For many, the delightful smell of barbecue drifting on a warm summer night is unparalleled but, for grill enthusiasts, the cold weather doesn’t mean waving goodbye to your beloved outdoor culinary delicacies. Our taste buds don’t recognize seasons but flavors, and we love grilling mouthwatering dishes during the winter months so much!
If you’re on the same page, continue reading this article and learn our special picks for February. Yes, we’ve chosen a simple but savory starter, a main course that will conquer all meat lovers, and a hard-to-refuse dessert, which is so easy to make that even kids can do it. So, get ready for a delicious read!
Simple and Savory Starter: Bacon Wrapped Carrots
What if we told you that, with only three ingredients, you could make a starter that will leave all your guests wanting more? We kid you not! For our bacon-wrapped carrots delicacy, you need peeled or well-scrubbed carrots, bacon, and maple syrup. That’s it!
Now, begin with preheating the BBQ and wrapping the carrots in the bacon. Then, arrange them on a wire rack and let them roast at 200C until the carrots become tender and the bacon crispy. It will take about 30 minutes to be ready, but don’t forget to glaze with maple syrup halfway through. Amaze your guests with this starter, or, if you’re out of ideas, serve the bacon-wrapped carrots as a side dish. Either way, they will be a success!
Mouthwatering Main: Grilled Beef with Marinade
If you love meat and want to surprise your family with a sensational beef dish without spending a fortune, our grilled beef with marinade is a perfect choice. We chose flank steak, a less expensive cut, full of spectacular flavor, but needs to be tenderized first. And, made with a tasty barbecue-style marinade that promises to bring flank steak to life, your meat dish will be so tender it will just melt in your mouth.
So, your shopping list should include flank steak, tomato puree, maple syrup, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, flaked sea salt, olive oil, and fresh thyme to garnish.
Start mixing all the ingredients in a small bowl to make the marinade. Then, brush half of it on the trimmed of excess fat and silver skin flank steak and put it on a covered tray. Let it chill for two hours or overnight and keep the rest of the marinade for cooking.
When you’re ready, take the steak out of the fridge, letting it stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, depending on how long it was in the refrigerator. Then, preheat the barbecue and, when the coals turn white-hot, brush the grates with olive oil and place your steak on the grill. Cook covered for about 15 minutes, turning once and brushing with marinade a few times. If you’re a newbie, use a meat thermometer, measure the thickest part, and when it registers, at least 63°C, your meat is ready to serve. Don’t forget to garnish with fresh thyme!
Delicious Dessert: Strawberry Brownie Skewers
Whether we are talking about dinner in your living room or a backyard gathering, we can’t skip dessert, can we? And to satisfy your sweet tooth without too much effort, we present you our special winter treat: easy to make and rich in flavors, strawberry brownie skewers.
First things, first! For this recipe, you won’t need to heat the grill. However, you’ll need roasting sticks, and if you want everyone to contribute, we recommend the high-quality, kid-friendly Carpathen Campfire Roasting Sticks, a set of 6 rotating marshmallow sticks with natural wood handles and tip protectors for safety.
Now, back to the ingredients! You will only need strawberries, brownies, chocolate chips, and marshmallows. Slice the strawberries, or chop off the end and leave them whole, and start spearing! Add one strawberry, one bite-sized brownie, one marshmallow, and another strawberry at the end.
Melt the chocolate chips and swirl them on your soon-to-be favorite dessert. Place your skewers on a cooling rack and wait for the chocolate to cool down before indulging. Enjoy!