffs separately and use a different grill for cooking.

2. Don’t be afraid to experiment

Virtually all human beings like to try something new. While signature BBQ staples (like the trusty burger) are real crowdpleasers, mixing up your cuisine with unexpected barbecue treats can really capture the consumers’ attention.

A few alternative BBQ goodies you may want to consider include:
? Ostrich burgers
? BBQ goat
? Citrus spiked sea bass

3. Offer a vegetarian option

It’s not just meat-eaters who can’t resist a sizzling grill in the summer. While halal meat will help you reach a wider audience with your culinary creations, offering a separate vegetarian option is also a great idea ? and we’re not talking about the same old potato salad.

There are tonnes of scumptious veggie delights you can cook up on a BBQ. Why not try…
? Melt-in-the-middle aubegine parcels
? Grilled asparagus with blue cheese dressing
? Grilled Portabella muffuletta sandwich

4. Use the ?hand test? to get the perfect temperature

Cooking at the right heat is the key to fantastic BBQ technique, but out in the open with a less-than-sophisticated barbecue, it’s not always easy to know how hot your grill is. Fortunately, there is one simple trick you can learn to make sure your temperature is just right every single time.
Take care and hold your hand 5 inches from the surface of the grill.

Then count how long you can comfortably hold it there:

? 6 seconds ? Low heat
? 4 seconds ? Medium heat
? 2 seconds ? High heat
? 0 seconds ? Way too hot. Cool things down before you cook.

5. Avoid fridge chill

On a warm summer’s day, you’ll no doubt want to keep your produce fresh and cool, however, fridge chill is one of the professional BBQer’s worst enemies. If your meat is cold when it hits your barbecue, it can cook unevenly, or burn on the outside before being done at the centre. To avoid this problem give your meat at least 20 minutes out of the fridge before slapping it on the grill, ensuring your ingredients are approaching room temperature before you get cooking.

Do you have any pro BBQ tips for halal barbecues? What’s your ultimate ?alternative? BBQ meat or grilled vegetarian dish?

Let us know via Twitter or get in touch with the IMS of Smithfield team to source high quality halal meat for your barbecue

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