Connecting the community.
wearestalbans.png

Blog


24 hours at sopwell house in st. albans, herts

Join us on a journey as we explore some of the services that this magnificent estate has to offer, from stunning accommodation and award-winning dining to their rejuvenating Club at Cottonmill Spa.

BBQ Christmas Cooking Class at The Outdoor Kitchen Collective

 

 
 

The Outdoor Kitchen Collective

 
 

Our member The Outdoor Kitchen Collective (TOKC) recently held two wonderful festive events at their lovely Showroom in St. Albans, Hertfordshire. We attended the morning session where we learned how to cook an entire Christmas meal on a Kamado BBQ with the Big Green ‘Eggspert’ Chef Ross Anderson.

The event was 2.5 hours long and consisted of:

  • How to cook a full Christmas meal on your Big Green Egg (or Kamado style BBQ)

  • An introduction to the Big Green Egg and foundation on lighting and fuel/ temperature management 

  • Modes of cookery and theory behind cooking over fire

  • The importance of sourcing the right produce, cuts and ingredients

  • Takeaway notes on all of the above (emailed following the event)

Guests were welcomed to the morning event with a hot drink on arrival and were taught by the very experienced chef Ross Anderson how to cook the below:

  • Whole roast Kelly Bronze Turkey

  • Mustard and sherry glazed pigs in blankets

  • Glazed Balsamic and garlic roasted parsnips

  • Mince Pies with apple smoke

  • Perfect Roast Spuds {and variations}

  • Spiced Bread sauce

For anyone that currently has a Big Green Egg, or would like to purchase one, we can highly recommend these regular events held by TOKC. The event welcomed a group of 12 people which was a lovely intimate setting in the beautiful outdoor kitchen space at TOKC which was festively decorated. The session was hugely educational and very welcoming to everyone - from the beginner to the ‘eggspert’ - all walking away confidently knowing how to best cook on a Big Green Egg. 

It’s surprising how much you can learn in just a couple if hours. For example, did you know that in order to cook the turkey evenly, its best not to stuff it? And that Maldon Salt is a finishing salt rather than a cooking salt? Ross, was an incredible personable chef, who enjoyed talking food as much as cooking food, cracking plenty of jokes whilst guests were enjoying a lovely drink. Everyone was welcome to ask questions or even try the Green Egg out themselves during the event and what better way to finish than eating all the delicious food whilst pulling crackers!

We left with extensive notes and tips on how to better your Christmas Dinner - and BBQ cooking in general - along with a belly full of deliciously cooked food.

If you have yet to visit the Outdoor Kitchen Collective you will be in for a treat. It is the UK’s largest and most comprehensive high-end outdoor kitchen & lifestyle destination. A contemporary retail and event space showcasing cutting-edge, high-end outdoor kitchen and state-of-the-art accessories. 

Keep an eye out on our events page for any of their upcoming events in the New Year.