The Ibiza Cave Inn Winter BBQ! (Ugga OOgg!)
Words: The Natural Born Griller (Hogman).
Now the last high pressure weather system told us – Summer 2013 is over!
The month of Hogtober spoilt us all with sunshine and crazy parties here
on Ibiza island. Time to face reality now – it’s getting into the last
chapter of the year. Next stop Thanksgiving and Ibiza Christmas and New
Years, but what about BBQ? What about grilling with family and friends?
Well that is exactly our theme for this blog, welcome back to the Natural
Born Griller Blog – powered by Flying Pig Ibiza Catering.
You can be forgiven for thinking that barbecuing in the winter on Ibiza is
a crazy idea. As we all know – in the summer everyone tries to stay away
from you and the grill before the food is done BUT in the winter, they
can’t get close enough to you AND the food, you’ll become a very
attractive Ibiza person because you offer the most popular things on the
island those days – warmth, food, shelter and social contacts! Of course
there is an association of BBQ in the summer, sunshine, music and half
naked people but when it gets into fall and winter, folks usually wrap up
in 3-10 layers of clothes, trying to avoid going out in the wind and cold.
However, winter barbecue is a great way to get friends and family
together, especially when you haven’t had the chance to see them all in
the hectic Ibiza summer. You see – nothing really has changed since we`ve
left our caves! Alright then – lets talk business. Naturally barbecuing in
the winter is a completely different experience to barbecuing in the
summer, purely due to the difference in temperature. But who says
different has to be bad? In fact, if prepared for in the right way a
winter barbecue can be just as, if not more fun! Take bonfire night for
example; barbecues are a particularly popular feature here, where steaks
and roasted meat of all kind are just what the doctor ordered on a cold
night watching fireworks.
First thing’s first when hosting a winter barbecue; keeping warm. In order
to make sure everyone isn’t cold and miserable, and if nothing else for
the sake of your health, make sure to wrap up warm with lots of layers
before venturing out into the cold. This will make it a much happier
experience for all involved! It’s also a good idea to put out iron baskets
with burning wood to warm up your guests. Also very true, when it comes to
food, winter barbecues rely on substance over style – people want their
food quick, lots of it and they want it HOT! The basics are the best and
you don’t have to worry about making it fancy. Classic barbecue food such
as burgers and ‘Wurst’ (sausages) will go down a treat, as will meat and
vegetable skewers. One of the best ways to add variation and spice up your
winter barbecue menu is to try different varieties of the classics and by
that I mean take what people already know and go one step further
(important, don’t take one step too many – you might cause confusion…).
So how about a hearty chilli con carne jacket potato with sour cream and
parsley or do it with delicious filling variations such as tuna & red
onions, cheese and chives, chilli chicken with veg head special bamboo
curry and coriander or make up your own creation. Served in a napkin you
can save china and silver and the cleaning afterwards plus your BBQ food
will stay warm a long time!
Also very popular is kebab skewers with all kinds of meat and vegetables –
you can eat it with one hand (even with a glove) and save the other hand
for your drink! One great tip for barbecuing in winter is to make sure the
lid of the barbecue is kept down, and only opened when necessary, this
will ensure the heat is kept in and will allow your food to be cooked
quicker. Gas barbecues warm up quicker too; reducing the time you spend
waiting in the cold for your food to start cooking. With regards to
drinks, winter barbecues differ again from summer ones, with warm,
soothing beverages replacing the cold refreshments you may associate with
your typical barbecue. Mulled wine or even better HOT SANGRIA are great
choices to warm you up, and as it gets closer to the festive season you
can also vary the ratio between wine and vodka, my favorite for a great
winter drink is a Hot Green Triple Apple Shot – hot natural green apple
juice, vodka, triple sec and a little cinnamon whoohoo! Instead of working
on a complicated BBQ dessert you can come up with roasted marshmallows
(you got the fire baskets remember) on a stick with a big fat mug of hot
chocolate. You’ll be a star! Also, make sure you get the music right for
your next winter Cave Inn BBQ, all you need to do is to click here and
check out the Hogman’s playlist…
HOGMAN BBQ PLAYLIST
Don’t Forget Thanksgiving: Here’s A tip To Make It Easy
And there you have it, your perfect Ibiza winter Party! Try it for
yourself and enjoy that great tasting food all year round! But Hey – don’t
forget Thanksgiving. Are you afraid of cooking in larger amounts and
grilling giant meats? If you are looking for a complete classic
Thanksgiving meal and the huge stuffed Turkey for your home please have a
look here…
www.essentialibiza.com/news/flying-pig-turkey-offer.asp
Flying Pig Ibiza catering delivers a full size meal or even the ‘Single
Giant Bird’ to your door step, all you need to do is push just one button
on our show rotisserie and your delicious crisp and juicy bird, including
all trimmings are done in two hours. No cooking stress but a perfect
result. Serve it from the Show Grill directly into your warm bowls and
platters, place the bird ready to be carved and you are golden!
More info on products and prices at
www.flyingpigibiza.com.
Natural born Griller powered by Flying Pig Ibiza Catering – We grill
Ibiza!
Hogman sends a Big Fat Oink!