Raising the steaks to improve "worst barbecues in the world"
I’m sure plenty of you will have enjoyed a barbecue or two over the last few weeks, particularly given the heatwave we experienced this month.
Barbecues have become big business in this country in recent years. Around 108 million barbecues took place in the Britain in 2016, with an almost even split between mid-week and weekend meals, an increase of six per cent on the previous year. While the barbecue trend has been good news for burger sales, it has done nothing to reduce the beef industry’s reliance on mince, which accounts for half of carcase utilisation, and has had little benefit for the lamb sector.
Recent research for our consumer brand, Simply Beef and Lamb, saw British barbecues voted the worst in the world, with burnt food, backseat chefs and drunken arguments cited as the top niggles.
In a bid to get our barbecues back on track, our ‘raise the steaks’ campaign was launched last month to get British consumers grilling like an Australian, American or Argentinian, who, according to over half of those surveyed, are better at barbecuing.
The campaign is addressing the misconception that steak is difficult to cook on the barbecue by demonstrating how quick, tasty and versatile it can be. From cutting it into kebabs to marinating it in different flavours, barbecued steak is an easy way to impress guests.
In order to influence younger consumers, ‘raise the steaks’ will be supported by videos from comedy YouTuber, Anto Sharp, and online ‘Food Busker’, John Quilter, who together have more than 1.4 million followers across social media. The Food Busker will also be teaming up with a variety of social media influencers across the country over the course of the summer, creating plenty of online content to encourage people to get involved.
The activity is running throughout the summer with an emphasis on lamb leg steaks, therefore will be of particular benefit to the lamb sector at a time when demand for roasting joints is low and home-produced product dominates the supply to market.
Following hot on the heels of the barbecue campaign, Love Lamb Week will take place from September 1 to 7. This celebration of all things lamb is a great opportunity for the industry to work together to encourage lamb consumption, so make sure the dates are in your diary.
Next time you fire up the barbecue why not set a good example by grilling some tasty lamb or beef steaks? You can find plenty of recipe inspiration and advice on our consumer website – www.simplybeefandlamb.co.uk.
Clive Brown is AHDB Beef and Lamb Head of Regional Development
