Be it rib, burger, or steak, barbecue beef is an incredible selection for a summer cookout. The rich, meaty flavour of beef combined with a pleasant smoky char from the grill is a thing to behold, and match up beautifully with an enormous range of sides, rubs and marinades.

How to Barbecue Beef

Steaks are one of the most admired cuts to cook on a barbecue, and quite accurate as well – the smoky char you obtain on barbecued steaks is not simply attained using a frying pan. You can use any steak cut you fancy – sirloin, rib-eye, flank, fillet, hanger, rump or T-bone steak all works pretty well.

Most steaks don’t take a lot of preparation before cooking; on the other hand the tougher steaks – like flank and hanger- may require to be marinated. When barbecuing beef, be sure that the barbecue is red-hot, so that the meat sputters the instant it touches the grill, and turn halfway throughout cooking.

If you are looking to barbecue beef ribs, it’s best to choose short ribs more willingly than back ribs. Short ribs have more fat, which will includes flavour when cooking. The quantity of meat on the ribs can be different, so always look for meatier ribs when sourcing. Depending on your liking (and butchery skills) ribs can be purchased separately or an entire rack.

To make sure that the meat is tender and not chewy, get rid of the membrane and boil the ribs in water for about 1 hour before marinating or adding to the barbecue. This procedure will decrease the cooking time. Ribs can be wrapped in a foil parcel to trap the moisture while cooking, but leave enough room for the meat to breathe.

Homemade burgers have to be chilled before barbecuing, as this will help to prevent them from crumbling as they cook. Rub a dash of oil all over the burger before cooking for it not to stick on the grill. Burgers should be placed directly on a hot barbecue and turned only once to guarantee a pleasant caramelised crust.

Always rest beef after it comes off the barbecue grill- this will let the proteins to relax and give a succulent finish.

Sauces, Marinades, and Sides

Leave tougher cuts in a citrus-based marinade all night to break down the proteins and add flavour. Barbecue beef matches magnificently with a variety of sauces, such as mayonnaise, guacamole, ketchup, barbecue sauce and chimichurri sauce.

Desirable quality steak requires little more than salt and pepper, or a drizzle of olive oil. Don’t soak the steak in oil, as the oil will blaze up if it touches the flame. While the steak is resting, try adding a lump of flavoured butter (garlic or blue cheese work nicely) to melt on to the steak.

You can leave tougher cuts in a citrus-based marinade overnight to break down the proteins and add flavour. Sauces, olive oil, and herbs can as well be used for a marinade.

Ribs can be rubbed in a glaze or spice mix prior to going onto the barbecue. Texas beef ribs use the classic marinade of Worcestershire sauce, barbecue sauce, and brown sugar, while other appealing glazes can be made from ingredients like cola, hoisin sauce, Chinese five-spice, or Bourbon.

Burgers should be served in a good quality and evenly toasted bun, along with some bacon and cheese, lettuce, tomato, perhaps.

Texas Barbecue Beef Recipe

Ingredients

• 5kg/ 11 lb piece of beef brisket
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 2 tbsp brown sugar

For the Barbecue Beef Sauce

• 500 ml/ 18 fl oz beef stock
• 100 ml/ 3½ fl oz Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp malt vinegar
• 500 ml/ 18 fl oz tomato ketchup
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 75 ml/ 2½ fl oz lemon juice
• 1 tsp crushed chilli flakes
• 1 tsp Tabasco sauce

For the Barbecue Beef Rub

• 1 tbsp each paprika, caster sugar, ground cumin, ground black pepper, garlic powder,
• 2 tbsp each mustard powder and chilli powder
• 1 bay leaf, crushed

Method

1. To create the barbecue sauce, heat the oil in a frying pan, and then cook garlic and onion for a few minutes until soft. Add the remaining sauce ingredients to the pan with a good pinch of salt and boil for 20 mins. Use a food processor or hand blender to whizz to a smooth purée.
2. Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Make the rub by combining all the ingredients with a pinch of salt. Rub the mix all over the beef and set aside.
3. In a big roasting tin, mix the beef stock and ½ the barbecue sauce. Add the brisket to the tin, cover firmly with foil, and then cook for 4-5 hrs until the meat is actually tender when you push a fork into it. The beef can be ready the night before – just leave it to cool in the tin enclosed with foil, but do not refrigerate.
4. To finish the barbecue beef, get a grill fired up and wait until the coals are entirely ashen – you want a not fierce, low heat. Lift the beef out of the roasting tin and place on the grill to char. If your grill has a lid, close it now. Cook for about 20 mins, turning it cautiously with tongs, until lightly charred all over and heated through. Lift onto a board and dish up sliced with the barbecue sauce on the side.