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We’ve teamed up with Donald Russell, our expert meat partners on the site, to bring you our ultimate guide to your summer barbecue.

Nothing beats a juicy steak burger or tasty sausages but remember you don’t have to stick to the standard menu this summer. There is a huge range of meats/fish and poultry that are delicious cooked over the coals. Why not break from tradition and go for a large roast – What an impressive centrepiece a Ribeye Roll would make, or how about juicy salmon steaks with an avocado salsa to add variety to your meal?

Beef
Good marbled cuts of beef are great for barbecuing, while cuts that are very lean can dry out faster if you are not as attentive in the cooking stages. 

Steaks
All varieties of steaks are ideal for barbecuing and look even tastier with charred lines across them. Avoid overcooking rump cuts - rib eyes are great as the fat melts throughout the meat, giving it a fantastic juicy quality. 

  Steak Burgers
Donald Russell steak burgers are made in-house in small batches, ensuring consistency of quality. There is one thing and one thing only in them……steak! These are best cooked, seasoned and rested as if you were cooking a steak and have all the texture that a good steak has too! They come in a variety of sizes to please all appetites, from Mini Gourmet burgers which are perfect for your mini guests, right up to the daddy of all burgers, the Grand Gourmet Steak Burgers, which weighs in at 150 grams - guaranteed to keep the hungry masses satisfied!! 

 Beef Back Ribs
These are great roasted whole then finished off on the barbecue and will be delicious marinated with the barbecue glaze.

Beef Roasts 
A meat thermometer is an essential piece of kit if you have never cooked at large roast on the barbecue before. 




Pork
 As pork is naturally fattier than other meats, it is a good choice for the barbeque.

Sausages 
Donald Russell have a superb selection of Freedom Food pork sausages that are guaranteed to please the crowd. 
           
Pork Shoulder Roast
This is Donald Russell Head Chef Stefan’s favourite pork cut for the barbecue. He advises that you cut the roast in half just before you begin cooking, then get a good colour all over the meat on a fairly high temperature. Once it is seared all over, move it to a section of the barbecue with a medium heat for the rest of the cooking process. This cut of meat benefits from having the lid of your barbecue closed during cooking if you have one. 

 Lamb 
Naturally reared, traditionally matured, lamb has even marbling which is key to the flavour of the meat. 

Lamb Noisettes
These hand-tied neat little rounds hold their shape during cooking and have a sweet taste. 

Lamb Racks 
As this cut is on the bone it has a delicious flavour and will look great on the table at your barbecue. French Trimmed (where excess fat is trimmed off from the bone) they are a real treat to eat and to serve. 

 

Lamb Valentines Steaks
What could be sweeter than heart-shaped fillets of sweet lamb? With a small layer of fat around the meat they will remain tender when cooked on the barbecue. 




 Veal 
With veal making a comeback now that it's reared humanely, why not get ahead of the trend by serving this light and delicate meat? 

Veal Rib Steaks
Similar to the Ribeye cut, these have the bone left in for extra flavour. 

 Fish 
Barbecuing is a great cooking method for oily fish, or fish with firm flesh such as salmon and monkfish. Take extra care not to overcook your fish on the barceque as it can easily become dry. 

Salmon Steaks 
Marinate the steaks before cooking with lime juice, sesame oil, light soy sauce and a crushed clove of garlic. If you do this for at least half an hour (longer if you are very organised!!) you will have moist, tasty fish.

 

 Game 
Game makes an exciting and different addition to any barbecue. Care should be taken to avoid overcooking, but most cuts will be mouthwatering as the natural diet enjoyed by game makes the meat plenty of lean and flavoursome! 


Game Birds Supremes 
All varieties of game bird breasts are fantastic on the barbecue. 

Red and Roe Deer Loins 
Head Chef Stefan personally recommends roe and red deer for a barbecue with a difference. These cuts are genuinely wild and come kitchen ready, leaving you more free time to spend with your guests!

Quick Links:

Seven steps for the perfect barbecue from Donald Russell
Barbecue tips and hints
Glazes and marinade ideas from Donald Russell
More barbecue ideas from our partners

 

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