BBQs

[al_yrpal]

Friends in Maine gave me a very warm polyester blanket when they visited last Autumn. Since early March any time it's been sunny we have sat on the swing seat at the bottom of the garden under that blanket watching the sun go down enjoying the bird song and the lambs bleating in the field behind.

Just lately we have been firing up our tiny barbecue and have managed a barbie 3 times so far. Hasten to add we dont bbq that often but the weather has been so kind this Spring.

Anyone else out there enjoying bbqs?

Al

[Oldjohnw]

Glad you're enjoying the sun. We are having one tomorrow when my son visits for the first time in 9 months. Venison burgers and wild boar sausage. I use a fire pit rather than a barbecue.

[simonineaston]

Although I'm seduced (like so many of us) by the mental image of fabulous char, smokey wonderfulness and cold, cold bottled beer, the reality, like that other Great British Food chimera, The Picnic, is nearly always disappointing. Can't be doing with them. The most successful "BBQs" I've ever been to were centred around food properly cooked in the kitchen and simply brought out into the garden when ready... very sensible.

[markjohnobrien]

Although I'm seduced (like so many of us) by the mental image of fabulous char, smokey wonderfulness and cold, cold bottled beer, the reality, like that other Great British Food chimera, The Picnic, is nearly always disappointing. Can't be doing with them. The most successful "BBQs" I've ever been to were centred around food properly cooked in the kitchen and simply brought out into the garden when ready... very sensible.

Very sensible: one of my friends not only set on fire his neighbours fence but also burnt part of one of their trees... not a successful barbecue.

[Cowsham]

Although I'm seduced (like so many of us) by the mental image of fabulous char, smokey wonderfulness and cold, cold bottled beer, the reality, like that other Great British Food chimera, The Picnic, is nearly always disappointing. Can't be doing with them. The most successful "BBQs" I've ever been to were centred around food properly cooked in the kitchen and simply brought out into the garden when ready... very sensible.

Very sensible: one of my friends not only set on fire his neighbours fence but also burnt part of one of their trees... not a successful barbecue.

I tend to agree but I fired a new kettle type Barbie from tesco up on Thursday night -- sometimes take one on picnics with the family and old camper van so it's good to keep my hand in.

Why are sausages so much more difficult to do than burgers and has anyone any tips to stop them burning so quick?

[al_yrpal]

To stop burning get a Weber. Foil tray in the centre, coals prepared in Webers chimney gadget at the sides. Food in centre, lid on, relax with a glass and after a few half an hour enjoy food perfectly cooked perfect bbq flavour and not burnt.

My 3 bbqs, the food has been perfectly cooked and very tasty, its all a matter of experience and skill. Most blokes seem to have no idea and burn everything.

Buy a second hand copy of Ainsleys BBQ Bible... excellent bbq recipés and sides

Get a Weber!

Al

[661-Pete]

...food properly cooked in the kitchen and simply brought out into the garden when ready... very sensible.

Same for us. Well, we don't have a barbecue, so we don't have the option - but when the weather permits we take the food outside and eat in the garden. Until the wasps drive us back indoors that is (only a problem in late summer and autumn).

Incidentally, we have an excellent recipe for vegetarian brochettes made with paneer or halloumi. Can be eaten indoors, of course...

[ClappedOut]

Kettle bbq and gas table top version.
Friend of ours has a fire pit and a tripod with suspended grill.

Both succulent cooked food, a lot of BBQ from when we travelled doing music festivals the food was put on too early, too close and too hot.

Funniest thing I ever saw was a canal boat owners meeting and rush to cook food, we left them to it With burnt raw internally food.
Ours beautiful cooked across a temperature gradient at the end.

[Cowsham]

To stop burning get a Weber. Foil tray in the centre, coals prepared in Webers chimney gadget at the sides. Food in centre, lid on, relax with a glass and after a few half an hour enjoy food perfectly cooked perfect bbq flavour and not burnt.

My 3 bbqs, the food has been perfectly cooked and very tasty, its all a matter of experience and skill. Most blokes seem to have no idea and burn everything.

Buy a second hand copy of Ainsleys BBQ Bible... excellent bbq recipés and sides

Get a Weber!

Al

Is the foil tray a bit above the wire grid?

[al_yrpal]

A foil tray should be located on the lower grid or at the bottom so it catches the fat dripping from the food. The charcoal is located at either side of the foil tray. And the lid should be on.

My brother always used to cook his Christmas turkey like this. I sometimes cook a chicken like this, takes about an hour and has a great taste. It guarantees no burnt food.

Most people have no idea of how to cook on a Weber. Had mine stood uncovered outdoors for 25 years, its still perfect, a quality product.

Al

[francovendee]

Glad to hear the weather has been kind and BBQ's are taking place.
We BBQ a lot but started a bit later this year because of the cold weather.
I'm doing one this Sunday for a group of friends, just hope the weather holds.
I went over to the dark side some years ago and gave up charcoal and went for gas.

[al_yrpal]

Gas bbqs...excellent way to incinerate food

Lady next door burnt her hubbys clothes on it when they broke up...

Al

[merseymouth]

Hi Al , I wouldn't consider a Weber, look how he flipped at Le Mans!
Your methods look safe, which cannot be said about them ruddy foil tray, throw away things, people certainly think of the consequences of their mis-use of them? The daughter and I had to do a quick flit at Oulton Park, boozed up idiots started their hot lunch right next to our beloved Morris Minor! .
How many moorland fires start because of the things? TTFN MM

[Cowsham]

A foil tray should be located on the lower grid or at the bottom so it catches the fat dripping from the food. The charcoal is located at either side of the foil tray. And the lid should be on.

charcoal-indirect-with-food-1.jpg

My brother always used to cook his Christmas turkey like this. I sometimes cook a chicken like this, takes about an hour and has a great taste. It guarantees no burnt food.

Most people have no idea of how to cook on a Weber. Had mine stood uncovered outdoors for 25 years, its still perfect, a quality product.

Al

Thanks Al that makes sense -- is there a coal bucket ( like most portable Barbies ) inside the bottom part or do you just put the coals in the bottom part with no liner ?

[661-Pete]

My sometime boss, who lives in Eastbourne, used to hold a BBQ in his garden every year to coincide with the local air show (he invited me a few times but we always found an excuse not to go). Well, one year they had some sort of mishap - don't know the details but something exploded - and they needed to call the fire brigade. A colleague of mine who was there, and who is an aspiring cartoonist, drew an excellent caricature of the event - with sausages and burgers flying into the air and bringing down fighter aircraft passing overhead (this didn't happen in Real Life ).

Now here's the punchline. My boss and I worked for a company that manufactured Fire Alarms....