essential blog
Natural Born Griller Vol 2
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!