I freely admit that I am not always the first person to volunteer to make the main meal of the day, but there is an exception to this, mainly on a hot summer Sunday when the call of the BBQ is too strong to resist. Out comes the funny apron and hat and suddenly I am transformed into some kind of Masterchef. Yes there are usually sausages and burgers on offer but like most farmers I am very partial to a generous portion of rump steak.
The steak must be local and it absolutely must be well marinated in advance before being introduced to the fragrant heat of the BBQ.
I have tried many different types of marinade but they all have one thing in common, namely that they use rapeseed oil. This is partly because I believe in the quality of local and fresh produce but also because it offers a number of benefits to all of us experienced or greener chefs. It has a lovely light taste that doesn’t fight with the food, it has half the saturated fat of olive oil and it has a higher burn point, which means that it works fantastically well on a hot fire and you do need it to be hot. It is also incredibly versatile so it’s ideal for whipping up some salad dressing.
A lot of people have their special and indeed secret marinade recipes that they swear by but for those of you who like to try something new, I have copied out my own favourite. The key is to prepare it a day in advance so that the meat can soak up the juices over night and also to avoid the last minute panic. It is vital to retain any left over liquid, actually, as it is so good, it’s a good idea to make more than you need so that you have generous amounts to dribble over the steaks as they cook. Apart from that, all you need is friends, family and sunshine for the perfect BBQ recipe.