Martyn’s top BBQ tips

By Pentewan Sands on the June 04th, 2019 in Camping, Holidays, Family, Cornwall, Activities, Food and Drink

Firing up the barbie and filling the air with the delicious smell of sizzling sausages is a camping must-do, but sometimes it’s not as simple as lighting some charcoal and throwing on something tasty. Here to help you get outdoor cooking sussed is our very own head chef and BBQ maestro, Martyn, with his tried and tested culinary pearls of wisdom…

Keep it simple

Unless you're a BBQ expert, leave the French haute cuisine for at home. Cooking on fire is fun but it comes with a whole load of challenges, not least the fact that you can't regulate the temperature. Plus, being outside normally means that there’s a fair amount of carting ingredients and equipment about. The less you need, the easier it will be. No one wants to lug a whole load of knives, fiddly ingredients and not forgetting the BBQ itself to the perfect spot! If it’s hard work you’ll be put off doing it, so keep barriers to cooking outside really low by making it as simple, easy, and enjoyable as possible. 

Create natural smoky infusions

Give your BBQ a professional twist by adding some wood chips to the coals to create different smoky infusions. For a real kick, try fruit tree wood chips and soak them in water for an hour (or even better, overnight) before draining them and wrapping them in aluminium foil. The water content makes the chips produce more smoke which in turn, packs a flavourful punch.

Time it right

Timing is a big and important part of the BBQ puzzle. Don’t even think about rushing things; slow and steady is key. You know you’re ready to cook when the coals on your barbie are burning hot, have gone white and the smoke has died down which is normally about 30 minutes after getting things started.

Make your own BBQ tools

Barbeque’ing in the great outdoors generally means no home comforts so all those awesome BBQ tools that you’ve amassed back at home are far from hand. No fear, it’s amazing what a roll of heavy-duty aluminium foil can do. Roll a sheet up lengthways to act as a burger flipper, or to help with the cleaning, crumple a sheet into a ball and pinch it between tongs in place of a grill brush. Nifty!

Don’t forget your sides

The best barbeques aren’t just about meat. You’re in Cornwall, so try a piece of locally caught fish and don’t forget side dishes. When the flames on the BBQ have just died down, it’s the perfect time to throw on the veggies for a great char-grill effect. Try courgettes, aubergines and peppers and cut them chunky as they will shrink over the heat of the grill.

Feeling hungry? Martyn’s a whizz in the kitchen as well as on the BBQ. Join us at The Seahorse to discover his modern twist on traditional dishes and passion for fresh, local ingredients.