A new AHDB campaign is urging consumers to ‘elevate their barbecues’ with an array of inspiring recipes featuring a range of cuts, including ‘BBQ classics’, sausages and burgers, as well as beef, pork and lamb steaks.
The ‘Fire up for Summer’ campaign, which launches this month, will showcase the ease and versatility of cooking with beef, lamb and pork, with specially created guides and videos to encourage consumers to add new flavours and recipes to this much-loved meal occasion.
Following commentary from with the pig sector, AHDB has tweaked the wording for the campaign publicity, which initially suggested it was urging consumers to improve the standard of their barbecues by ‘swapping out’ sausages and burgers for steaks.
AHDB Pork emphasised the tone of campaign on social media, describing sausages and burgers as the ‘king of the BBQ, year in year out’. The campaign’s aim, it said, is to ‘inspire consumers with the classics AND to up their BBQ game by experimenting with new cuts, recipes, marinades and rubs!”
AHDB said that, COVID restrictions begin to ease over the summer, barbecues offer a great way to bring families and friends together – 2020 saw the biggest annual rise in barbecue occasions, up 44% year-on-year, amounting to 100 million barbecue meals during the summer.
Gareth Renowden, Senior Marketing Manager at AHDB, said: “We know barbecues continue to be a popular meal occasion during the warmer summer months, so why not elevate your experience for friends and family with a supercharged barbecue with our new recipes and tips on how to make rubs, and marinades, to take it to the next level.”
The messages within the campaign will be aligned to each person’s specific level of cooking experience, with tips on how to get the best out of different types of barbecues and cuts of meat readily available. It is hoped that barbecue lovers across the country are reminded that no matter their level of expertise, anybody can put together a tasty and stress-free barbecue occasion, AHDB said.
The campaign will have digital and social media support from May 17 to coincide with the lifting of the ‘rule of six’ restrictions, right the way through to the August Bank Holiday. This will include National BBQ Week, which falls between July 2 and July 11.
Consumers are encouraged to engage with ‘food inspiration’ tips on different flavour combinations for alternate barbecue occasions, which will be available across the duration of the campaign.
Chef Luke Rhodes, Pitmaster and Masterchef The Professionals Final Eight contestant, is one of the nationally recognised foodservice experts who is putting his weight behind the campaign. He said: “Given the last 15 months that we have experienced, a barbecue will be the perfect way to get friends and family together this summer.
“Whether it be grilling steaks for al fresco dining or using larger cuts of meat such as brisket or shoulder for a low and slow centrepiece, it’s a great way to get your family and friends in one place and sample quality produce.
“From a Pitmaster’s point of view, there is nothing more satisfying than a perfectly cooked piece of quality barbecued food.”
- You can view how-to-guides, informative blogs, videos, recipe cards and more campaign-related information here.