Scotland's national chef shares top five BBQ tips and recipes with Scottish twists

Scotland’s national chef has shared his top five BBQ tips for enjoying a stress-free family cookout.

MasterChef champion and Scotland’s first national chef, Gary Maclean, has shared his top recipes and tips to commemorate National BBQ Week and in support of Mary’s Meals.

The chef is encouraging people to dine al fresco and donate to the charity which feeds more than 2.6 million children every school day in 16 countries across the world.

MasterChef champion Gary Maclean is sharing his top recipes and tips. Mary’s Meals

“It costs only £19.15 to feed a child with Mary’s Meals for a school year, just 10p a meal, which is such incredible value,” Gary said.

He added that to celebrate National BBQ Week, Scots could ask family and friends for a small donation to come along.

“If you use my five top tips, you’ll make your guests happy all while giving hope to hungry children,” he said.

Gary Maclean’s top BBQ tips

Marinate ahead: Marinate meat overnight to build flavour and tenderise. A mix of whisky, honey, cracked pepper, and thyme works well with pork, chicken, or game.

Bring to room temperature: Take meat or fish out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. It’ll cook more evenly and won’t stick to the grill as much.

Use two heat zones: Set your barbecue with a hot side for searing and a cooler side for finishing. It gives you more control and helps avoid flare-ups.

Add a bit of smoke: A handful of soaked oak chips or sprigs of rosemary on the coals adds great flavour. Dried heather works too, if you have it.

Rest before carving: Let meat rest under foil before serving. It keeps it juicy and gives you better texture.

As well as the top tips, the chef also served up four barbecue recipes with a Scottish twist.

Scottish twists on barbecue classics

Haggis-stuffed peppers: Fill peppers with traditional or veggie haggis and grill until charred and smoky.

Whisky-glazed venison burgers: Swap beef for venison and brush with a whisky and honey glaze. Serve with pickled onions on a soft roll.

Aberdeen Angus brisket with Irn-Bru glaze: Slow-cook brisket with a smoky rub, then glaze with reduced Irn-Bru for a sweet finish.

Seaweed butter corn: Grill corn and brush with butter mixed with dried seaweed or samphire. Salty, savoury, and very moreish.

With donations, children like 11-year-old Melanie from Madagascar enjoy a nutritious meal at school today and work towards a brighter tomorrow.

“Thank you, Mary’s Meals. We are always full at school and that motivates us to work hard. I study because I want to achieve my goals and help my parents when I succeed,” she said.

Dan McNally, head of Grassroots at Mary’s Meals, says: “It costs just 10p to provide one school meal to a hungry child with Mary’s Meals. With a £5 donation at your next barbecue, we can reach 50 children with a nutritious meal.

He added: “If you purchase a cooking apron from our online shop ahead of hosting your own summer barbecue, your £15 donation will feed 150 children in school. With the sun out and with Gary’s top tips, there’s never been a better time to get grilling, all while supporting Mary’s Meals!”

To find out more visit Mary’s Meals website.