What could be better on a summer’s day than a barbeque in your gorgeous garden with friends and family? But which barbeque to choose – there are so many on the market these days. Do you prefer gas or charcoal? How often will the barbeque be used? How many people will you be cooking for? Let’s try and help you choose!
Charcoal BBQ
A charcoal barbeque gives that authentic char grilled flavour and appearance to the food. Once the charcoals are lit in the base of the barbeque, you can leave them for about 40 minutes to heat up to an even temperature while you prepare the rest of the meal. During cooking the heat can be adjusted by moving the grill higher or lower.
Kettles
Kettle barbeques have a lid which gives more flexibility for cooking larger pieces of meat by containing the heat inside the covered barbeque, giving a longer cooking period and a really intense char grilled flavour.
Gas Fired
Gas fired barbeques obviously have the advantage of instant heat once lit. They often also feature several gas burners giving you more choice for cooking different types of food.
For serious barbeque chefs or if you regularly cook for a lot of guests, some of the larger ones can also feature a solid cooking plate as well as a grill,warming racks, even a rotisserie or a wok burner, storage and utensil hooks. You may never use your own kitchen in the summer!
What Grill
It’s also worth considering the type of grill to cook on:
- Stainless steel grills are light and easy to clean.
- Cast iron, although heavier, will retain the heat extremely well.
- Porcelain enamel coated grills transfer heat efficiently and won’t rust.
Safety Tips
A few safety tips to observe:
- Always use the correct fuel for lighting the barbeque.
- Don’t cook beneath trees or close to fences.
- Keep firelighters, fuel and matches away from the lit barbeque.
- Leave the barbeque to cool completely before moving.
BBQ Care
So whichever type of barbeque you go for, make sure it will look good and last for years by cleaning it after every use and keeping it covered when not in use. At the end of the season make sure it’s well protected from extremes of weather by bringing into the garage or shed if possible.
