Firing up the barbecue is a sure sign that summer is on the way, and provides a great opportunity for a delicious feast outdoors. This barbecue recipe collection demonstrates the variety of ways the barbecue can be used in place of a grill or griddle for fantastically flavourful dishes.

Cooking steak on the barbecue is a great way to achieve a smoky and crisp outside, especially when you marinade the meat to add flavour, as in Martin Wishart’s Asian-inspired lime and soy-marinated flank steak. Cuts of lamb and pork also work well on the barbecue, from Marcus Wareing’s barbecued pork chop with apple, to Alfred Prasad’s spiced peshwari lamb kebabs.

Fish and seafood cook quickly on the barbecue, with Paul Ainsworth’s barbecued mackerel with celeriac mayonnaise being a prime example. Barbecues don’t have to be a meat-feast, and many vegetables such as aubergines, courgettes and peppers soften and char beautifully when grilled. Serve up with some of the tasty recipes in our barbecue sides collection.