BBQs

[Cowsham]

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....

[al_yrpal]

Cowsham, there are two grilles. One to put the food on and a bottom one for the coals/ charcoal. In the bottom are vents and a control level to regulate the air. On the lid there is another vent that regulates the air. So, unlike an open bbq its pretty controllable. You can of course use it without the lid to guarantee incinerated food.
My daughters B&Q Weber clone 2 years old is rapidly rusting away. Most bbqs except Webers seem to after a couple of years. The little bbq above has be carefully watched.

Al

[Cowsham]

The one at the bottom must have very fine holes so that the coals don't fall through?

[al_yrpal]

Rubbish charcoal has very small pieces which will fall through the lower grille. I try to use catering quality charcoal which contains lots of decent size pieces.

Put a precooked sausage squirted with tomato sauce in a flattened chicken breast wrapped in a piece of back bacon...and bbq it

Heres a couple of nice accompaniments...

https://www.whats-for-supper.com/blog/p ... s-and-feta

https://www.ainsley-harriott.com/recipe ... nch-salad/

Al

[Mick F]

Eat in the garden if you want, but what's wrong with your kitchen?

I can understand a BBQ out in the countryside/beach/camping etc, but why have a cooker outside when you have a perfectly suitable one installed in your house?

Cook indoors, and eat outside.

[francovendee]

Gas bbqs...excellent way to incinerate food

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

Al

If you'd seen me with a conventional charcoal BBQ you might have the exact opposite view.

[al_yrpal]

Eat in the garden if you want, but what's wrong with your kitchen?

I can understand a BBQ out in the countryside/beach/camping etc, but why have a cooker outside when you have a perfectly suitable one installed in your house?

Cook indoors, and eat outside.

We have a nice garden and spend lots of time in it. Food from the bbq tastes different and often nicer than can be achieved in an oven, under a grill and on the hob. Love the outdoors...listen to the birds at dusk and the lambs in the field.

Al

[661-Pete]

We have a nice garden and spend lots of time in it. Food from the bbq tastes different and often nicer than can be achieved in an oven, under a grill and on the hob. Love the outdoors...listen to the birds at dusk and the lambs in the field.

I'm not about to dispute that many people - you evidently amongst them - prefer the taste of barbecued food to that cooked in oven or under grill. I have too little personal experience to judge for myself. We are happy with our kitchen-cooked food - that's all.

According to some authorities there is a health risk in barbecued food - meat especially. Mainly in connection with PAHs produced from burning fat falling on the coals, which are carcinogenic. This is possibly avoidable if the BBQ is used correctly (I don't know).

A small risk, which most people will probably accept. After all being alive is a risky business. Certainly cycling - or crossing a road - or having a Covid jab - or not having a Covid jab: all of these involve risk. We just live with it.

Enjoy your BBQ! I'm not about to rush out and buy one - even though I've finally got my car back on the road (yet another risk factor)...

[al_yrpal]

Yes, a few years ago chips were identified as being carcinogenic by the Swedes. As with all things, everything in moderation. Our weather precludes having too many bbqs. The indirect method of barbecuing hopefully minimises the risk.

Al

[LollyKat]

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

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

Sounds great - can you share the recipe please?

[merseymouth]

Hi Al, My take on "Barbeques" is that they are where you go to get your Barnett Clipped, which many of us no longer need to endure!
About as practical as "Soup In The Basket"! MM

[ClappedOut]

Gas bbqs...excellent way to incinerate food

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

Al

Incorrect if it is a kettle type- it works like an oven

[al_yrpal]

Hi Al, My take on "Barbeques" is that they are where you go to get your Barnett Clipped, which many of us no longer need to endure!
About as practical as "Soup In The Basket"! MM

I appreciate that many cant get good results with BBQs, others dont like them, and think they are pointless, but I do enjoy a BBQ, rarely get poor results and love being outside. To each their own...

Al

[661-Pete]

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

Sounds great - can you share the recipe please?

Sure! This originates from the Prashad book but we've amended it slightly. The main thing is the marinade, which you have to prepare some 12 hours in advance. This is enough for about six skewers.

• 125g natural yoghurt
• 2 green chillies chopped (or more - if liked!)
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• generous handful of coriander leaf chopped
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 100ml sunflower oil
• salt and pepper

Mix all these ingredients in a large bowl, and throw in the paneer or halloumi (we prefer paneer), about 400g cut into 2-3cm cubes, plus whatever other vegetables you want to thread on the skewers. We use slices of red and yellow peppers, courgette slices, mushrooms, and we finish off each skewer with half an echallion shallot - but it's up to you what you use. Stir everything well into the marinade so that it's all coated, cover the bowl and leave in the fridge for half a day. Then thread on the skewers and grill or barbecue until they just start to brown, spooning any remaining marinade over the skewers from time to time.

Serve with warm buttered Naan breads.

[LollyKat]

Mmmmm, sounds delicious! Many thanks.