To celebrate the Big Lunch in style Abel & Cole sent a BBQ box to us to review. Excitedly we organised a barbecue with friends in the village for the coming weekend, but bummer, between irritating colds and shoddy weather it just didn’t happen. What gives?!
Completely stumped we sat with a problem. We don’t have a barbecue! That’s the reason why we were going to go over to the friends’ house! Neil suggested we simply bake the meat in the oven and so we did.
As usual the meat was delivered in styrofoam boxes with ice packs to keep it cool. One thing I have to say is that Abel & Cole’s packaging is very good. What I fear most of food deliveries is leakage because one, it’s a complete mess and two, the mixing of food can be hazardous for your health. Fortunately, even the meat swimming in marinade did not leak. Not bad.
Pork Cumberland Sausages
(Pictured above) Pitted strongly against spices, Neil found the flavours to be a bit over-bearing but it didn’t bother me in the least. The ingredients were of good quality and the contents weren’t bulked out with substandard practices like adding tonnes of breadcrumbs/rusk to the meat.
BBQ-Glazed Pork Ribs
I can’t imagine that cooking the ribs over the barbecue will have a different result but the meat shrivelled a bit in the oven. The marinade is lovely though. For future reference I suggest Abel & Cole use a meatier cut of rib.
Hand-Made Beef Burgers
One big problem I have with commercial burgers is that producers find it a great way to dispose of excess gristle they might have at hand. Walk down the meat aisle and hold a pack of good quality minced beef in the one hand and pre-made burgers in the other. Immediately you will notice the difference. The patties are of lighter colour and if you examine it really carefully you will see pieces of gristle peeking back at you. It really is better to make your own….or buy Abel & Cole‘s. I was quite impressed!
Marinated Chicken Wings
Chicken wings are my least favourite cut of the humble chicken. The reason? Most of the time it’s just a bunch of skin and bones. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the meatiness of the wings and yet again the marinade was good too.
Conclusion
Shame about the scrawny ribs but even without a barbecue the rest of the meat came out fine and was enjoyed by the whole family.