SPIRIT OF SUMMER
SMOKEHOUSE
The secrets of Texas style barbeque
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The secrets of the smokehouse
Barbecue isn't just a once-a-summer treat in Texas, it's a way of life, which is why it was the perfect place for us to visit on our quest for authentic food for our Spirit of Summer range. From the cut of meat and the rub to the wood used to smoke it while it slow cooks, real barbecue hasn't changed for hundreds of years and that's why we've employed the same techniques for all the products in our smokehouse range.
Watch The Secrets of Texas Style Barbecue video to find out more about the tried-and-tested methods used by the smokehouse masters themselves and head in store to hunt them out and experience a slice of true Texan-style barbecue.
Recipe: Caribbean carrot salad with sea bass
Ingredients
SERVES 2
Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
2cm fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
Pinch of soft brown sugar
1 tbsp olive oil
175g carrots, shredded
1 x 281g pack sea bass in a corn husk
½ x 25g pack fresh coriander, leaves only, roughly chopped
½ x 50g pack rocket leaves
Method
- Put the orange zest and juice, ginger and sugar in a small pan, then season. Bring to a simmer and cook for one or two minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the oil.
- Put the carrots in a salad bowl and stir through some of the orange and ginger mixture. Leave to cool.
- Meanwhile, cook the sea bass on a barbecue or grill, following the pack instructions. Toss the coriander and rocket through the carrot salad.
- Serve the sea bass drizzled with the rest of the dressing accompanied with the salad.
The home of barbecue
The heat is on and another barbecue season has landed. Make it your best ever with spicy southern chicken ready to grill, or tender Texan ribs from our brand-new in-store smokehouse range.
Your guide to smokehouse from M&S Smokehouse expert Nicola Swift
"Texas is the home of barbecue, and the small town of Lockhart is its birthplace," says Nicola. "Although tiny – with only 13,000 people – Lockhart has three enormous barbecue restaurants, serving thousands of locals and tourists every week. This is where we found our inspiration for the Smokehouse range.
"The firepit is where the magic happens. A smouldering fire creates heat and wood smoke – usually oak – which is drawn into the barbecue chamber to flavour, caramelise and slow cook the meat. This technique of charring, smoking and long, leisurely cooking is exactly what we’ve done with the Smokehouse range, to create an authentic taste of Central Texas."
"Central Texan barbecueing is all about smoke and simple seasoning, rather than sticky sauces and complicated marinades. We use a rub of salt, cracked black pepper and nothing else – letting the meat do the talking."
Recipe: Pull-apart barbecue bread
Ingredients
SERVES 8
400g stonebake pavé loaf
225g barbecue leftovers, such as meat, vegetables or halloumi (we used chicken), finely shredded
4 tbsp barbecue sauce
200g grated cheese, such as mozzarella or Monterey Jack
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp smoked paprika
2 salad tomatoes, deseeded and diced
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
Handful fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped
Lime wedges, to serve (optional)
20g pot smoked garlic and parsley butter, to serve (optional)
Method
- Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.
- Using a sharp knife, score the bread lengthways with cuts roughly 2cm apart.
- Hold the bread together and carefully score across widthways, with the same distance between cuts.
- Combine the shredded leftover barbecue ingredients, half the barbecue sauce, the grated cheese, oregano and smoked paprika.
- Prise open each split in the bread and stuff with a spoonful of the filling, pressing down really well.
- Wrap in foil and bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese has mostly melted.
- Unwrap, brush with the remaining barbecue sauce and bake for 15 minutes more until piping hot and the bread is golden and crisp.
- Remove and allow to cool a little.
- Scatter over the diced tomato, sliced onion and coriander.
- Serve with lime wedges and the butter for dipping if you like.
A little sauce on the side
Grilled meat and fish can be transformed by the right accompaniment. Our favourite new in store sauces, which have
handy squeezy bottles, will make your barbecue food sizzle
The sharp one
Sharp and sticky BBQ sauce: A lively barbecue sauce to pair with pork and sausages. Tamarind and Worcestershire sauce give it sweet and sour flavours.
The hot one
Hot and mean chilli garlic sauce: A red chilli sauce flavoured with a little roasted garlic, and goes well with grilled chicken or fish, particularly salmon.
The tangy one
Sweet and tangy Carolina-style mustard sauce: If you like American mustard you should try this sweet and mildly spicy version – it’s great with Pastrami Posh Dogs™.
The rich one
Dark and rich BBQ sauce: Made with a hint of espresso to add depth and complexity, this tomato sauce is good with beef ribs or brisket.
Find your perfect cut
of steak
Every cut of beef has its own characteristics and flavour profile. Let us help you find your favourite cut with this handy guide.
1. Fillet
This lean fillet, with its delicate flavour and melt-in-the-mouth texture is taken from the centre of the loin where the muscle does no work, giving a tender cut. Enjoy it rare or medium rare.
2. Flat iron
Taken from the shoulder and trimmed into a neat portion, this full-flavoured cut is at its best served rare and sliced across the grain.
3. Rib-eye
This flavoursome cut from the fore rib has a good marbling of fat that melts to baste the steak as it cooks. Best served medium, rather than rare, to render the fat for maximum taste.
4. Rump
Firm in texture, great value and full of flavour, a rump is a big, lean cut from the back that can be beautifully succulent if you cook it rare and rest it well.
5. Sirloin
A thin layer of fat runs along the edge of this faintly marbled cut from the middle back. Serve medium to rare and rest well to give it a deliciously tender texture.
Build your ultimate burger
There’s an art to constructing the perfect burger – here's how we make ours.
The bun
It must be big and sturdy enough so your burger and extras don’t slip out, but not so large you fill up on bread. Toast the bun so it holds the ingredients better.
Add some bite
Crisp lettuce, red onion and pickles bring freshness and texture. Put the lettuce on top of the onions to stop them slipping when you bite into your burger.
Cheese please
Cheese can make your meat taste even better. Sliced, firm cheese like cheddar or gouda is best for keeping that burger tower intact. Lay it on top of the hot meat so it melts slightly.
Relish it
A sauce or chutney adds texture and can enhance the flavours of the cheese underneath it. Opt for relish with sweet and tangy favours to complement your meat.
The main event
Purists opt for a quality beef patty, where the fat content results in a juicy burger. Whatever you choose, just remember that first-class meat and ingredients are key.
Top it off
Be bold with your choice of sauce and layer it over the bottom bun, but don’t use too much or you’ll end up with a sloppy burger.
Recipe: Smoky sweet potato burgers
with guava ketchup
Ingredients
SERVES 4
1kg sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 4cm chunks
1 tbsp olive oil
75g fresh white breadcrumbs
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
4 spring onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp tbsp chopped fresh coriander
Sunflower oil, for frying
Plain flour, for dusting
4 paprika and chilli buns for burgers
4 tbsp guava ketchup
Sliced tomatoes and lettuce, to serve
Method
- Heat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5. Arrange the sweet potatoes in a single layer in a large roasting tin. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and roast for 35-45 minutes until golden on the outside and just tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. Remove from the oven and set aside until cold.
- Tip the sweet potatoes onto a large board and very roughly chop them. Put them in a bowl and stir in the breadcrumbs, cayenne pepper, spring onions and coriander. Shape the mixture into four burgers and place them on a plate. Cover and chill for one hour.
- Pour sunflower oil into a large non-stick frying pan to a depth of 2cm, then heat. Dust the burgers with a little plain flour – they will be quite soft, so handle gently – and carefully lay them in the pan. Cook for four-five minutes each side until crisp and golden. Remove with a fish slice and drain on kitchen paper.
- Halve and toast the buns. Arrange lettuce and tomatoes on the bottom half of each bun and place a burger on top. Spoon over a little guava ketchup and top with the other bun halves.
FOOD INSPIRATION
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