From treacle beef brisket to vegan pulled pork, the best new summer food launches your guests will love

Score: 88/100

Bacon on the barbecue might sound extravagant, but when the chop is this thick cut and high quality, it would be silly not to! Pre-cooked and hot-smoked, it’s prepped for the grill, and the black treacle glaze adds a sweetness that balances the salty meat.

Score: 87/100

Inject a little Spanish sunshine into your spread with these meaty king prawns, served in an authentic garlic and chilli oil. They’d make a great starter served with wedges of crusty bread (just pop them in the oven, while you heat the grill).

Score: 84/100

For when your barbecue plans get rained off, but you still want that sweet and smoky flavour, stick this sous vide pork in the oven. With just a touch of chilli, it’s mild enough for the whole family and there's a generous amount of marinade for the slow-cooked meat to soak up.

Once cooked, simply shred and serve. We like ours on top of nachos as a sharing-style starter.

Score: 83/100

Enjoy the flavour of The Newt’s Somerset country estate from the comfort of your own home with this ready-to-heat range of mains for two.

Our top choice for summer is the beef brisket, which is slow-cooked for 12 hours and richly spiced with fennel, cinnamon, smoked paprika and treacle. It has a heat that builds on the palate, and it couldn’t be more convenient – simply reheat and enjoy with fries and slaw after a long day in the office.

Score: 82/100

Hot honey has been a major food trend this year, pepping up a whole range of dishes with its sweet and spicy flavour. Here, the sweet, sticky glaze complements the slices of smoky pork belly perfectly.

Available 30 April 2025

Score: 80/100

Looking for an elevated seafood dish? Here, the red shrimp adds a fresh pop of colour to the plate, and the meaty monkfish takes on the bold flavours of garlic, chilli, lemon and paprika. Serve as a starter with crusty bread to soak up the rich, buttery sauce.

Score: 78/100

If organic meat is non-negotiable, Helen Browning’s slow-cooked pulled pork will make the perfect centrepiece this summer. Each pack serves two, and comes with plenty of chilli, garlic and paprika.

The spices take on a gnarly, charred texture during cooking – as though it’s done on the grill – but the joint takes just 20 minutes in the oven!

Score: 76/100

Discover the smoky flavours of the Deep South with The Jolly Hog’s pork belly. It’s precooked for you, so it takes just five minutes on the barbecue, resulting in tender, shreddable meat. The black pepper and chilli crumb are the dominant flavours, giving each bite a punchy level of heat.

Score: 73/100

Most of our testers described this vegan pulled “pork” as tasting meaty, although not all were hoodwinked. But for those who don’t eat meat, this plant-based alternative will make a great filling for Mexican carnitas or sandwiches. Granted, it was a little on the dry side, but nothing our winning barbecue sauce won’t fix.

Score: 70/100

We’ve established that hot honey is set to be the condiment of the summer; sweet and savoury, its versatility makes it a favourite for drizzling over fried chicken, pizza and even ice cream. We suggest using it in a marinade to slather on your favourite meat before grilling.