You’ve probably noticed: lockdown and food waste don’t mix. The less you throw away, the fewer trips you need to make to the supermarket. Here are our tips for making the most of everything with your Kokko.
How to reinvent your BBQ leftovers?
What a pleasure to gather with family around the Kokko. Even if the mood isn’t exactly festive, that’s no reason to give in to gloom. For many, this will probably be the first barbecue of the year, and you may have gone all out—so there will still be plenty of grilled food left on the kamado at the end of the meal. For some, unfortunately, after lingering a few days in the fridge, overcooked merguez and chipolatas, leftover chicken, or over-dry chickpea patties—which, even with mayonnaise, have become real jawbreakers—end up in the bin. Yet, with a little creativity, they could have added flavor to many recipes. So what can you do with leftovers…
…Sausages?
Bring back their tenderness by mixing them into saucy dishes and, above all, by cutting them into small pieces. Enjoy them as an appetizer with homemade tartar sauce, add them to carbonara pasta, or sprinkle them over a vegetable velouté or gazpacho, a pizza, or a flammekueche instead of grilled lardons.
Our recipe ideas for using up leftover sausages, lardon-style:
Bacon, mozzarella and rocket pizza
…Meat?
If it’s not overcooked, you can simply reheat it and enjoy. Prefer it cold? Its delicious grilled and smoky flavor will subtly enhance salads, like this duck and grapefruit salad recipe.
Another delicious tip: the sandwich, like this smoked chicken and raw vegetable wrap recipe. If the meat is a bit dry, try this idea from the pulled pork burger—no matter what meat you have left, shred it with a fork and mix it with your sauce to make it tender again.
Finally, you can give it a whole new twist by turning it into crispy croquettes—just blend the cooked meat with herbs, condiments, egg, etc., to moisten the meat before frying.
Our delicious ideas:
Chicken and pistachio meatballs
…Grilled vegetables?
Once cooked on the Kokko, their flavor is truly unique. Smoked, melting, or grilled, they’re perfect for homemade purées!
Our BBQ vegetable recipes:
Flame-roasted eggplant smoked with pine cones
If you enjoy them cold, they’re also delicious blended on toast or with fresh cheese, like these eggplant and feta rolls.
…And what about grilled fish and seafood?
While they don’t reheat well, served cold they’ll add depth to your summer salads and bruschetta.
Recipe ideas:
Marinated calamari in escabeche
Vegetable salad with smoked sardines
Smoking foods before freezing
While it’s possible to freeze grilled foods, you might be disappointed when it’s time to eat them—these repeated steps (grilling, freezing, thawing) often leave your food tough and dry. However, you can add flavor before freezing, so you can enjoy them later. To learn how, check out our Kokko smoking guide. It’s a great way to avoid waste and sometimes save ingredients that are starting to spoil.
Among our signature smoked recipes, you’ll find:
Pineapple and honey smoked ham
Applewood-smoked drunken trout
Remember: never refreeze a product that has already been frozen, even if you’ve cooked or smoked it.
Before you get started and to inspire your next meal, we’ve prepared a list of seasonal ingredients and outlined the essential safety measures for a worry-free barbecue experience!
