BBQ Barbeque buyers Guide

by editor@text4price.com @ 29 April 2006 - 12:23:15

Buying a barbeque

BBQ Barbeque buyers Guide

As I write, Spring is in the air, summertime isn’t too far away and before you know it, we’ll all be out in the garden burning sausages and gnawing at semi raw, charcoal black chicken legs.

Yes, the barbeque season is here again and if you haven’t got a barbeque yet, here’s a few tips to help you buy one that’s right for you.

The first thing to consider is size. How big will you need your barbeque to be? Is it something you’ll use for occasional meals with one or two guests or will you catering for large parties? Where will you store it? If you haven’t got a garden shed, you’ll need to protect it and an expensive barbeque should be well looked after – it could last for years.

The next factor is budget and fuel source. There are two main types of Barbie – charcoal fuelled and gas fired. The former is authentic, cheaper, occasionally problematic but worth persevering with if you like the unique taste of charcoal grilled food. The latter is less authentic, less messy, more expensive and better for large barbies - the gas will typically come from a portable gas cylinder.

You can get electric barbeques too but they’re really only for indoor cooking – what’s the point?

Now there’s the issue of what functions you want. At its simplest, a barbeque is a container with air vents in the base and a grill over the top – that’s it. But, if you’re out to impress, you can go much further and almost replicate the kind of functionality you’d get with a high specification kitchen oven and hob – warming surfaces, rotisseries, chrome plated bodies, stainless grills, cast iron grills, prep surfaces and every variation of fork and tongs you can imagine. Stainless grills are worth the investment, if you can afford one. They’ll last for years, are easy to clean and look great too.

If you’ve never used a barbeque before, remember that charcoal generally takes a long time to reach the white hot point at which cooking should commence – usually about 40 minutes. Don’t be tempted to throw your food onto a flaming pile of newly lit coals – you’ll get blackened uncooked food and may poison yourself and your guests. Like most things, the best barbeques take time to cook – your food will be tasty, tender and moist.

If convenience is your priority, gas grills are the thing. They light at the press of a button and you won’t get covered in charcoal dust.

If you'll only be cooking occasionally, and on a small scale, you might want to consider disposable barbecues – these are foil trays with their own charcoal and lighter paper but they’re not exactly eco-friendly. They’re easy to light, and will burn long enough to cook a proper meal. They’re the only option for picnics but please follow the country code and dispose of your used barbeque in a bin or take it home.

Your barbeque should be tough enough to withstand the great British summer, not to mention the winter! It should have corrosion resistant paint and fittings and a cover will help keep things dry too – in fact, many professionals cover their barbeques when cooking to intensify the smokiness of the flavour.

In a recent Which survey, the European Outdoor Chef 480 Classic Charcoal cooker at £150 scored well. The Ellips Barbecook at £220 was highly rated too, albeit its unique lighting system proved less than 100% reliable. The Brinkman Smoke 'n' Pit Pitmaster at £180 was another popular model.

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Filed under: Barbecues

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