Butchers The Ginger Pig share top tips for BBQ brilliance plus a recipe for Father's Day with Sophie Farrah
Nothing beats the smell of sizzling sausages wafting through the air on a sunny afternoon and with Father’s Day later this month it’s the perfect time to nip down to your local butcher, dust off the BBQ and get grilling.
The Ginger Pig began more than 20 years ago with just three pigs and a near derelict farmhouse. They now farm over 3,000 acres of their own pasture and North Yorkshire moorland and work with a small network of farmers to supply their seven stylish London butchers’ shops, including branches in Clapham and, more recently, Barnes.
“Our beliefs and aims are simple: to produce and sell great-tasting meat from high-welfare, native breed animals with quality service,” explains Jon Toy, Manager of Ginger Pig Barnes.
“This means nose-to-tail butchery and traditional farming methods brought up to date with modern practices. Carefully reared meat simply tastes better on the plate!”
Especially when it’s been barbequed, although there is no denying that this method of cooking can prove tricky – nearly all of us have fallen victim to the blackened banger at least once…
“Stack the coals up more on one side and have a very thin spread on the other – this means you can sear meat quickly on the hot side, but cook slowly on the cooler side. So no burnt outsides and raw insides!” advises Jon.
“To make a good grill fire you need clean, light coals of varying sizes so that the oxygen can pass freely around them. You do not need paraffin firelighters to start it; dry paper or natural firelighters work well."
And the best grill cleaning tip ever?
"Cut a lemon in half and rub across the grill. It’s the quickest and most effective way to get all that stuck-on stuff off!”
So with a clean grill and a good fire going what does Jon suggest that we cook on the barbie this summer?
“This year we’re looking at bigger pieces of meat that look impressive, taste great and feed a big party,” he enthuses. “Butterflied leg of lamb or shoulder of pork are great if you want a slow-cooked taste sensation, or if you want a quick and delicious crowd-pleaser then how about a whole piece of rump steak?”
And here is Jon’s tasty recipe for just that – happy grilling!
The Ginger Pig’s Rump Steak with Summer Sauce
You’ll need: • whole rump steak cut as one big slice, • 3 peeled garlic cloves, • 100ml olive oil, • 50ml sherry vinegar, • 1 zested lemon, • 1 finely chopped shallot, • 4 anchovies, • a large handful of watercress, • a handful of wild rocket and some sea salt.
Method: Put all the sauce ingredients into a blender with the olive oil. Season well and blitz so it's roughly chopped, not in a paste. Taste and add more vinegar, anchovy, lemon or olive oil, if needed. Season the steak well with salt and place on a searing hot barbecue. Cook for 4-5 minutes on both sides for medium rare, turning regularly. Leave to rest under foil for 5-10 minutes, then carve on a board and spoon over the spring sauce.
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