It’s BBQ season and who better to share a few recipes with us than the King of Barbecue himself DJ BBQ. These Mega Stuffed Sweet Potatoes are incredible and we are planning to make them again this weekend. The Rad Rum Ribs..well they speak for themselves.

Even if its raining this weekend wherever you may be, these recipes are sure to bring a touch of sunshine to your day.

Maybe add a cold beer or a mojito for the perfect al fresco meal.

Let me know if you try these out:

Mega stuffed sweet potatoes

Serves 4

4 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean
olive oil
sea salt
optional: 8 rashers of higher-welfare smoked streaky bacon
125g Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese
4 spring onions, trimmed
1–2 fresh red chillies
soured cream, to serve

Set up your barbecue for the heat canyon technique (place the coals on opposite sides of the barbecue to make two heat walls – this will create sections of hot, direct heat on the sides, with an indirect, cooler area in the middle to ensure your meat gets consistent heat throughout the cook). Cover with the lid and allow to heat up like an outdoor oven – you want a temperature of around 175°C/345°F.

Rub the sweet potatoes all over with a drizzle of oil and a good pinch of salt. Place on the middle of the barbecue, cover with the lid and bake for around 1 hour, or until soft in the middle and crisp on the outside. Meanwhile, fry the bacon (if using) in a pan over a high heat (you can do this on the hob) until golden and crisp, then set aside for later.

Split the potatoes open, crumble in the bacon (if using) and grate over the cheese. Return to the indirect heat on the barbecue for a further 5 to 10 minutes with the lid on, or until the cheese has melted. Finely slice the spring onions and chilli then sprinkle them over the potatoes, serve with spoonfuls of soured cream and devour.

Rad rum ribs

Serves 8

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1.5kg baby back ribs, membrane removed

for the paste
5 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons chipotle chilli paste
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1½ teaspoons sweet paprika
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

for the rad rum bbq sauce
4cm piece of ginger, peeled
3–4 cloves of garlic, peeled
125ml tomato ketchup
60ml dark rum
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
50g soft dark brown sugar

Combine the paste ingredients and 2 teaspoons of salt in a bowl. Pat the ribs dry with kitchen paper, then place in a tray and rub all over with the paste. Cover with clingfilm and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight.

When you want to cook, remove the ribs from the fridge, shake off any excess marinade and allow to come up to room temperature. Meanwhile, set up your barbecue for the half and half technique
(so half the base is covered in charcoal and the other side is empty) – you want a medium indirect heat. Place a drip tray inside the barbecue on the indirect side. Cover with the lid and allow to heat up like an outdoor oven – you want a temperature of around 180°C/350°F.

Rip off just over an arm’s length of extra-strong tin foil, stack up the ribs in the centre and tightly wrap. Place the foil parcel over indirect heat on the barbecue, cover with the lid and cook for around 2 hours, or until the meat is tender and starts to fall away from the bone, remembering to replenish with hot coals every 45 minutes or so. Meanwhile, finely grate the ginger and garlic into a small pan on the hob. Add the rest of the BBQ sauce ingredients and 80ml of water.
Simmer over a medium heat for around 20 minutes, or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Season to taste and set aside.

Remove the ribs from the foil and brush all over with the BBQ sauce and any cooking juices. Return to the indirect heat for another 30 to 40 minutes with the lid on, or until tender and golden, basting well every 10 minutes or so. Remove to a board to rest for 5 minutes, then carve. Enjoy, ’cause these ribs rule!

There are lots of other incredible recipes in his book which I bought at last years Grillstock festival. One of my favourites is the Mix Of Awesomeness. Its an amazing make ahead rub for your meat and veggies. Its so good with chicken thighs. You can buy The BBQ Book here. If you want to find out more about DJ BBQ I interviewed him here.

*Recipes from The BBQ Book by DJ BBQ. Thanks to Penguin books and DJ BBQ for allowing me to share these recipes. All images provided by Penguin books.