Last week we had the Elders over for supper one night. I wanted to do them a real treat and so I decided that I would do them a BBQ Supper. I had just gotten a lovely BBQ pack from Chadwick's Butchers and so it was the perfect opportunity to try out some different meats and to treat the lads. I only did hot dogs and burgers and so I also created some delicious toppings to have with them.
Chadwicks Family Butchers is one of the best butchers in London and also operate an online Butcher's Shop where you can order quality organic meat products, for pick up in London, or delivery nationwide. All the Beef, Pork, lamb, chicken and game is hand selected so you can be sure that what you are receiving is of the est quality as well as being organic.
They sent me quite an extensive pack to try out so I will be reporting my findings on their products over several days. This time it is their Gourmet Beef Burgers and their Posh Dogs.
Their Gourmet Beef Burgers weigh in at a hefty 175g a piece and are made with Rare breed pure Hereford beef rib eye steak and beef skirt steak. They have a 15% fat content and contain sea salt, white pepper, coriander, onion and a little garlic. They are also gluten free and hand made and won Britain's best burger in 2015.
Their Posh Dogs are a handmade free range pork sausage, made using natural skins with 80% lean pork and 20% pork fat. They add 5% rusk, spices, fresh herbs, white and black peppers and a mix of salts.
We were in for a real treat!
Wow, that was one great burger. They were meaty and well flavoured. They were also huge. The Missionaries gave them two thumbs up . . . the dogs were a pleasant surprise for me. I was expecting something like a sausage, but they were more like the gourmet hotdogs I was used to buying back in Canada. These burgers and dogs were delicious all on their own, but tucked into buns with my gourmet toppings, they were fabulous!
Elder Singsam took a photo of them just before he slathered them with toppings and tucked in! They went down a real treat!
These New York City Onions were fabulous on both the burgers and dogs. I hear that these are very popular in New York. They are lightly spiced and well flavoured.
*NYC Onions for Dogs and Burgers*Makes about 2 cupsPrintable Recipe
These are fabulous on either hot dogs or burgers. They are a bit spicy and slightly sweet. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
2 TBS light olive oil6 medium onions, peeled, cut in half lengthwise and then sliced thickly2 TBS tomato puree (tomato paste)1/4 tsp cayenne pepperpinch of ground cinnamonsalt to tastewater as needed
Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to become translucent, about five minutes or so. Add the tomato paste, cayenne and cinnamon. Add water as needed to keep the tomato paste from making the mixture too thick and to prevent catching on the bottom. Cook, stirring occasionally and adding water as needed, for an additional 15 minutes or so, until the onions are very soft. Place into a bowl for spooning out onto your favorite dogs and burgers. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
The snappy Dog and Burger Relish was also popular and went well with both the burgers and dogs. Savoury, spicy and just a tiny bit sweet, it added a bit of crunch and colour!
*Snappy Dog and Burger Relish*Makes about 1 cupPrintable Recipe
This is a beautiful mix of textures and flavours meant to enhance an already good burger or dog. It has a bit of a snap, but not so much that it hurts. You can of course increase this effect if you wish
10 cherry tomatoes, chopped(I used a mix of red and yellow)1/2 medium red onion, peeled and minced finely2 pickled jalapeno slices, seeded and finely chopped(you can add more if you like)4 peppadew mild sweet pickled peppers, finely choppeda handful of pitted dry cured black olives, finely chopped (about 10)a handful of pitted cured green olives, finely chopped (about 10)1 TBS grainy Dijon mustard1 tsp yellow mustard (mild american style)
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, mixing together well. Cover and chill for several hours before using.
I also served some of my delicious homemade Sweet Chili Chutney. This is sweet, smokey and packs a tiny wallop. We quite like it. This makes quite a bit more than the relish and onions, so you will want to process jars of it in a boiling water bath for ten minutes for longer storage. It makes a lovely Christmas gift when presented in a gift box along with a nice cheese and a crusty loaf.
*Sweet Chili Chutney*Makes 1 1/2 Kilos, or 3 1/2 poundsPrintable Recipe Sweet with a bit of a snap. You can control this of course by the amount of red chillies you choose to use. This also makes a nice gift.
2 TBS Olive Oil3 large sweet onions, peeled and diced2 1/4 pounds of baby plum tomatoes, blanched, peeled and halved2 1/4 pounds of cooking apples, cored and roughly chopped2 tsp sweet smoked paprika3 red chillies, finely chopped (leave the seeds in if you want it spicier)200g of light muscovado sugar (1 cup packed, soft light brown sugar)350 ml cider vinegar (scant 1 1/3 cups)2 TBS tomato puree (tomato paste)1/2 tsp sea salt flakes
Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based pan or preserving pan. Add the onions and cook gently over a medium heat with the sea salt for about 10 mins, until golden. Add the baby plum tomatoes, chopped apples, paprika and chilli, and cook for about 5 minutes, until the tomatoes have begun to break down. Stir in sugar, vinegar and tomato puree. Bring the mixtutre to the boil and then reduce to a simmer for 25-30 mins, cooking until thick. Stir occasionally to prevent the mixture from catching on the bottom. Spoon into hot, sterilised jars. Cool, before securing with lids. Store in the refrigerator.
I have to say overall I was really impressed with the delivery service from Chadwicks. Everything arrived promptly, well packaged and properly chilled. I would not hesitate to use them again. They carry a wide variety of meat products from from bacon to haggis and everything in between. Turkey's, Chickens and Chicken burgers, Lamb, a wide variety of Sausages, Beef, hams, Pork, Cheeses, etc. I don't know what they don't have. They also offer different hampers, including BBQ packs, Cheese Boards, Breakfast Packs, Christmas Hampers and a whole lot more.
Stay tuned to see what I cooked up next!
