BBQ meat packs: 10 of the best barbecue delivery boxes to try this summer

Every year we think we’re going to be ready, and every year the great British weather gives us a false start in spring and has us scrambling for our long-forgotten barbecues that have been graciously tossed aside over winter. While we can’t help with the scrubbing, lighting and cooking which will have to ensue if you want to dine al fresco at the first hint of sunshine, we can help with that to put on the grill.

There are so many incredible producers and restaurants across the country who will send you BBQ meat packs at the drop of a hat. These clever kits include everything you need to make an impressive centrepiece at your summer feast. While some BBQ boxes dish up pure and unadulterated meat for you to manage yourself, others present you with carefully marinated cuts that you can pop straight on the grill. If you’re expecting a mixed party there are places - like Abel & Cole - which will cater for both fish and meat options too, so that both pescatarians and carnivores should be happy (veggies and vegans we’ll have to leave up to you!).

Of course we’re biased, but we think restaurants put together some of the best spreads when it comes to easy at-home dining. They just know what they’re doing to make last-minute meals seem impressive and easy. So if you’re looking to get BBQ meat packs delivered this summer let us gently guide you in the direction of some of our favourite restaurant kits below. We’ve also included some tried and tested meat box favourites from high welfare farms, butchers and suppliers which provide you with the very best cuts to cook over your coals (or your gas as the case might be).

Aktar at Home Tandoori Box

Not content with running one of the very best Indian restaurants in the country, Aktar Islam also has Aktar at Home - a food delivery service where you can order anything from curries to meat packs. It's a great way to taste his outstanding food if you can't make it to Birmingham (seriously though, Opheem is worth the trip), and Aktar at Home caters for all sorts of different dinner requirements - there are lots of curry boxes focusing on different meats, or vegan and vegetarian options, as well as a weekly special to keep things interesting for regular buyers. If you're planning a barbecue, the tandoori box is a brilliant shout - you get over 4kg of marinated meats, prepped and ready to hit the grill and in our experience it comfortably feeds six (it would feed more if you're doing lots of sides and salads). For £70 at the time of writing, it's an outrageous bargain.
Buy now: Aktar at Home Tandoori Box

The Oldstead BBQ Box

Made in Oldstead is a premium food delivery service from highly-esteemed Tommy Banks, the owner and chef of two Michelin-starred restaurants in Yorkshire (The Black Swan and Roots). All its food boxes are made using high-quality ingredients from Oldstead Farm and its restaurant garden, and we could really tell with this cracking BBQ box. Meaty showstoppers include Oldstead sausages, along with black garlic-glazed short rib and miso and honey pork ribeye sourced from local Yorkshire butcher R&J. While sides include macerated red cabbage, miso-glazed sweetcorn, pickled cucumber and a quick-to-assemble Caesar salad featuring a homemade dressing, St Andrews Cheddar and a cured egg yolk (these guys really go the extra mile). Dessert is another major highlight - ice cream sandwiches - which sees a tangy raspberry parfait sandwiched between two brown butter and white chocolate cookies. Just remember to pop the parfait in the freezer a couple of hours before serving! It's not cheap at £75 for two people, but you get a huge amount of quality and quanity for that price.
Buy now: The Oldstead BBQ Box

Dishoom Summer Barbecue Box

For those who prefer their grills spiced to the max, Dishoom has released a sizzling Summer Barbecue Box filled with a tasty selection of meat, ready-marinated in a range of signature spice blends. Discover Murgh Malai, chicken thighs in a rich sauce of garlic, ginger, coriander and cream, sweet and spicy Chicken Tikka-style thighs, and spicy lamb chops tossed in a generous blend of warm dark spices, ginger, garlic and lime juice. We were bowled over at just how packed with flavour each marinated joint was - it would be hard to recreate the same level of flavour at home so you really feel like you're trying something special. The box comes with clear instructions on how to cook each joint on a barbecue, or an indoor grill if that's all you have, and we liked that the prep time is pretty minimal. Simpy heat up your barbie and get grilling! It also includes a packet of the restaurant's Kabab Masala house spice mix, which you can keep and use another day, or add to a batch of fresh Kachumber (the pack includes recipes for sides if you fancy pushing the boat out). The cherry on top is that the kit includes a stunning blue and white Dishoom tea towel, which isn't really necessary for your barbecue session, but feels like a really lovely touch.
Buy now: Dishoom Summer Barbecue Box

Riverford BBQ Meat Boxes

Riverford doesn’t do curated barbecue meat packs, but instead allows you to build your own feast from their small collection of summertime favourites. With everything from free-range chicken through to steaks on the menu, you can pick and choose depending on who you’re feeding and how many people you’re expecting. Our favourite cuts Riverford offers are the pork belly slices, which allow you to get soft, succulent belly pork by cooking them low and slow over the barbecue. These go perfectly with a sweet and sticky marinade, which you can baste over the slices as you go.
Buy now: Riverford BBQ Meat Boxes

Helen Browning’s Organic Meat Packs

Steak, burgers, and hot dogs – what could be more perfect for a family barbecue? This BBQ box from Helen Browning’s Organic is packed with enough food for four generous servings and even includes a jar of steak seasoning to spice things up on the grill. We were particularly impressed by the hot dogs, which hold a Great Taste award for their properly meaty texture and lightly smoky flavour. As with all of the company’s offering, meat is free-range and organic, gluten-free and GM free, as well as being suitable for home freezing.
Buy now: Helen Browning’s Organic meat packs

The Ethical Butcher Barbecue Boxes

The guys at The Ethical Butcher are on a mission to change the way we consume meat. Their argument is that eating meat isn’t bad for the planet, it’s just bad the way we’ve doing it up until now. With a passion for regenerative agriculture, where farmers work hard to increase biodiversity through their techniques, The Ethical Butcher works with suppliers who are actively trying to combat climate change through holistic management farming. The result is meat prepared by master butchers for deeply flavoured cuts. Their BBQ range for 2023 includes everything from high-quality burgers and hotdogs through to beef ribeye steaks and marinated legs of lamb. Meat is often organic, always high-welfare and the packaging is environmentally friendly too.
Buy now: The Ethical Butcher barbecue boxes

Monthly BBQ Boxes from Provenance Village Butchers

What sets Provenance Village Butchers is their tasty marinades for easy barbecuing at home. These tailored packs include everything you need for a fun, themed evening with friends. Their Provenance Best Sellers Box, for instance, packs in everything from flat iron chicken leg through to lamb leg Greek skewers. Each box serves 4-6 people and add ons include suggested drink pairings. 
Buy now: Monthly BBQ Boxes from Provenance Village Butchers

The Ginger Pig BBQ Box

This generous offering from quality butchers The Ginger Pig includes enough meat for 6-8 people, giving you the perfect excuse to share a feast with family and friends. With steaks, pork chops and sausages all included, this is one for the purists. The star of the show here though is the burgers, which are hand-pressed and made from chuck steak and aged rib cap for a wonderfully rich flavour – all you need to do is come up with the perfect toppings. We'll take cheese, pickles and mayo, thanks. 
Buy now: The Ginger Pig BBQ Box

Tom Hixson of Smithfield’s BBQ Essentials Box

Smithfield is one of London’s most famous meat markets, so going straight to the source means you cut out the middleman for delicious cuts at a fair price. Keeping things fairly traditional, this barbecue box includes a whopping 45 portions across sausages and two large portions of pork baby back ribs, which are ideal for marinating in a barbecue rub before covering in a sticky glaze. The most valuable player award though goes to the burgers. Tom Hixson’s burgers are made with marrow for an intensely rich texture and flavour – delicious simply topped with cheese, salad and sauces.
Buy now: Tom Hixson of Smithfield’s BBQ Essentials Box

Donald Russell BBQ Meat Packs

Not content with just one box, Donald Russell has stepped things up with a whole plethora of BBQ meat packs for you to choose from. Plump for sausges for a simple supper, or go all out on a Great Taste awarded steak. Our favourite when we want to pull out all the stops is the Tomahawk which is matured on the bone for 35 days to give it a fantastic succulence. Can’t decide what to go for? The burgers and bangers box gives you 21 servings of various combos for an easy way to feed a crowd.
Buy now: Donald Russell BBQ Meat Packs

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