Camping and Boating with your BBQ.

NZ summers are all about barbecue and that includes when we are off camping in tents, camper vans, caravans and even our boats. With the Holiday Season around the corner we thought we’d share some tips, tricks, recipes and ideas to help you prepare for the season ahead.

Things to think about:

Location - Are there likely to be fire bans in place? This may rule out charcoal and/or wood smoking your dinner.  Will they have a BBQ onsite you can use? Or do you need to take one?

Refrigeration - Is your meat going to be loaded into a cool box or do you have access to refrigeration? If your meat is going in the cool box, we would recommend freezing down your chicken into portions sizes in advance. It’s going to be your meat that is most at risk to have you making a dash to that campsite loo or burly’ing up for the fish.

Fuel & Accessories – Do you have enough gas, briquettes, smoking wood? Did you pack the long pair of tongs that can reach the meat without singeing all the hair off your knuckles?  Breeze protectors, if you are on a boat in a windy bay or a windy campsite is the wind going to knock out your gas flame? (A bit of Heavy Duty foil should sort that out). A Pizza Plate if you are planning on pizzas, maybe a rotisserie kit (battery operated) if you are think of doing some chooks. Cooking Oil, Meat Thermometer, Foil Trays, Aluminium Foil, Skewers, (Remember to soak these for an hour before use to prevent them burning or invest in some metal ones), BBQ Wipes, Chopping Boards, a Fire Extinguisher or Fire Blanket and your favourite Meat Rubs and Sauces.

Meat Selection – Easy eats like Kebabs, Sausages, Burger Patties and Steaks are always a main staple, make your own or grab ready made ones at your butcher. Butterflied Lamb Legs, Split chickens, Racks of Ribs, Pork Bellies, Lamb Racks and Grilled Fish are also popular. Here’s a few different dishes to try, Jalapeno Poppers, Loaded Campfire Nachos, Sausage & Pepper Foil Packs, Philly Cheese Steak Foil Packs and Beef Pinwheel/Lollipop Skewers. See the recipes below.

Meal Plan - Before you go, portion size and freeze down the meats that will be eaten later in the week to keep them fresher. Always pack extra sausages and burger patties, someone is bound to show up for dinner and you don’t want to have to share your Steak!

Happy Holidays, have fun and remember to slip, slop, slap!

Jalapeno Poppers:

Ingredients: 12x Jalapenos, 250g tub of Cream Cheese, 8 Slices of Streaky Bacon, 24x Toothpicks – 4x tablespoons of Spring Onions/Chives optional.

Method:

• Preheat your BBQ to Medium High. Prepare your Jalapenos by slicing them in half and using a teaspoon to remove the white membrane and the seeds.
• Fill the Jalapenos with cream cheese, you can add flavour to your cream cheese with chopped chives or spring onions or even use feta or goat cheese instead.
• Cut you slices of streaky bacon in half, you just want enough to cover the Jalapeno. Wrap the bacon around the Jalapeno and secure with a toothpick. (Remember to soak these for an
  hour before to prevent them from burning on the BBQ)
• Use a foil tray or aluminium foil to stop the Jalapeno's falling through the grate. And BBQ until tender and the bacon is crisp. Approximately 15mins.

*Image from Inspired Taste

Loaded Campfire Nachos:

Ingredients: Precooked Chicken, 1x bag of Tortilla Chips, ½ cup enchilada sauce, one can of black beans - drained, one can of chopped tomatoes, 1 ½ cups of Mozarella, 1 ½ cups or grated cheddar cheese, a jar of sliced Jalapeno's, Sweet Chilli Sauce and Sour Cream – optional. (Cooked Steak or Pulled pork can be substituted instead of Chicken). 

Method:

• Heat the BBQ to medium. Toss together chicken, sauce, tomatoes and black beans. Divide your chips between four large pieces of foil then top the chips with the chicken mixture. Top the mix with cheese and then fold to seal into pouches.
• Place the pouches onto the BBQ for approximately 15 mins – the chicken mix should be heated through and the cheese melted.
• Top with Sour Cream, Jalapeno's or Sweet Chilli Sauce if you wish and serve!

*Recipe and image on Delish by Lauren Miyashiro.

Sausage & Pepper Foil Pack:

Ingredients: 8x Kiwi Butcher BBQ Precooked Sausages, 4x Capsicums thinly sliced, 2x large onions thinly sliced, 4x Tablespoons of cooking oil, salt & pepper to taste or The Four Saucemen - The Rub.

Method:

• Heat the BBQ to High and cut four sheets of tinfoil – (You want to make a packet to fit 2x Sausages and peppers and onions into each sheet)
• Barbecue the precooks until grill marked – 3 mins each side, then divide among the foil. Top with peppers, onions, a tablespoon of cooking oil and season with salt & pepper or The Rub.
• Fold the foil packets crosswise over the sausage and pepper mixture to completely seal the packs closed (crimp the edges).
• BBQ until the peppers and onions are tender and the sausages are cooked – 13 to 15mins.
• Careful when opening up the pouches, serve with garlic bread or stuffed potatoes and salad.

Philly Cheese Steak Foil Packs:

Ingredients: 500-600g of Skirt Steak thinly sliced, 2x Capsicums thinly sliced, ½ onion thinly sliced, 2 teaspoons of crushed Garlic, 2x tablespoons of Croix Valley Italian BBQ Booster, 2 tablespoons of cooking oil, 4x slices of Colby, Edam or Harvati Cheese.

Method:

• Heat the BBQ to Medium High. In a bowl toss together steak, capsicum, onion, Croix Valley Italian BBQ Booster and cooking oil.
• Divide the mixture into four foil packs, fold them up and BBQ for 10 mins.
• Open up the packs, top with cheese and shut the BBQ lid to melt for 2 mins and then serve.

*Recipe and image on Delish by Lindsay Funston

Beef Pinwheels/Lollipop Skewers:

Ingredients: 500-600g piece of Eye Fillet, 8x slices of Edam, Colby or Harvati Cheese, 2-3x tablespoons of Mustard, Spinach Leaves and or Prosciutto are optional. Skewers, meat mallet or heavy mug and some cling film.

Method:

• Preheat your BBQ to Medium High. Slice open your Eye fillet – You want to unravel it into the largest flattest sheet of meat you can manage. (Think of peeling off an orange skin with a knife.) Once you have a large “sheet” of meat. Cover the meat with cling film and give it a gentle bash with a meat mallet or a heavy mug to flatten it out even more.
• Once flattened, then remove cling film and coat the meat evenly with your 2-3 tablespoons of mustard. Then layer over your prosciutto/spinach if you are adding them and finally the cheese.
• Roll up your meat into a tight, neat, pinwheel log and place skewers in to hold every 1.5 to 2cms. (Remember if you are using wooden or bamboo skewers, soak them in water for an hour before use).
• Slice in between the skewers. Sprinkle them with your favourite Meat Rubs or Salt & Pepper and place all the meat pinwheels/lollipops on the BBQ. Cook for approximately 3-4 mins per side, depending on how thick you sliced them! (55-60C internal temp)
  
  

We hope you enjoy all of these delicious recipes during your Summer!