Summer has appeared earlier than anticipated this year, with temperatures in some parts of the country reaching double the April average, and highs of 28C recorded in the South East – the hottest recorded for the month in nearly 70 years. The conditions could not be more suitable to roll out the brand new products for barbecue season 2018, the result of months of hard work from our New Product Development and technical teams.

The launch includes several new burger lines, two kebab lines and two enhanced steak products, all of which we are highly excited to introduce to the marketplace.

Our Treacle Cured Flat Iron Steak may well be the most ambitious new product of our launch this season. This innovative product incorporates our British beef flat iron – an underrated cut taken from the chuck and blade section of the animal, named for its distinctive shape – prized for its marbling and powerful flavour. This has been oak-smoked in our bespoke smoking facilities, a further step in the work we have done with smoked products in previous BBQ launches. The cuts are then cured using black treacle, affording the end product a subtle, slightly smoky sweetness which does not overpower the savoury flavour of the beef. We have paired the flat iron in-pack with dried apricot, which plays wonderfully off the sweetness of the treacle, and our house grown lemon thyme, which adds a mild, citrusy freshness to the dish. This dish cooks in 6-10 minutes – we recommend serving medium-rare to optimise the flavour of the cut. Served with a potato dish, simple summer salad and light red wine, the flat iron makes for a quick, unique and flavourful meal for 2.

Our two new kebab lines follow a similar format to previous work we have done in the pre-skewered kebab arena, but this time with brand new flavour profiles, our 4 Siracha Beef Kebabs are ideal for those seeking a spice kick, whilst the 4 Teriyaki Beef Kebabs are packaged with a sachet of Teriyaki sauce for drizzling on the product during cooking, resulting in a sweeter profile incorporating soy sauce and mirin. Both these products come pre-skewered, and can be eaten with hands off the skewers - or alternatively sliced thinly and served on pita breads with salad and garlic or chili sauce in the manner of the much loved takeaway kebab!

New additions to our celebrated burger line are always a key component of our barbecue launches, and this year is no exception, as we add Applewood Burgers, a re-imagining of previous BBQ products which made use of the Applewood flavour, as well as Hickory burgers, incorporating hickory smoked British beef as well as honey and mustard. Also new to the Waitrose burger shelf are our Caramelized Onion and Ale Beef Burgers – a truly innovative product which balances the sweetness of caramelized onion with the hoppy taste of malted ale. All of these burgers are available in packs of 4, perfect for a family gathering or a small group of friends.

Lastly, our Chimichurri Bavette Steaks join the 2018 launch – making use of the bavette, a popular cut in French cuisine prized for its flavour. This classic cut is matched with a chimichurri marinade – a flavourful uncooked sauce which is oil based and contains chopped parsley, vinegar and garlic -  popularized in Argentinian and Uruguayan gastronomy. This product, a fusion of French and South American cuisines, works well grilled to medium rare on the barbecue and served with home-made chips – or indeed on toasted fresh bread for an indulgent take on the classic steak sandwich. All these products are available in store now – we hope you will give them a try while the hot weather lasts – and if not, they will all cook just as well on an indoor grill or pan!