Our talented team of chefs fired up their grills at the prestigious British Freestyle BBQ Championships in Maldon, Essex, and we are delighted to say our 'Hog and Beyond' BBQ team did it again.
With last year’s Grand Champion title to defend, the pressure was on. This year’s event saw 15 teams, a mix of seasoned pros and ambitious newcomers, battling it out across a bold new line-up of rounds, from Hotdogs and Vegetarian to Ribeye Steak, Whole Chicken, Rack of Lamb, and even a surprise “mystery box” featuring lamb.
After weeks of experimenting and perfecting their recipes, Hog and Beyond delivered one of the most impressive performances the competition has ever seen, taking home top honours in multiple categories:
- 1st Place – Hotdog:
An elevated classic: oak and cherrywood smoked Char Siu-glazed hot dog in a prawn toast-topped brioche bun, layered with salt & pepper crispy seaweed, pineapple sweet & sour sauce, and finished with a playful BBQ fortune cookie. - 1st Place – Vegetarian:
A showstopping dessert: pecan-smoked carrot cake with smoked cream cheese frosting, candied carrot crisps, orange butterscotch, and candied walnut streusel. - 1st Place – Ribeye Steak:
Sous vide and flame-seared, seasoned with classic herbs and finished with a rich bone marrow jus — a true steak masterclass. - 1st Place – Whole Chicken:
The ultimate ramen bowl: cherrywood smoked pulled chicken noodles, soy miso & crispy chilli chicken leg, sesame-crusted chicken nugget, shards of crispy chicken skin, smoked chicken & miso bone broth, and a delicate smoked quail’s egg. - 1st Place – Mystery Box (Lamb):
Oak-smoked wild mushroom–stuffed lamb wrapped in streaky bacon, served with parsnip purée, pickled mushrooms, parsnip crisps, and a rich red wine & bone marrow jus. - 2nd Place – Rack of Lamb:
Middle Eastern-inspired: spiced and oak-smoked cannon of lamb, pomegranate lamb burnt-end lollipop, rose harissa velvet houmous, crispy smoked chickpeas, charred garlic & coriander flatbread, finished with pomegranate powder and sour cherry harissa hot honey. - 4th Place – Picanha Steak:
Oak and cherrywood smoked Picanha, paired with a charcoal tapioca cracker, charred creamed corn, chimichurri emulsion, and pickled corn.
Congratulations to the Hog and Beyond team for their creativity, teamwork and outstanding results. Their passion for BBQ continues to set the standard and we can’t wait to see what they cook up next.