When the sun is shining, there’s little Brits love more than a barbecue. Succulent salmon and Scotch ribeye steak are perfect for barbecues on long summer afternoons – a great people pleaser if you are inviting plenty of guests.

Cooking salmon on the barbecue

You can enjoy barbecued salmon in a number of different ways. Here are our choices:

How to barbecue salmon whole

Cooking salmon whole is perfect for large groups of guests and it’s very easy to do.

Light your BBQ to warm and fill the cavity of the fish with a generous covering of salt and rub a healthy amount into the skin. At this point you can also stuff the salmon with flavours of your choice, such as lemon or herbs. If you decide to do so, butcher’s string may be needed to hold the fish together.

With a sharp knife, cut deeply into the fish body, creating slashes that go down to the spine. This will help the fish to cook quicker and allows that lovely smoky flavour to seep inside. Brush both sides of the fish with oil and dab on some flour. Place the salmon on the heat and begin to cook.

Place the cover over the BBQ but make sure there is air ventilation, through either vents or a small gap in the opening. The cooking time for each fish will vary, depending on its size and how hot it gets. But expect to cook for at least 40 minutes.

When the skin starts to brown and crisp up, safely turn the fish using cooking tongs. Once done, carefully remove from the heat and place on a serving dish to cool for 5 minutes. If you used butcher’s string you should remove this now.

Altogether, cooking this whole salmon should not take more than an hour and can serve up to 10 guests.

How to cook the perfect steak on the barbecue

Of course, there are other meats perfect for cooking on the barbecue. We love a nice fillet of Scotch Ribeye; season this liberally with salt around an hour before you intend to cook it. This will give it ample time to draw the moisture out of the meat and allow it to sink back in – creating tender meat. During this time the meat should come to room temperature.

If you have a coal BBQ, arrange the coals to fill one side. This will give you a hot and cool area for optimal cooking. Place the steak on this cool side with the cover on the BBQ. There is no need to sear it first. Make sure to flip the meat frequently using cooking tongs, replacing the cover each time.

When the steak is almost done, sear it quickly on the hot coals and remove it from the grill to rest. After about 10 minutes, plate up and serve with your cooked salmon.
Serve your salmon and steak up to your guests with some seasoned wedges, a light summer salad, onion rings, or a homemade spicy dip. Not sure what drink will suit your meal?

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(Images: iStock)