National BBQ Week: May 28th – June 3rd 2018

National BBQ Week may be looming but budding grill chefs are no longer confined to just one week a year. Brits are now equipped for all year round BBQing and Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer has prepared some useful tips, tricks and recipes to ensure you impress on the coals whatever the weather.

Crabbie’s has long been a go-to drink at BBQs due to its versatility, with each drink in the expanding range ideal not only as an accompaniment to food, but also as a marinade ingredient, a BBQ spray to add flavour while cooking and in a mop sauce when mixed with lime juice and chilli flakes. Crabbie’s fiery ginger flavour is also ideal for pre-soaking wood chips to create an even tastier result.

Crabbie’s BBQ Tips & Tricks

• Preparation – choose your fuel wisely as different types lead to a different taste, purists will opt for lumpwood charcoal, others will opt for smoked chips with the adventurists soaking their own – and last minute BBQers will head to the petrol station to get whatever they have!
• Yellow flame warning – part of the theatre of BBQ cooking is when the flames rise from the grill, this will happen when first lit and prior to the fuel being at optimum temperature, the flames will then die down and the coals will glow when ready to cook. Once cooking though if you see yellow flames it can mean that fat has caught fire and you should take the meat off the heat while the flames settle to avoid a burnt taste on your food.
• Heat control – for larger roasting joints or tougher cuts you can cook more slowly by pushing the coals/wood chips to the edges of the BBQ and adding a lid or dome of thick foil. This will regulate the heat at a lower temperature meaning you can cook for longer.
• Importance of Resting – take the meat of the heat just before you think it’s ready to allow it to relax. This will make the meat juicy and tender. You can keep it warm with foil and several tea towels.
• Bunless burgers – burgers are still king of the grill, consumption increased over 30% last year, (Mintel Attitudes to World Cuisines, 2017) although more burger lovers are opting for bunless varieties so offer portabello mushrooms or lettuce wraps as an alternative.
• Plan your drinks pairings – the fiery and zesty flavour of Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer goes particularly well with most BBQ foods and especially chicken dishes; Crabbie’s Alcoholic Raspberry Ginger Beer is ideal with lighter salad-based dishes; Crabbie’s IPA pairs particularly well with burgers and Crabbie’s Stout is great with any beef-based dish. John Crabbie Traditional Cloudy and Scottish Raspberry Ginger Beers are a refreshing soft alternative.

Try the pick of the best Crabbie’s BBQ recipes from renowned Scottish chef Gordon Craig:

Crabbie’s Ginger Beer Can Chicken (serves 4)

Ingredients: 2kg whole chicken, 1 x 440ml can of Crabbie’s Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer, 100ml BBQ sauce, 1 x chilli, 1 x shallot.

For the Rub: 1tbs of smoked paprika, 1tbs five spice, 1tbs cayenne pepper, 1 lemon, 2 sprigs thyme

Method: Preheat oven to 200c/gas mark 6. Mix the dry spices and thyme together, add lemon juice. Rub mixture on the chicken. Drain (or drink) half the Crabbie’s Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer can and place the chicken on top of the can. Put on the BBQ with lid on for around 100min or until cooked through. Chop the chilli and shallot and mix with the BBQ sauce, baste the chicken with the glaze and cook for another 15min.

Crabbie’s Glazed Pork Chops (serves 4)

Ingredients: 4 pork chops, 400g ketchup, 200ml Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer, 1 lemon, lime and orange, 2 large shallots, 1 punnet of cherry tomatoes, halved, 60g of fresh ginger, 50ml soy sauce

Method: In a bowl mix the ketchup, Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer and soy sauce. Add the chopped fresh ginger and shallots. Zest the orange, lemon and lime, juice them and add to the bowl along with the cherry tomatoes. Place the pork chops in the glaze then put them straight onto the BBQ for approx six minutes each side or until cooked through.

BBQ Beef Burger with Crabbie’s spiced salsa (serves 4)

Ingredients: 1Kg of Beef mince, 2 large chopped shallots, 2tbs of chopped capers, 2tbs of chopped cornichons, 2tbs of chopped tarragon, 4 Brioche buns, red onion, rocket, 200g of Blue Murder, or other blue cheese.

Crabbie’s Salsa: 200ml Crabbie’s Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer, 6 large tomatoes, 2 red onions, 10g tarragon, 50g ketchup, splash of Tabasco, splash of Lea & Perrins.

Method: For the Crabbie’s Salsa reduce the Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer by 2/3 set aside to cool. Chop the tomatoes and red onion into small dice, chop the tarragon and place all ingredients into a large bowl, mix and season.

For the burger mix the beef mince with shallots, capers, cornichons and tarragon, season with salt and pepper. Weigh out 5oz of mix, press down into a burger shape and repeat three times. Cook the burgers on the bbq for approx 6 mins each side. Cut 50g of blue murder and place on top of the burgers and let it melt on the grill. Toast the brioche on the bbq, place the rocket and sliced red onion on the bun, finish by putting burger in bun and serve.

Optional: substitute the bun with a portabello mushroom

Crabbie’s and Pineapple Marinated Beef (serves 4)

Ingredients: 1 kg of Rump Steak, 5 tbs of soy sauce, 50ml rice wine vinegar, 50g fresh ginger; 200 ml of pineapple juice, 200ml Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer, 40g fresh coriander

Method: In a bowl add the rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer and pineapple juice, grate the ginger and add to mix, cut the rump steak into strips, add to mix and place in fridge overnight. Place the strips of beef on the BBQ cook for approx 3 mins each side and garnish with chopped coriander.

The root of Crabbie’s Ginger Beer’s distinctive fiery taste dates back to 1801 in Leith, Edinburgh, where the array of ingredients and spices were coming into the port from the Far East. Inspired by this, John Crabbie began creating his legendary blends; establishing himself as a drinks pioneer across Scotland. Steeped for up to six weeks, before it gets the Crabbie’s stamp of approval, Crabbie’s boasts a deliciously spicy flavour from its fresh ginger root.

Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer, Crabbie’s Alcoholic Raspberry Ginger Beer, Crabbie’s IPA, Crabbie’s Stout and John Crabbie Cloudy Lemonade and Scottish Raspberry Ginger Beer are available from major supermarkets and online sites such as http://www.amazon.co.uk

www.crabbies.co.uk