Barbecue tips anybody?

I would just like to add my beans dish which most people like ...

To tins of baked beans add finely chopped onions and bacon bits (or finely chopped smoked bacon without the rind) along with some dashes of Worchesterhire Sauce and spoonfuls of brown sugar. Mix well and nuke for five minutes. Mix and cover and put in the fridge overnight. Nuke again just before required.

Another tip is that if you have a charcoal grill always have a spray water thingy handy .. should you get flame up, spray quickly to douse the flames and off you go again.

 

Don't the beans just run through the grill?

 

I've just taken a quick look at the link that you posted, and wonder how on earth they arrive at a figure of £200.00 for it.

I reckon that I could make one for free, with no real effort involved. I'll post up the finished product when I've done it.

Ref the BBQ. If you have children at the BBQ, try and get them fed and watered first to give yourself a peaceful time.
Also if using charcoal, don't start cooking too soon. It always seems as though people rush to start cooking. The whole BBQ and cooking process should be slow and relaxed, so wait until the you just have white coals before cooking.

Other than perhaps for feeding children, there is not really any reason to cook burgers and sausages. I have never understood the British requirement for either. It doesn't take any effort to prepare, kebabs, chops ribs, fish, etc. One item of food that always seems to get forgotten is the good old potatoe. Foil wrapped and cooked in garlic butter, they taste lovely. I also reckon that things like baps and rubber rolls are always a quick way to spoil food. There ar esome lovely breads out there to choose from that will enhance any eating pleasure, particuarly when dressed in oils or dressings.

My project for next year is to build a decent size bread/pizza oven. I can't wait.

 

I didn't say put the beans on the grill ...

 

Microwave?

 

Just had a look on bing maps, you are 397 miles away with an estimated journey time of nearly 8 hours don't think i'm going to make it, but cheers for the invite

 

Did I say drink?

 

Foodwise - stick some slices of lemon inside a cleaned trout, spread the outside with a generous helping of softened butter, a sprinkling of salt and some sprigs of parsley or dill, wrap the whole thing in tinfoil and cook for about 15 minutes. Delicious.

Otherwise, there are a few BBQ tips which I find invaluable ...

The first is .... why? Why set up a load of rickety tables and uncomfortable chairs? Why trundle loads of plates, cutlery and glasses outside? Why fight a losing battle to keep insects etc., off uncooked food? Why bring salads, dips, bread, desserts, etc. outside and then waste half a roll of cling-film just to keep the bugs off it all? Why risk breaking plates and glasses? Why fill your house with the smell of cooking when, because on the only decent day for months, you wanted the windows open at the same time as having this BBQ? Why subject your guests to bites from midges and mosquitoes or the inevitable flapping away of wasps? Why, when it's all over, make endless trips in and out to collect all the 'detritus', deciding whether to keep or throw away food that's been exposed to the elements, not to mention all the washing up? Why risk offering a free dinner to every passing fox because of the accidental dropping of sausages in the flower beds?

My top-tips for a BBQ are ...

Forget forking out for a BBQ you can use probably 4 times a year
If you must have one, cook everything indoors, lay it out buffet fashion, let people choose what they want then take any meat outside to be finished off on the BBQ, thus creating that 'authentic' burnt/smoky taste/appearance.

And the 'toppest' tips ...

Cover as much of your garden as you can with some sort of gazebo
Never invite more people than your house can comfortably accommodate - when it rains this saves all that trying to squash 50 people into a room which can really only hold 10.
Be prepared to be persona non grata with your neighbours (even though you've invited them) - not everyone enjoys smoke wafting into their houses, they'll quickly get fed up with the sound of that person who's had a bit too much to drink and thinks even a screwed-up napkin is hilariously funny and any vegetarians in the area will get really 'p'd' off at the smell of all that meat cooking.

If you really, really must give in to the desire for a BBQ - go to someone else's!

 

Eddie, having purchase our home in 1997, we finally had the bread oven removed four years ago to create a larger kitchen patio as we never used it.

 

Yes, but think I used the word 'nuke' ...

 

1. Lots of really good quality sausages.
2. Ooodles of good quality beers and lagers nicely chilled.
3. Two bottles of cheap white plonk for the ladies

 

Hi Clueless.
I always include kindling under the Charcoal the get a smoky flavour on the meat.
I also start with Belly Pork to get the heat going. (at least that's my excuse - OH doesn't like it so I can eat that whilst cooking the rest)
And don't forget the instruction to keep a cold tinnie next to the guy cooking the meat - he "needs" to be kept lubricated to maintain product quality.
Good luck with the weather next weekend.

 

The weather shouldn't be too much of a problem now, as I've ordered a cheap gazebo (£40 for a 10ft x 10ft one). Should keep the rain off if we get a shower, obviously not much good if we get a proper torrential downpour though.

I also nearly forked out about £20 plus P+P for some weights for the gazebo legs, to stop it blowing away, but then I stopped myself, figuring that being a bit tight, I could just part fill 4 heavy duty sacks, and tape them to the bottom of the gazebo legs. If it becomes a regular thing then I'll spend a bit more on a nicer arrangement.

 

I use a bag of stones to hold my beach shelter down, does the job.

 

I used to use four old go kart tyres filled with concrete that contained a wire loop/brick tie. You could do the same using some old flower pots and a bit of nylon rope set into the concrete. You would only need to buy one or two bags of the instant post mix instant concrete.