***** Official 2014 BBQ Thread - Sun is out, time to grill!! *****

For veg:
Red onions sliced from the top to almost the bottom into quarters (so it is still in one piece, and you don't need to peel it just take the top bit off) then stuff butter and fresh rosemary into the slits, wrap tightly in double layers of foil and then put them directly in the coals while you grill the rest of your food.

After a while they go translucent and buttery and lovely. Just open the foil and squeeze out the inner parts
 
Last edited:
Baby plum tomatoes are always good. Kebab them up with some bell peppers or onion or halloumi or mushrooms or any veg really. Marinade in olive oil and lemon juice, garlic, salt, any combo of the usual suspects
Or put some cherry tomatoes in a loose foil parcel with some cubed feta, oil, rosemary or whatever, seal it up with room to spare so it can steam inside and grill for 15-20 minutes
 
Last edited:
Don't forget mushrooms on BBQ, big open cup field mushrooms, filled with garlic and butter.


Ribs are doing nicely. another 30mins or so I'll start the rice and beans, which takes about an hour.

 
Last edited:
Looking good Glaucus :) Tonight I'll be cooking a few rump steaks for me and my wife. Assembled my new Weber today but have a few problems with it. The courier has managed to dent the lid (I should have stopped him from leaving when I noticed the cut in the side of the box but I didn't sign for it at work and he was out the door before I saw the box) and the grill wobbles when it is in the base which is a bit of a shame. Riverside Garden Centre have been brilliant though. They've told me to use it anyway and they're getting Weber to send a new lid and base :) I'll definitely buy from them again :)
 
That sounds like good after-sales service to me - nice one.

Chicken is marinating for my Shish Tawook, I've prepped some veg skewers, I'm just about to mix up the dough for my sourdough flatbreads and I've made a bowl of Hummus. I'm having my neighbour/friend/cleaning lady round in a couple of hours for a feed and a few drinkies. Will probably fire up the Chimenea later for a bit of an al-fresco drinking session as well. Might even give the Shisha a bit of a clean as well.
 
Some nice choices in the butchers today so we have some minty lamb cutlets, garlic pork chop, beef and mustard sausages with some potatoes, asparagus, tender-leaf broccoli and courgette!

In the middle of cooking so will post some pics later
 
Just used my Weber for the first time. Lit the coals with a chimney starter and that was so easy. Didn't cook anything too ambitious, just some sausages, burgers, chicken and some haloumi cheese and peppers. All came out very nice and was impressed, will be using it more than my gas one I think.
 
Stan_Lite said:
That sounds like good after-sales service to me - nice one.

Chicken is marinating for my Shish Tawook, I've prepped some veg skewers, I'm just about to mix up the dough for my sourdough flatbreads and I've made a bowl of Hummus. I'm having my neighbour/friend/cleaning lady round in a couple of hours for a feed and a few drinkies. Will probably fire up the Chimenea later for a bit of an al-fresco drinking session as well. Might even give the Shisha a bit of a clean as well.
Click to expand...

Yeah I'm pretty impressed. I know the wobbly grill is a minor issue but it's the main part if the BBQ and after spending £200 on a Weber I would prefer one that doesn't wobble! There's actually a gap difference of about 4-5mm so the grid rocks rather than wobbles :) I am a little worried about how it'll go when taking the legs off. They were pretty damn difficult to get in the slots in the first place. Taking them out again and putting them in a new base is going to be tricky.

Sounds like you're in for some epic eating tonight Stan. What whisky are you gonna wash it all down with afterward?
 
zom247 said:
Just used my Weber for the first time. Lit the coals with a chimney starter and that was so easy. Didn't cook anything too ambitious, just some sausages, burgers, chicken and some haloumi cheese and peppers. All came out very nice and was impressed, will be using it more than my gas one I think.
Click to expand...

Gone are the days of dousing wood / charcoal in lighter fluid or indeed the proper bottles of BBQ fuel. Investing in a £20 chimney starter is so worth it! I can remember how my dad and my Uncle used or struggle to get the fire started when we had braai's back in SA. We even had this handheld fan thing that you'd use to try and encourage the flame!
 
CHokKA said:
Gone are the days of dousing wood / charcoal in lighter fluid or indeed the proper bottles of BBQ fuel. Investing in a £20 chimney starter is so worth it! I can remember how my dad and my Uncle used or struggle to get the fire started when we had braai's back in SA. We even had this handheld fan thing that you'd use to try and encourage the flame!
Click to expand...

You can get a chimney starter in Tesco for less than a tenner at the moment, it's a bargain! Did low and slow rib of beef last night, it was absolutely immense. Turned out similar to brisket/burnt ends.
 
One More Solo said:
You can get a chimney starter in Tesco for less than a tenner at the moment, it's a bargain! Did low and slow rib of beef last night, it was absolutely immense. Turned out similar to brisket/burnt ends.
Click to expand...

I would very much reccomend buying the more expensive weber chimney starter, I had been using a replica from b&q until recently and the weber is larger, much better built and has much better ventilation. Coals light in around half the time now.
 
Hi guys, I've been looking at one these the last few days to replace an asda kettle bbq jobbie;
http://www.wowbbq.co.uk/products/we...-thermometer-57cm-package-deal--1341504p.html

Is there anything better for the money? I know Weber's are good but don't really know what else is available.

I've had issues getting a good heat off the asda bbq, it's either the bbq or my lighting techniques. Would a Chimney Starter help me on this?
 
rhysduck said:
Hi guys, I've been looking at one these the last few days to replace an asda kettle bbq jobbie;
http://www.wowbbq.co.uk/products/we...-thermometer-57cm-package-deal--1341504p.html

Is there anything better for the money? I know Weber's are good but don't really know what else is available.

I've had issues getting a good heat off the asda bbq, it's either the bbq or my lighting techniques. Would a Chimney Starter help me on this?
Click to expand...


Weber's seem to be the bbq of choice on here, so I say you would be pretty set with that one. Add the chimney starter and you're good to go.
 
I'd definitely recommend buying your Weber from Riverside Garden Centre. Their after sales service has been fantastic and their free delivery was next day when I placed my order. I'd definitely add a chimney starter to that, but I'd also say that the package isn't really worth it as you probably already have the tongs and flipper and the tool holder is useful but not as necessary as a brush and a chimney starter. If you can stretch your budget a bit I'd also go with a Premium. Having known what I know now I wish I'd have gone with the better cleaning system. Now that I have my MasterTouch I'm happy but my old Weber Kettle would have benefitted from that so much :)

This is the bundle I'd get if it's within your budget:

www.riversidegardencentre.co.uk/bbq/weber-one-touch-premium-57cm-bundle-deal-4.html

Also, what charcoal are you using, and how do you position the coals? An even layer all the way around the base, or an equal amount of coals on each side for indirect cooking? Lack of heat when lit could be down to your fuel or it could be how you're placing your fuel, but I'd be more inclined to say the charcoal you're using might be causing the issue.
 
Last edited:
One More Solo said:
You can get a chimney starter in Tesco for less than a tenner at the moment, it's a bargain! Did low and slow rib of beef last night, it was absolutely immense. Turned out similar to brisket/burnt ends.
Click to expand...

I would be wary of something so cheap. The metal will likely be thin, and space for the airflow and charcoal limited due to the design of the base. I've got two lighters, a cheap one and then a Weber. The Weber never fails to provide me with good results and I have lit both at the same time (to make a really big hot fire) and the Weber was ready way faster than the cheaper one. I still keep the cheap one in case of an emergency but when you're talking about £16 vs £8 or £9, in this instance it really is worth paying the extra.
 
I got a cheaper one (£12) from B&Q, I think is call Bloomer? It was black but now rusty as hell. Not sure if the Weber rusts or not.

I also saw one in Waitrose today, looks like a Weber copy, same metal and everything. Anyway, this weekend being so glorious I got my kettle bbq out from the shed, kitted it out with a new cover, stocked up on coal and got some new flat skewers and went to town on the BBQ. Waitrose is doing those 3 for £10 BBQ meat deals. Got a rack of ribs, kebabs and pork kebabs for £10. Very good value and yummy to boot.
 
CHokKA said:
I would be wary of something so cheap. The metal will likely be thin, and space for the airflow and charcoal limited due to the design of the base. I've got two lighters, a cheap one and then a Weber. The Weber never fails to provide me with good results and I have lit both at the same time (to make a really big hot fire) and the Weber was ready way faster than the cheaper one. I still keep the cheap one in case of an emergency but when you're talking about £16 vs £8 or £9, in this instance it really is worth paying the extra.
Click to expand...

That's interesting. The cheapo Tesco one I have at the moment certainly lights less well than the previous one I had (which was also cheap but I can't remember the source, and probably less cheap). Perhaps I'll get a Weber replacement for this summer...
 
Raymond Lin said:
I got a cheaper one (£12) from B&Q, I think is call Bloomer? It was black but now rusty as hell. Not sure if the Weber rusts or not.
Click to expand...

I've got one too. It's called a Blooma. Works OK but I have a bit of trouble with the base where the charcoal sits coming away from the body and I have to keep pushing the tabs back through the slits in the body. I'm waiting for my local B&Q to get the Weber back in stock and I'll get one of them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom