Sticky barbecued meat

With its winning combination of smoke, char and caramelised sweetness, any meat marinated and cooked on the barbie to sticky succulence is a surefire hit. We’ve put together three recipes that will have you rushing out for coals and firelighters - or, when the weather intervenes, firing up the grill

RECIPES AND FOOD STYLING REBECCA WOOLLARD PHOTOGRAPHS MYLES NEW STYLING LYDIA BRUN

ALWAYS A WINNER

Brown sugar and chilli chicken wings

Brown sugar and chilli chicken wings

SERVES 4-6. HANDS-ON TIME 10 MIN, BARBECUING TIME 20-25 MIN (OR GRILLING AND OVEN TIME 35-46 MIN), PLUS MARINATING

•16 British free-range chicken wings

•2 tbsp brown sugar

•150ml chilli sauce (we used Lingham’s)

•1 tbsp celery salt

•Finely grated zest 2 limes, juice 1, plus wedges to serve

•Charred sweetcorn cobs and a salad made with iceberg lettuce and blue cheese to serve

1 Put the chicken wings in a large non-metallic bowl along with the sugar, chilli sauce, celery salt, lime zest and juice. Mix thoroughly to coat the wings, then cover and set aside to marinate for at least 1 hour or up to 24. (Transfer to the fridge if marinating for 2 hours or more.) 2 When ready to cook, light the barbecue or heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Shake any excess marinade off the wings (discard any leftover marinade), then barbecue for 20-25 minutes, just to the side of the hottest part of the grill, turning occasionally, until sticky and cooked through. (Alternatively, if cooking in the oven, first heat a griddle pan on the hob until hot, then cook the wings, turning, for 5-6 minutes until charred all over. Transfer the wings to a large baking tray double-lined with foil, then finish in the oven for 30-40 minutes until cooked through.) 3 Serve immediately with lime wedges and accompaniments.