New BBQ time

[Tan]

Hi

I need to buy a new BBQ, after much debate we have settled on charcoal rather than gas, mainly for the authentic chargrilled taste... though I did say that I am perfectly skilled in burning food on either type.

I have heard a fair number of people mention Weber BBQ's, are these good or are there better? I want a largish BBQ and will spend up to £200.

Many thanks in advance for your help and advice.

Tan

 

[swannymere]

Weber make very good BBQ's and are a favourite with the garden centre crowd.
Have to say i would seriously look at a gas BBQ as it makes life so much easier, and the flavour is almost as good as charcoal. We've cooked everyday for the past 10 days on our gas BBQ, if it had been charcoal i probably wouldn't have bothered.

 

[PXW]

Have had both Weber charcoal and a gas range BBQ. I use the gas one for convenience, but the weber is excellent - mine is now about 15 years old and still going strong. The big advantage is that the very large lid enables you to cook food properly and easily by containing heat and stopping flare-ups. If you also pick up one of their chimney lighter thingies, lighting the charcoal is also no problem and very fast.

 

[trapperjohn]

I got gifted a gas one. I re-gifted it PDQ. Too much cleaning up to do after. Back to burning stuff over charcoal on an irregular basis.

 

[Charles Morgan]

I have a Weber, still going well after 8 years outside. I think the range has moved on as mine doesn''t have a closed ash receptacle, which is essential. My only issues with it are its size - you need to burn a lot of charcoal to cook small quantities, exacerbated by the fixed height of the grill itself, and the fact topping up the charcoal is difficult to do easily because of a lack of side access. I can't recommend an alternative as I haven't tried any, but my uncle built a charcoal grill outside out of bricks, with height adjustable grill, and an open charcoal pan, which made handling and topping up the coals very easy. My American friends rave about the Big Green Egg and some have smokers big enough for whole sheep or piggies, but I can't track down a UK link for those.

 

[Mr E]

We have both - mainly using the gas now with the flat plate while grilling with the charcoal.

Also remember that direct grilling is only part - heat one side, food on the other, shut the lid, enjoy fabulous roast chicken, fish, etc.

 

[Shude]

My GF has a Brinkmann charcoal BBQ which came from costco a few years ago. It's great!

Brinkmann

I keep meaning to pick up a new cover for it as the original was damaged during one of our many house moves over the last couple of years. Other than a couple of surface rust patches it's really solid.

 

[camerafodder]

In summer we regularly roast a whole chicken on our charcoal BBQ with the lid on. Fantastic. Its a copy of a Weber in spun stainless steel. Never seen another one since we bought this one years ago in homebase.

 

[brucemillar]

+1 For the Charcoal Weber.

Tip of the year from the Chris Evans show. Put your charcoal on one side of the barbeque. That way you can delay the cremation of your nosh and not incinerate your hands, eyebrows, pubic hair etc as you try to reach over the thermo-nuclear charcoal.

 

[camerafodder]

+That way you can delay the cremation of your nosh and not incinerate your hands, eyebrows, pubic hair etc

just what sort of BBQ's do you have Bruce?

 

[MD5]

Weber are a good American brand, and much cheaper over there. Agreed about the convenience of a gas barby, but I like this one...

 

[crockers]

Just bought a Weber Gas BBQ - its great and the food tastes good too. Also it folds away so if needs be can go in the boot to take to a BBQ.

 

[Palfrem]

I use a builders wheelbarrow.

It is very cheap, portable, has a large cooking area and a hot and cool end due to the slope of the barrow.

Rest a tile over the wheel to protect the rubber tyre.

 

[brucemillar]

Weber Gas BBQ - its great and the food tastes good too.


Well if the food is tasting good you are doing something very wrong and need to stop it immediately. The whole point of a UK barbeque is to destroy any semblance of flavour that the food may have had. In some instances this is achieved by just not really bothering to cook the food at all, leaving frozen centers in sausages etc. Alternatively start drinking long before you set light to pre-loaded gallon of lighter fuel you have emptied into the bottom of your Weber. Admire the speed that your family pets vacate your garden with smoke and flames trailing in their wake.

This time of year the skyline of Kent looks like armageddon has arrived. Mushroom clouds of ignited BBQ fuel shooting upwards all over the place. I should think foreigners arriving in our air space must think it's anti aircraft fire.

So gas is cheating and depriving your guests of a great laugh.

 

[snoop51]

+1 For the Charcoal Weber.

Tip of the year from the Chris Evans show. Put your charcoal on one side of the barbeque. That way you can delay the cremation of your nosh and not incinerate your hands, eyebrows, pubic hair etc as you try to reach over the thermo-nuclear charcoal.

What he said. "Beer can chicken" is the nuts:bannana: you can't do that on a gas BBQ. I had gas until last year & I wouldn't go back now, if I want to grill things with gas that's what the kitchen grill is for.

 

[Beetnik]

Hi

I need to buy a new BBQ, after much debate we have settled on charcoal rather than gas, mainly for the authentic chargrilled taste... though I did say that I am perfectly skilled in burning food on either type.

I have heard a fair number of people mention Weber BBQ's, are these good or are there better? I want a largish BBQ and will spend up to £200.

Many thanks in advance for your help and advice.

Tan

The 'authentic chargrilled taste' comes mostly from drips from the food hitting the hot surfaces below - not from the fuel. The drips are mostly water, fat, protein and whatever you have added, such as marinade or honey in barbecue sauce. When drips hit the heat source they vaporize and some of that condenses on the meat and some penetrates into the meat. Most gas grills cover the flame jets with metal plates, lava rock, or ceramic rocks that absorb the heat and radiate it. Drips hit these radiant surfaces where they are vaporized, making smoke and steam, just like charcoal.

 

[snoop51]

The 'authentic chargrilled taste' comes mostly from drips from the food hitting the hot surfaces below - not from the fuel. The drips are mostly water, fat, protein and whatever you have added, such as marinade or honey in barbecue sauce. When drips hit the heat source they vaporize and some of that condenses on the meat and some penetrates into the meat. Most gas grills cover the flame jets with metal plates, lava rock, or ceramic rocks that absorb the heat and radiate it. Drips hit these radiant surfaces where they are vaporized, making smoke and steam, just like charcoal.

All very true but there's just something about setting fire to charcoal that beats gas any day of the week. Especially if you have the chimney charcoal starter which makes it quicker

 

[Beetnik]

^^caveman^^

 

[renault12ts]

I cooked two beef burgers one day last week...10 minutes all in...gas of course.

 

[Charles Morgan]

You had 10 minutes without rain in Northern Ireland. Wow....