How to Build the Ultimate BBQ Week Menu
A staple in our calendar, we’re here to answer all your questions with our BBQ FAQ blog!
When Is BBQ Week 2025?
Get your tongs ready and fire up the grills, this year National BBQ Week is taking place 26th May – 1st June 2025. This is a great time to kickstart your new BBQ menu, but this seasonal offering typically remains popular throughout the summer months.
What defines a BBQ sauce?
BBQ sauce ingredients vary, but generally consist of a vinegar or tomato base, onion, spices, liquid smoke flavouring, and something sweet such as molasses or brown sugar to give the iconic tangy, smoky, sweetness we all know and love. The smoky flavour is then enhanced by cooking over an open flame or charcoal grill. For foodservice operators utilising a traditional indoor grill, the smoky element can be enhanced by adding a dash of our Liquid Smoke to a BBQ sauce before cooking.
Which BBQ Sauce Should I Use?
When it comes to BBQ week, sauce is arguably the most important aspect – the clue is in the name after all! There are so many great options available, so we’ve rounded up some of our favourites:
Rio Pacific Hickory BBQ Sauce – Our best-selling BBQ sauce EVER, this sauce is characterised with the distinct flavour of smoked hickory wood, with our unique recipe boasting compatibility with meat and poultry, seafood, and veggies for maximum versatility.
Rio Pacific Deluxe BBQ Sauce – A great entry level BBQ sauce with a light smokiness, making it ideal for milder menus. Great hot or cold, so it’s perfect as a condiment on the side.
Rio Pacific Mop-Style Sauces – Mop-style sauces are thicker than traditional equivalents, so they’re great for basting and glazing towards the end of the cooking process before finishing on a high heat to give dishes a sticky, more-ish finish. Choose from mild Rio Pacific Maple & Pepper Glaze for extra sweetness (perfect with pork!), medium-spiced Rio Pacific Tennessee Glaze with Bourbon featuring a rye-whisky flavour (sans alcohol) for that authentic American taste, or punchy Rio Pacific Chipotle BBQ Chilli Glaze which utilises chipotle chillies for both smokiness and heat.
Rio Pacific Korean BBQ Sauce – For inspiration further afield, our Rio Pacific Korean BBQ is great for tapping into the ever-increasing demand for international, fusion, and ‘glocal’ food. ‘Glocal’ – globally inspired, made locally – has become particularly popular with operators looking to reduce food miles to appeal to eco-conscious diners. Our production site in Corwen, Wales enables us to create authentic recipes with a much lower environmental impact. Combining the sticky sweetness of a classic American dip with the spicy twist of the Far East, our Rio Pacific Korean BBQ sauce features notes of ginger, garlic, sesame, and Asian pear.
What are some typical BBQ dishes?
Staples like ribs, chicken wings, and burgers are all popular additions to BBQ menus – but there’s so much more than meets the eye with these classics!
Ribs: For fast-paced venues where speed is of the essence, our Rio Pacific Full and Half Rack of Cooked Ribs come conveniently pre-seasoned in our Deluxe BBQ sauce and arrive frozen to eliminate unnecessary food waste. Operators that want the option to add a bit more customisation may prefer our raw Rio Pacific Baby Back Ribs, or Rio Pacific Extra-Wide Pork Ribs – lightly seasoned with a smoky rub and ready for the sauce of your choice. Stuck for inspiration? Try our Easy Mexican Cola Ribs recipe! Finally, similar to baby back ribs, our Rio Pacific St Louis Cut Ribs are a spare rib, but with a higher meat-to-bone ratio and firmer texture.
Chicken Wings: Wings are always a good addition to BBQ menus, and can be easily transformed with the right sauce. For a comprehensive list of all the best sauces to smother over wings, check out our Wing blog here. Or if you’re looking for something more traditional, our ready-to-cook Rio Pacific BBQ Chicken Wings arrive pre-marinated. Need a veggie-friendly option? Our Rio Pacific Gluten-Free Cauliflower Bites are the perfect substitute. Coated in a lightly spiced quinoa crumb, these crunchy bites can also be used as an appetiser or as part of a sharing board all-year round, making them incredibly versatile.
Burgers: Beyond a traditional beef burger patty, operators could lean into the saucy, sloppy indulgence BBQs are often associated with by utilising pulled meats instead. Our NEW range of Rio Pacific pulled meats are all authentically smoked with hickory wood chips in an open smoker for up to 14 hours, resulting in a superior taste and texture. Choose from pulled smoked pork, or halal-friendly chicken or beef brisket. Once defrosted, these 2 x 1kg packs can be kept refrigerated for up to 5 days, reducing the risk of food waste.
What Vegan BBQ Options Are There?
BBQ has evolved past simple meat-in-a-bun, with a growing emphasis on plant-based options. To ensure veggie diners aren’t excluded, our range includes 3 plant-based burgers to help you meet demand. Our Spicy Bean Burger is perfect for that classic meat-free burger option, while our Kale & Hemp Burger stands out from the crowd thanks to its’ vibrant green colour achieved with iron-rich kale, toasted hemp seeds, and crispy parsnips. Sure to delight meat-lovers and vegans alike, our meat-alike Beef-Free Burger is made with pea protein and olive oil for a juicy, meaty texture. This burger boasts 91% less fat than its’ beef counterpart, whilst also being rich in iron, protein, and vitamin B12 – all essential to maintain in a plant-based diet – so it’s sure to be a hit with health-conscious diners this BBQ season too!
What Sides Should I Serve with BBQ Food?
Corn on the cob goes hand-in-hand with BBQ meals. And the best thing about it? It’s versatile enough to be adapted to any flavour. We recommend sprinkling some of our dry seasoning (try our Rio Pacific Smokey Butt Seasoning or Cajun Blackened Seasoning) into some melted butter, and basting before cooking.
Potato-based products are also popular sides and can be used with dishes on and off the BBQ menu. Scrap traditional fries for something more exciting, like Loaded Potato Skins, Potato Tots, or Cassava Fries. Also known as yuca, cassava is a root vegetable that has a sweet, yet slightly nutty taste. When made into fries, it is light and fluffy on the inside, and crispy on the outside.
For something a bit healthier, grilled veggies complement the smoky chargrill of BBQ perfectly. Classics like courgette are a sure hit, but more adventurous options include exotic fruit and veg such as Plantain or Nopalitos – aka cactus strips.
Phew, we told you we were the BBQ experts, if you need any more ideas get in touch with our friendly Funnybones customer service team who will be happy to help!
Phone: 01707 321 234
Email: info@gkco.com