Tips for Outdoor Grilling In National BBQ Week

If latest reports are to be believed, we’re on the cusp of a heatwave! Sunshine on a bank holiday? Urban legend dictates that it is in fact possible…

Given the “reliability” of the British weather, we’ll take any hint of sunshine as reason enough to haul out the barbecue and make the most of cooking and eating outdoors.

But if yours has seen more snails than it has burgers in the last year, it’s time to spruce it up and light it up, so here are some of our top tips for cracking out the first barbecue of the season:

First of all, you want to get that barbecue sparkling clean. You’ll find the grill much easier to clean when it’s hot, so heat the barbecue up temporarily then scrub with a wire grill brush to get off the stubborn grime. If you can’t find a wire brush, try rubbing all over with an onion -­ they’re a natural disinfectant.

Grease up your barbecue before cooking; not only will it help the food cook, it’ll also stop residue from sticking to the grill, making it much easier to clean afterwards.

The key is in the preparation – get everything ready the night before and the heat will be off you… and only on the grill! Salads and dips can all be prepared and kept in the fridge, as can sauces and toppings like onion rings or cheese slices.

Prepare kebabs and meat the night before by basting in a homemade BBQ sauce and leaving to marinate overnight. This healthy BBQ sauce from Hungry Healthy Happy is one of our favourites.

Fancy getting a bit more creative? Barbecue doesn’t always have to mean burgers and slightly charcoal-like sausages (just us?).

These recipes from Jamie Oliver are magnificently mouthwatering, tempting us with suggestions like goat kebabs and barbecued trout.

Being vegetarian doesn’t mean you have to miss out on all that grilled gorgeousness either. We love these recipes from BBC Good Food ­- 37 veggie creations that are also great for those of you following a #MeatFreeMonday regime.

It’s a fact universally acknowledged that a little al fresco dining isn’t complete without a pitcher of something cool to go with it. You can’t go wrong with a classic Pimms recipe. Or for a soft but equally refreshing alternative why not give our Pineapple, Banana and Strawberry cocktail a try?

What are your top barbecue tips and recipes? We’d love to hear them! And of course, if the sun refuses to come out to play then you can always turn on your OptiGrill and cook your burgers that way, with far less fuss!