BBQ ideas and the best BBQ Honey Sauce

We've had some fantastic weather lately and as we continue into summer many of us will start thinking about barbecues. It's become very much part of British summers in recent years, whether it's a family get-together, or just having some friends round to watch football we all love to get the BBQ going! With the affordability and availability of 'disposable BBQs' at the supermarkets almost everyone can enjoy cooking and eating outside.
In this blog we'll discuss ideas, tips and tricks to make sure your barbecue is a roaring success and we'll also share our new Best BBQ Honey Sauce recipe that you can use to coat various meats, add to burgers or dip potato wedges in! It's a lovely tangy tomato based recipe that's bursting with flavour that you can rustle up in next to no time.

Tips for success!

Invest in a good meat thermometer: Nothing will ruin a BBQ quicker than food that isn't cooked through. Don't end up in a panic, use a quality thermometer to monitor you foods progress. Not only will this ensure that your food is perfectly cooked and enjoyed by all, it will take any guess work out and ensure nobody goes home with food poisoning! You can buy a simple one for under £10 or if you can afford it there are brilliant digital ones available for not a lot more these days.

Know your BBQ: And by that we mean know where the hottest and coolest parts of the grill are. A friend gave me this brilliant tip a long time ago. Once your BBQ has warmed up nicely and before you start cooking, lay some slices of inexpensive white bread over the top and see which slices toast the quickest. Once you know where your hottest and coolest spots are you can use this knowledge for crisping and charring and also keeping food warm without burning it by moving it to the cooler part of the grill.

Use darker chicken meat: Thighs are always my favourite chicken for a BBQ but legs and wings are fantastic too. The darker meat will stay moister on the grill and will have more flavour than white breast meat. Move to the hottest part of the grill at the end of the cooking process to really crisp up the skin!
Have some spare fuel on hand: If you are cooking for many or over a longer period then it's always a good idea to have some spare fuel handy! Whether that's charcoal, wood pellets or even a gas bottle, there's nothing worse than running out of fuel just as everyone is starting to get hungry again!

Best BBQ Honey Sauce Recipe

• 500ml Water
• 6 tbsp Tomato Puree
• 1 tbsp Cider Vinegar
• 50ml Worcestershire Sauce
• 3 tbsp Just Bee Honey
• 2 tbsp Light Brown Soft Sugar
• 1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
• 2 tsp Fresh Minced Garlic
• 1 tsp Whole Grain Mustard
• 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
• 1 tsp Onion Granules
• ½ tsp Chilli Flakes
• ¼ tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper
• ¼ tsp Salt

To make the sauce simply add all the ingredients to a medium sized saucepan and stir frequently over a medium heat. Continue until the sauce starts to bubble, then reduce the heat to a low simmer for a further few minutes stirring continuously.
Be careful not to splash the sauce on to your hand, it will be scalding hot (don't ask me how I know!)
Remove from the heat and allow to cool before using the sauce as required. Coat your meats on the grill or add to a dish for people to help themselves. It's the perfect sauce to add to hot-dogs and burgers too. If you want to make the sauce a little in advance, you can simply cover the pan and keep in the fridge until you are ready to use it.

Other Just Bee Honey Recipes perfect for your next BBQ!

BBQ Honey Pulled Pork

Make as method described then finish off on top of the BBQ on a super hot old oiled tray to add fabulous crispy bits. Pile on top of burgers, on a plate with salad or make classic pulled pork buns!

Honey Lime Chicken Kebabs

These juicy chicken kebabs are bursting with flavour and have both a nice honey sweetness combined with a real kick of zesty tang! If you are bored of burgers try this recipe at your next BBQ!

Bean and Sweetcorn Salad with Honey

A nice alternative to green leaf salads, this delightfully sweet bean and sweetcorn salad is a great addition to any BBQ plate.

Honey and Mustard Salad Dressings

It's always nice to have some crunchy salad with BBQ meats, use these recipes to make some delicious dressings and mayonnaise that will be perfect BBQ companions.

BBQ Honey Chicken Drumsticks

Follow our method to create the tastiest BBQ chicken drumsticks ever! Once tried, we are sure you'll agree!

Honey Chilli Chicken Thighs

Our delicious honey chilli chicken thigh recipe, follow the method and finish off with some smoke and char on your BBQ before serving. Juicy, tender and oh so tasty!
I have a friend who swears that everything tastes better outside and I think there just might be something in that. So the next nice weekend you have why not get outside and enjoy it to the fullest with some great weather and great food? We hope this blog has given you some ideas on how to take your BBQ to the next level with some great recipe ideas and disaster avoiding tips!