When considering how many barbeque rubs, basting sauces and marinades have Chillies in them, it should not be surprising that Chillies and Barbeques make a great partnership. Indeed, but even more so than simply tasting good together. They are, in fact, linked historically.
The name for barbeque originated from “barbacoa, a word from the language of the Taino Indians of the Caribbean. It was the Taino Indians who first brought Chillies from South America to the West Indies.
When Christopher Columbus arrived in the Caribbean in 1492, he encountered the Taino Indians and was introduced to the Chilli. When he returned to Spain, he took some Chillies with him. As we know, it was from there that they began making their way around the world.
Many don’t know, though; it was also the Spanish that brought back the word barbacoa with them. It originally referred to a wooden structure that the Taino Indians used to smoke their food in. The idea was taken back to Spain but over time was changed to mean the method of cooking the food, rather than a cooking structure. Anglicisation of the word meant it finally became the word we know today - barbeque.
Now that we have the history, our next barbeque with the Chilli will now include some great food, but also an interesting story to tell with it.
Here are some great ideas for the perfect BBQ.
- Do not only grill meat and poultry, consider grilling firm cheeses like Halloumi.
- Make spicy salads like Chalalaka or Italian roast pepper salads to accompany the meats.
- Serve polenta with a spicy tomato sauce.
- Make kebabs like Sosaties from South Africa and lamb kofta kebabs from Turkey.
- Make vegetable skewers with bell peppers and other vegetables.
- Grill stuffed peppers and Chillies like spicy prawn stuffed Chillies
- If not using marinades, make a basting sauce for adding flavour.
- Use rubs before beginning to barbeque.
- Use salt mixed with Chilli flakes to season the food.
- Make spicy sausages to barbecue. It always adds an exciting element to a BBQ if you serve a sausage that you have made yourself.
- Make sauces to serve with the grilled meat and vegetables. Aji Verde and Green Habanero sauce are great examples.
- Make a spicy Potjie (cast iron pot stew) to serve with the BBQ.
- Serve spicy cheese, Chilli and onion bread.
- Grill pineapples with Chilli flakes as a dessert
- Make snacks like Chilli bites and spicy dips that can be eaten as inbetweeners.
- Make spicy salad dressings that can be added to salads at the time of serving. This helps if you need to cater for guests or family that want a non-spicy salad.
- Make spicy dipping sauces for grilled vegetables.
- Spatchcock (butterfly) marinated poultry like Peri- Peri, Jamaican Jerk or Peruvian chicken to make it easy to barbeque and make the meat crispy all the way around.
Good barbequing is always about using your imagination to make things different. Barbequing with Chillies makes this easy. Even if you just want to barbecue a couple of hamburgers, using a spicy cheese or making a spicy mayo to serve on top of the lettuce in the bun will make your BBQ something special. The possibilities are limitless.
Enjoy your BBQ.
Find some great tips on barbequing on the Fire Up your Grill website
How Chillies and BBQ are linked
How Chillies and BBQ are linked