Sensational summer picks to enjoy this barbecue season
Barbecue season is well and truly upon us, and ALDI is here to make sure your seasonal feasts are pitch perfect. Brought to you in partnership with ALDI.
Whether or not the sun is shining, summer means it’s time for an Irish barbecue. With 158 stores nationwide, ALDI works with a network of over 330 producers year round to ensure that every single product on its shelves is of an incredibly high quality. Even better, all meats at ALDI are 100 per cent Irish and Bord Bia Quality Assured, so you’re guaranteed a delicious meal. Between the Specially Selected range, which includes some of our favourite steaks, sauces and breads, and the summery middle aisle selection, ALDI has everything you need for your summer barbecue and al fresco dining. Here, we’ve selected some of our favourite products from the wonderful ALDI range for you to try out at your summer barbecue.
WHAT TO EAT
Butcher’s Selection Irish Lamb Leg Steaks 300g, €5.29
Often when it comes to barbecue, people veer towards the tried and trusted beef burgers and chicken breasts, but lamb is a fantastic alternative. The Butcher’s Selection Irish Lamb Leg Steaks come with a wonderful amount of marbling to give a rich, juicy result, and they cook in about 8-12 minutes on the barbecue – they work really well with the Tomato and Chilli Jam recipe we’ve included below.
Butcher’s Selection Marinated Chicken Thighs Boneless & Skinless 500g, €3.79
If you want a crowdpleasing chicken option at your summer barbecue, look no further than ALDI. We’re particularly fond of the Butcher’s Selection Marinated Chicken Thighs, which are available with Lemon and Pepper or Shawarma seasoning, as thighs are super juicy and flavoursome even without the skin. The Butcher’s Selection Marinated Chicken Thighs Kebabs 350g, €3.49, are another great thigh option; available in Hot and Spicy Buttermilk Sriracha or Mango and Coconut, these are a grab and go dish that will work perfectly when dining outdoors.
Butcher’s Selection Marinated Pork Belly Slices 480g, €3.49
Pork belly is a chef’s favourite for good reason: this fatty cut provides heaps and heaps of flavour, regardless of how it’s cooked. The ALDI Butcher’s Selection Marinated Pork Belly Slices are available in Spicy Maple or BBQ Mexican-style, which work wonderfully on the grill and cook quickly. Another great option is the Cleaver and Blade Irish Marinated Pork Collar Chops 412g, €3.29, which are available in Teriyaki or Tennessee BBQ flavour. They only take about 20-25 minutes to cook – make sure to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature – and are sure to be a hit at your summer barbecue.
Specially Selected 36 Day Matured Tipperary Dry Aged Black Angus Ribeye €13.99
The first Irish product to take home a Diamond Award at the International Taste Institute Awards (ITI) after winning seven consecutive 3 Star Superior Taste Awards, this steak is a serious treat. Richly marbled and extremely juicy, this is fantastic when cooked to medium rare on the barbecue, then thinly sliced so that all of your guests can try it out. Perfect with a rich béarnaise sauce, make sure to bring this up to room temperature and season well before cooking, then rest for about five minutes before tucking in.
Specially Selected Irish Angus Ultimate Burger 90VL 6oz seasoned with Angus Beef Marrow, Irish Atlantic Sea Salt & Cracked Black Pepper 340g, €3.49
Is it really a barbecue without a burger? Not in our eyes, but luckily you won’t have to settle for less this summer, thanks to these delicious Specially Selected Irish Angus Ultimate Burgers. Full of flavour thanks to the additional bone marrow, these are super juicy and offer a serious feed – try them with the Specially Selected summer sauces Chipotle Ketchup (270g), €2.19, and Specially Selected 4 Sliced Brioche Burger Buns 200g, €1.69, for a luxurious option this barbecue season. If you’d prefer a chicken burger option, the Butchers Selection Marinated Chicken Burgers 400g, €3.49, available in Smoky BBQ or Hot and Spicy, would work really well in burger buns, tortilla wraps, and salad bowls alike.
WHAT TO DRINK
Brown Bear Gluten Free Lager 500ml, 4.1 per cent ABV, €1.99
If you’re in the market for a summer brew, the Brown Bear Gluten Free Lager is a great option for all dietary requirements, thanks to its classic pilsner malt flavour and clean lingering bitterness. However, cider in the sunshine is a rare treat, so if you’d rather that instead, the medium-sweet Armagh Craft Cider 500ml, 4.5 per cent ABV, €2.49, is a deliciously fruity bottle from Northern Ireland.
Mo Chara Passionfruit & Mango Gin 500ml, 40 per cent ABV, €19.99
Fruity and fun, this summery gin is a real treat and comes at a wonderful price too – just under €20. It would be a welcome addition to any tropical cocktails you might have in mind, but works just as well with a simple tonic water to let the fruit flavours shine. For a non-alcoholic option, try the Saoirse Non-Alcoholic Gin Alternative 700ml, which contains less than 0.5 per cent ABV and is just €9.99.
Parachute CBD Infused Drink 250ml, €2.49
Available in three fruity flavours - apple and ginger, lemon and juniper, and pomegranate and lime - these sparkling green tea drinks are low in sugar and infused with 10mg high quality CBD oil for added chill. You can’t get high from these drinks, but they are gluten-free and vegan, and offer a zippy sip that’s ideal for outdoors.
Wine recommendations from Tom Doorley, ALDI wine ambassador
Specially Selected Australian Clare Valley Shiraz 75cl, €9.99
A fantastic impressively powerful Oz red at an amazingly attractive price. It has deep, dark black fruits, a kind of toasty vanilla seasoning from the new oak and – a real indicator of quality – real depth and length. A red wine with a lot of oomph!
Athlon Greek Assyrtiko 75cl €9.99
A brilliant new wave white wine from Macedonia in Greece, deliciously fresh and crisp with zesty citrus notes (lime, lemon, clementine). It’s bone dry but with a touch of honey and toasted almonds.
Specially Selected Coteaux De Béziers Rosé 75cl €8.99
From sunny vineyards between the Cevennes mountains and the Med, this pretty pink rosé has summer pudding aromas with a hint of ripe honeydew melon, dry and fruity.
Brought to you in association with ALDI, see aldi.ie for more
