Big Joints for the Barbecue
Eating outdoors with friends and family is one of the greatest pleasures of summer, as far as we’re concerned. That said, it can sometimes be hard to know what to cook to feed a crowd, especially when the guest-list keeps growing – much as we love eating them, the thought of flipping burgers and sausages for hours soon has us looking for more practical alternatives! Happily, we know just where to find them; the Butchers counter here at Greendale Farm Shop offers several options when it comes to larger, great-value cuts that will satisfy even the hungriest guests. Best of all, they’re all pretty hands-off when it comes to cooking, so you can get on with the important business of relaxing and enjoying yourself!
Baby Back Pork Ribs
Generously sized and packed full of flavour, our Rack of Pork Ribs has a flatter overall shape than the classic pork-rack roasting joint you may be used to. This flatness means it’s ideal for cooking over a barbecue, because the meat will come into contact with the heat evenly, and can then be cut into individual ribs to share around. This is a cut that needs a long, gentle cooking time, so it’s best off spending a couple of hours in the oven before being finished on the outdoor grill. This means you can get it prepared well in advance, ready to grill when needed. As a rough guide, we suggest seasoning the pork rack (either with salt and pepper, or you could try one of our fantastic new seasoning blends), then wrapping it tightly in foil and placing on a baking tray in a preheated oven at 160°C (Gas Mark 3). Cook for 2½ hours, turning halfway through, until the meat is tender. Light the barbecue about 30 minutes before the oven time is up, and when the charcoal is ready, unwrap the rack of ribs and cook on the barbecue for 5-8 minutes per side (for hints and tips on charcoal grilling, see our handy guide, Getting the Most From a Charcoal Barbecue). If you like, brush the meat with your favourite BBQ or hot sauce as it cooks – we’re partial to a splash or two of Pineapple Hot Sauce from local legend, Daddy D’s, as it makes an amazing riff on the old favourite, ‘ham and pineapple’. To serve, carefully cut the cooked rack into individual ribs, and tuck in!
Flat Beef Brisket
Another favourite ‘low and slow’ cut that rewards patience with meltingly tender results, our dry-aged Flat Beef Brisket has an even shape and depth that means it’ll cook uniformly (ideal when you’re barbecuing). Let it tick away in the oven while you get on with other prep, then give it a short burst over the charcoal grill just before you’re ready to eat. Cut into slices and piled into buns with plenty of toppings, it’s a great-value way to serve tasty, superb-quality beef to a multitude! To cook your brisket, season it well with salt and pepper or pat it all over with a meat rub (we like to use our Woodsmoke Seasoning), then place it in a large, deep baking tray. Carefully pour about 350ml water into the base of the tray, then wrap the tray tightly with foil and cook in a preheated oven at 150°C (Gas Mark 2) for approx.3 hrs, or until the meat is tender and any juices run clear. Light the barbecue towards the end of the cooking time, and when the charcoal is ready, take the brisket out of its tray and sit it on the grill. Let it cook for 4-5 minutes, then turn and cook for a further 5 minutes, before removing it and letting it rest for a bit (ideally 10 minutes, but if you’re hungry even two minutes will do!). Carve the brisket into slices, then pop them into brioche buns (we like to add a good dollop of Greendale Hot Horseradish Sauce) for an alternative ‘beefburger’ that’s pretty hard to beat!
Butterflied Leg of Lamb
Butterflied Leg of Lamb might seem a little quirkier than standard BBQ fare, but it’s become a family favourite here at Greendale. Prepared at the Farm Shop by our skilled butchers, it’s made by removing the bone from a leg of lamb, and opening out the flesh to form a fairly flat, butterfly-like shape. This makes it thinner than a traditional leg of lamb, so it requires a shorter cooking time, and its fairly uniform ‘depth’ also means the meat cooks evenly over a charcoal grill. Lean, succulent and bone-free, with just enough fat to ensure moist and flavour-packed meat, Butterflied Leg of Lamb is a great choice if you need to scale-up your BBQ offering! We like to marinate our leg of lamb before it hits the grill , rustling up a simple marinade by whisking 4tbsp oil with a teaspoon of fiery harissa paste, chopped thyme leaves, a couple of crushed garlic cloves and plenty of salt and pepper. Spoon this all over the meat and massage it in evenly, then leave to marinate for at least an hour, and ideally overnight in the fridge (bring the meat back up to room temperature before cooking). To cook, first light your barbecue, then, when the coals are ready, bank them to one side of the grill. Put the lamb on the barbecue directly over the hot coals for a few minutes, just until it starts to colour, then turn carefully and repeat with the other side. Next, lift the meat over to the side of the barbecue with no coals and cook for about 20 minutes (or until any juices run dry), turning occasionally and brushing with any remaining marinade. Let the cooked lamb rest for 10 minutes or so, with a loose covering of foil, then carve and place on a large platter to serve. Again, this is where good bread and all the ‘extras’ come in; we like to serve this with flatbreads, salad and some cooling low-fat yoghurt from Langage Farm.
Spatchcock Chicken
Taking a whole, fresh chicken, our butchers use a technique similar to butterflying to create a flatter, more even shape; the backbone is removed and the bird is opened out and flattened. Although it may look a little ‘squashed’, it’s still a whole bird with meat on the bone, which helps to ensure a juicy and delicious result when cooked, as well as offering a decent-sized serving of meat for all the family. We sell a variety of Spatchcock Chickens here at Greendale, including Natural (unseasoned), so you can add your preferred rub or marinade, as well as barbecue-ready Piri-Piri, Lemon, Ginger & Chilli, Barbecue and Jamaican Jerk-seasoned birds. The chicken should take about 45 minutes to cook, turning it regularly, but do check that is properly cooked through and any juices run clear before serving. For pro-tips and a brilliant BBQ Spatchcock Chicken, we thoroughly recommend this recipe created for us by Exeter-based grill guru, Simon Osmond (catch him on Instagram @bbqdiariesuk) – Simon calls it ‘…a dish that’s full of flavour and summer vibes, and good for the soul.’ That’ll do nicely!
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