Spec me a BBQ!

godinman · 7 Jun 2012 at 10:27

Skidder said:
I get it, you know nothing about cooking and particularly barbecueing, but you're alpha grrrr

Are you on your period? I was being light-hearted, cheer up!

edit - And for the record, I am a perfectly good cook, as evidenced by my awesome barbecues, regardless of having no lid!

dirtychinchilla · 7 Jun 2012 at 10:29

Mark A said:
We have been through loads of cheap BBQs over the years and I was thinking of paying the extra and getting a Weber so we can just leave it outside and forget about it and it should last.

Our Outback bbq just has a cover. The bbq is about 10 years old, cover basically perished, so we just ordered a new one. The bbq is perfect underneath.

FutileBreadMachine · 7 Jun 2012 at 10:29

So are the ones with lids better since they keep the smoke in and make the meat taste more BBQ'd?

[FnG]magnolia · 7 Jun 2012 at 10:31

Gas with lid + nice weather = the bomb

anything I don't mind · 7 Jun 2012 at 10:36

http://www.diy.com/nav/garden/outdo...alf-Barrel-Charcoal-Trolley-Barbecue-12077580

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Garden-Pati..._1_6?s=outdoors&ie=UTF8&qid=1339061738&sr=1-6

height adjustable grill
dual grill
shelf on the side
wheels

Skidder · 7 Jun 2012 at 10:37

godinman said:
Are you on your period? I was being light-hearted, cheer up!

edit - And for the record, I am a perfectly good cook, as evidenced by my awesome barbecues, regardless of having no lid!

I think it's you who need to rush to the chemist before your undercrackers look like a butcher's bin, I was joking.

anything I don't mind · 7 Jun 2012 at 10:42

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Portable-Ch..._68?s=outdoors&ie=UTF8&qid=1339062081&sr=1-68

This one is cheap. You need the tray on the side for your beer.

can't tell from the pictures but what you realy need in those half drum braai is that the coal area be not divided up so you can move coal around between the grills. ie you don't want to make two fires.

Sonea Fifer · 7 Jun 2012 at 10:45

OP we've got the second one you linked (the webber) and to be quite honest it isn't too bad however, I'm not sure it's really worth all the money we spent on it. It just seems so flimsy, the ash catching tray underneath is useless if there's any wind and the air intakes underneath will quickly rust solid. Granted both these faults can easily be resolved with an old sweetie (Roses / Quality Street) tin, a bit of WD40 and some elbow grease and the fact it comes with a ten year guarantee is also a plus.

If I were in the market for buying another bbq again though I'd probably opt for the oil drum type though.

godinman · 7 Jun 2012 at 10:47

Skidder said:
I think it's you who need to rush to the chemist before your undercrackers look like a butcher's bin, I was joking.

I don't believe you.

[insert GD oneupmanship line here]

TwsT · 7 Jun 2012 at 10:48

LateX'Dog said:
Sadly i live in a rented property, so building a brick BBQ is out of the question

Not at all. You don't have to cement it in. You just need some sand to put 2/3 paving slabs down level and you can dry build it in the corner of your garden.

Our family BBQ which I've helped rebuild 3 times has never blown over or fallen down. My parents just like moving haha.

When you move you can take it with you it's not as many bricks as you would think when you take it back down.

Mark A · 7 Jun 2012 at 10:49

Hmm, probably best to get a cheap one then. From the last thread it seemed like the Weber was completely rust proof and lasted forever. I think I'll go for that Argos barrel one.

LateX'Dog · 7 Jun 2012 at 10:49

RationalGaze said:
So are the ones with lids better since they keep the smoke in and make the meat taste more BBQ'd?

Well the lids are apparently very important for getting a good smoky flavour and for better cooking of things on the bone / full joints.

Skidder · 7 Jun 2012 at 10:52

godinman said:
Are you on your period? I was being light-hearted, cheer up!

edit - And for the record, I am a perfectly good cook, as evidenced by my awesome barbecues, regardless of having no lid!

LateX'Dog said:
Well the lids are apparently very important for getting a good smoky flavour and for better cooking of things on the bone / full joints.

smoke is a small part of it, but the lids create convection and cook more evenly and more quickly, with greater control over temperature, try cooking a 4 bone rib of beef, a turkey, or multiple chickens on an open bbq

anything I don't mind · 7 Jun 2012 at 10:53

Yea you just need to use that right coal that retains the heat long enough if you are cooking ribs or a whole animal. You can't use some cheapo brigett that go cold after 30 mins and expect to cook a whole animal on it. You need to have a coal fire going for at least an hour before you even put the meat on. I don't like using those weber and lids. I have one myself and i will not use the lid.

In sa using wood we used to have a fire going for over 4-6 hours before we even put meat on

Kimi · 7 Jun 2012 at 10:56

Weber 57, is all you need, ever

ShadowMan · 7 Jun 2012 at 10:59

I bought a Jamie Oliver Drum BBQ from Homebase last year. Absolutely huge and great for doing big gatherings.

http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wc...ay?langId=110&storeId=10151&partNumber=850131

Only difficult thing so far is finding a cover for it but I have managed to get it in the shed over winter and it lives on the patio in summer.

Biggest downside is that if you use all 3 cooking zones it does tend to use a lot of charcoal to get going. Full fill is between 6 and 10Kg.

Greg0986 · 7 Jun 2012 at 11:02

Poundstretcher. Kettle BBQ. £20. Sorted

.

LateX'Dog · 7 Jun 2012 at 11:09

ShadowMan said:
I bought a Jamie Oliver Drum BBQ from Homebase last year. Absolutely huge and great for doing big gatherings.

http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wc...ay?langId=110&storeId=10151&partNumber=850131

Only difficult thing so far is finding a cover for it but I have managed to get it in the shed over winter and it lives on the patio in summer.

Biggest downside is that if you use all 3 cooking zones it does tend to use a lot of charcoal to get going. Full fill is between 6 and 10Kg.

Hmmm if only that came with a lid.

Skidder · 7 Jun 2012 at 11:24

groen said:
Yea you just need to use that right coal that retains the heat long enough if you are cooking ribs or a whole animal. You can't use some cheapo brigett that go cold after 30 mins and expect to cook a whole animal on it. You need to have a coal fire going for at least an hour before you even put the meat on. I don't like using those weber and lids. I have one myself and i will not use the lid.

In sa using wood we used to have a fire going for over 4-6 hours before we even put meat on

I use only good quality briquettes. I know you can roast anything on a regular bbq but the positives of a lid (in terms of retaining succulence of the meat etc.) are very well documented. You are wrong not to use yours, but do what you please

I switched to weber kettles in about 97 when I moved to the US and there is no going back

(I know there is no point arguing about braais with south africans since blablablabla you're best etc.)

Deadlydel · 7 Jun 2012 at 11:25

LateX'Dog said:
So i'm holding a BBQ for about 20 people and i don't own a BBQ. I don't want to go out and buy a massive £600 BBQ when a £100 one will be fine.

I'm after a charcoal one, not gas.

Been looking at these:

These 2 are my favourite at the moment.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Outback-Omega-200-Charcoal-Barbecue/dp/tech-data/B001U0NYMU

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Weber-57cm-One-Touch-Original-BBQ/dp/B003B2SE3E

Also has anyone used these and/or think they are worth it?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Apple-Wood-Barbecue-Smoking-Chips/dp/B004IQLLPA

Thanks.

That weber one looks the same but maybe a bit bigger than the one i bought from tesco last week.

done a quick search and here it is.

http://www.tesco.com/direct/tesco-kettle-charcoal-bbq/205-5792.prd?skuId=205-5792&pageLevel=