Why ordering a BBQ package is a really good idea
Barbecue… if there’s one thing that makes my heart beat faster, this is it. Every piece of meat, fish or vegetable tastes even better with that smoky flavour (and you always eat and drink too much, but that aside). When I was tipped off about Smoking Buddha’s BBQ package, I wanted to try it straight away. And this is what I thought of it.
Of course, you can also buy all the ingredients yourself for a BBQ feast. But I don’t know about you, but shopping corona-style isn’t really my favourite way to spend a weekend. Besides, a ready-made package has a few other advantages: you’re surprised by different ingredients and flavours that are different from what you normally throw on the barbecue – and in the case of Smoking Buddha, the company run by brother Arèn and sister Jaleesa Tahapary, only the meat needs to be grilled; the side dishes are delivered ready-made. How relaxed is that?
Right on time
I order a package for two people and am kept informed via WhatsApp of the exact delivery time, great! Precisely at the agreed time, a handy bag is delivered.
Package for two
Smoking Buddha’s BBQ package, which I ordered for 2 people, contains an ‘American Style’ burger made from picanha beef, sausage from Piedmont in Italy, chicken skewers made from chicken thighs, a mixed salad, potato salad with truffle, fresh baguette, homemade aioli and sun-dried tomato dip. Everything is neatly packaged, including handwritten labels.
Get grillin’!
With tongs in one hand and a glass of wine (or beer) in the other; acting cool behind your barbecue requires some planning and preparation. Because when it comes to barbecuing, perhaps even more than with regular cooking: good preparation is half the work. How great that Smoking Buddha has already done most of this. All I have to do is unpack everything, put the salad in a bowl, the sauces in dishes, pour the wine and start grilling – it’s that simple. This is really chill, but aside from that, it’s of course mainly about the flavour.
Refined chicken skewers, hearty sausages
The chicken skewers are very lightly seasoned and refined in flavour. Delicious with a little spicy satay sauce. This wasn’t included, but we always have it (homemade) in the fridge, so it was a tasty addition. The Piedmontese sausages, on the other hand, are very flavourful, tender and unbelievably delicious. No sauce needed; they are simply incredibly tasty. You’ll actually want a double portion straight away. An added advantage: the pigs used for these sausages have had a good life.
Bloody burger
The hamburger meat is made from picanha; in South America, the best-known and most widely eaten cut of beef. In the Netherlands, it is better known as rump cap. It is an extension of the flat rump and is located just below the tail. The patties are the perfect size and wonderfully tender. The cattle are grain fed (grain-fed), and the coarse mince provides a delicious, firm bite. The included brioche bun (tip: grill it briefly) and the toppings are excellent. The same goes for the potato salad.
A plus in my opinion; at a barbecue, most of the attention often goes to the meat, but the side dishes and toppings deserve just as big a stage to shine.
Premium and veggie packages
All the meat is pre-cooked in Smoking Buddha’s kitchen. Smoking Buddha delivers a BBQ package free of charge in North Holland from 2 people (€17.50 p.p.). Delivery outside North Holland is also possible, but for a fee. In my opinion, this is genuinely good quality at a very reasonable price. In addition to the package mentioned above, they are also working on premium meat packages for the barbecue (think Wagyu beef). Rather not eat meat? Vegetarian BBQ packages will also be available soon.
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