SIX TIPS FOR A HEALTHY BARBECUE – PLUS RECIPES
![]()
A great British barbecue doesn’t have to be unhealthy – making subtle tweaks to the usual meat-heavy fanfare can actually turn it into a filling, nutritious meal. Here are six tips (and two tasty recipes) to look after your health without missing out.
And if you’re heading to the supermarket for your barbecue ingredients, read my recommendations on the best foods to buy (and the ones to avoid).
Use a barbecue mat
Barbecue mats provide a thin barrier between the flame and the food to prevent charring, which is known to be carcinogenic. Lightly brush the mat with oil and place your barbecue items on top. If you want your meat lightly grilled, you can move it onto the mat to finish the cooking and prevent over-charring. Barbecue mats work particularly well for foods that otherwise cook too quickly or stick to the grill, like fish.
Add some colourful veg to the grill
Robust vegetables like aubergines, courgettes, peppers, and onions work brilliantly when cooked on the barbecue. The heat intensifies the flavours and adds a lovely smokiness. Place the vegetable chunks onto a barbecue-proof baking tray or mat, drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, mixed herbs, salt and pepper, and cook for 20-30 minutes with the lid down, until tender.
![]()
Make your own marinades
Shop-bought marinades often are often high in sugar and contain ultra-processed additives. Here are two easy ones you can make at home:
- 1 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp grainy mustard, 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, juice of a lemon, salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 finely grated garlic clove, 1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger, ½ tsp chilli powder
![]()
Include fish, especially oily fish
Oily fish works so well on the barbecue because it doesn’t dry out like white fish can, and it’s robust enough to hold together. Salmon, mackerel, and sardines are all great barbecue fish and contain lots of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. The other bonus is that cooking outside, your house won’t end up smelling of fish.
Swap out the buns
Most burger buns are made from refined white flour with little fibre and contain additives. Instead, opt for a wholemeal or seeded version, or simply eat just half of the bun – ditching the lid. Another clever bun alternative is to grill large portobello mushrooms on the barbecue and pop your meat on top.
Swap relish for pickles
Gherkins or pickled cabbage are the perfect replacements for the more usual onions or relish on a burger or hot dog and they’re better for our gut. If you want to go even further, go for sauerkraut which has gut-friendly bacteria.
Recipes
![]()
Ingredients
For the kebabs
- 4 chicken breast fillets, each cut into 8 chunks
- 2 large red onions, peeled and cut into chunks
- A drizzle of olive oil
- Salt
- Black pepper
For the peanut sauce:
- 3 tbsp crunchy peanut butter (100 per cent peanuts, no sugar)
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 thumb-sized piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
- ½ tsp hot chilli powder
- 100ml boiling water
Method
- Make the chicken kebabs by alternating chunks of chicken with chunks of red onion. Once all 8 skewers are filled, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper.
- To make the peanut sauce, place all the ingredients except the boiling water in a bowl. Add the water bit by bit, slowly combining with a fork until everything is well mixed. The sauce should be runny enough to pour
- Heat a barbecue to medium, or until a thin layer of coals has turned grey. Cook the kebabs for 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is lightly charred and cooked through. Serve the kebabs with the peanut sauce drizzled over, or as a dip.
![]()
Ingredients
- 2 large carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
- ½ small white cabbage, finely sliced
- 1 large red onion, finely sliced
- For the dressing:
- Juice and zest of a lime
- 2 tbsp tahini (stir well first)
- 3 tbsp water
- 1tsp runny honey
- 1tsp ground cumin
- A good pinch of salt
- A good pinch of white pepper
To serve:
Method
- Prepare the vegetables either by hand or by using the grating/slicing blade attachments of your food processor. Place in a large bowl.
- To make the dressing, combine the lime juice, tahini and water in a bowl and whisk well; the texture will change to become smoother and creamier. Add the lime zest and the rest of the dressing ingredients and stir well.
- Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss together to coat. It is best to make this a little in advance to allow the vegetables to absorb the flavours. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds just before serving.
Recommended
The healthiest supermarket barbecue foods – and what not to buy
Read more
Play The Telegraph’s brilliant range of Puzzles - and feel brighter every day. Train your brain and boost your mood with PlusWord, the Mini Crossword, the fearsome Killer Sudoku and even the classic Cryptic Crossword.
2024-07-19T11:00:55Z