Any keen barbecue-ers?

C

ChopperHarris

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Staines
Hi all, as the weather starts to change marginally for the better (at least compared to the February deluge) my thoughts are turning to barbecues. I've long fancied having a go at 'proper' barbecuing - something that offers more possibility than a simple hot-as-you-can grill. I'm wedded to charcoal, but am thinking of investing in a new grill to replace my disappointing current model.

First thoughts, as always, turn to the most expensive option possible and I'd love to spend £800 on a Kamado cooker but my good lady wife has sensibly reminded me that I've got the balance of a trip to the Isle of Wight to pay and has kyboshed that idea.

So, the most versatile next best option seems to be a good quality kettle BBQ, which I can use for either hot and fast cooking or low and slow as the mood takes me. It's the low and slow that I'm particularly interested in at the moment - I fancy smoking some large joints to replace the winter Sunday roasts.

Webers are pretty ubiquitous and I quite like the look of Outdoor Chef's range too. Napoleon do a fancy one with a cast iron grate, but I'm not sure if that's gimmickry.

Does anyone here do much barbecuing and have an opinion?
 
You can't go wrong with a Weber kettle and I've smoked some meats and fish in mine quite successfully but you should really opt something like a Weber smokey for large joints of meat otherwise you are constantly in attendance because temp stability isn't the best with it and that can be a pita.
 
I have no idea why I always want to go for something other than the most popular makes, but I always feel this need to discover an unknown gem - it's led to me owning all sorts of oddities over the years (especially Sat Navs) and I think is why I'm still considering things other than the Weber. I have a feeling that I should just accept that 99% of buyers can't all be wrong and go with the popular choice in this instance.

I didn't know about the temperature variations with the kettle, but it's a good point. I was hoping to have one device to do all things, but perhaps keeping my existing grill for searing and having a smoker for the big stuff would be a good idea.
 
Mine is out on a regular basis. Infact it will be going on in a couple of hours ;)

I have a Weber Go Anywhere http://www.weberbbq.co.uk/product/go-anywhere-charcoal/

Wings are marinating, corn on the cob has had a little pre boil, homemade potato salad and coleslaw in the fridge. Beer chilling ;)

The Go Anywhere suits my family requirements, we like our camping and general outdoors 'things' so it's either in the back of the car or out on the balcony.
 
ChopperHarris said:
Hi all, as the weather starts to change marginally for the better (at least compared to the February deluge) my thoughts are turning to barbecues. I've long fancied having a go at 'proper' barbecuing - something that offers more possibility than a simple hot-as-you-can grill. I'm wedded to charcoal, but am thinking of investing in a new grill to replace my disappointing current model.

First thoughts, as always, turn to the most expensive option possible and I'd love to spend £800 on a Kamado cooker but my good lady wife has sensibly reminded me that I've got the balance of a trip to the Isle of Wight to pay and has kyboshed that idea.

So, the most versatile next best option seems to be a good quality kettle BBQ, which I can use for either hot and fast cooking or low and slow as the mood takes me. It's the low and slow that I'm particularly interested in at the moment - I fancy smoking some large joints to replace the winter Sunday roasts.

Webers are pretty ubiquitous and I quite like the look of Outdoor Chef's range too. Napoleon do a fancy one with a cast iron grate, but I'm not sure if that's gimmickry.

Does anyone here do much barbecuing and have an opinion?
Click to expand...


A webber kettle is all you need, love mine

And gas barbecues are so wrong

Tip from the top, boil your sausages and unseasoned chicken pieces for a few minutes before putting them on
 
jaycey said:
The Go Anywhere suits my family requirements, we like our camping and general outdoors 'things' so it's either in the back of the car or out on the balcony.
Click to expand...

That looks a nice bit of kit. I've got a Cobb to satisfy the on the go requirements - mine is lighting at the moment, ready for the chicken legs that I've prepared with a rub. That said, it's more of a charcoal oven than a BBQ - the drippings are diverted away from the coals so I have to rely on a smoke pot to get a bit of smokiness.

Al H said:
A webber kettle is all you need, love mine

And gas barbecues are so wrong

Tip from the top, boil your sausages and unseasoned chicken pieces for a few minutes before putting them on
Click to expand...

How do you use the kettle? Have you bothered arranging the coals to provide direct and indirect cooking areas, etc? Just wondering how well that works in practise.

Completely agree about the gas - my Dad's a major gas fanatic, but it's more or less the same as cooking in the oven. Not sure I'll ever boil sausages though :D
 
A trip to the local skip provided me with the grilles from a gas BBQ. Those cast iron jobbies. I got a flat plate as well that's on a slope.

Off to the welders and he made a stand like a big trivet. This sits on top of a tray on legs. Good fire going with wood or charcoal.

I've tried a few of the bought ones and they just seem to die eventually.

Home made charcoal and sirloin steak.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
ChopperHarris said:
jaycey said:
The Go Anywhere suits my family requirements, we like our camping and general outdoors 'things' so it's either in the back of the car or out on the balcony.
Click to expand...

That looks a nice bit of kit. I've got a Cobb to satisfy the on the go requirements - mine is lighting at the moment, ready for the chicken legs that I've prepared with a rub. That said, it's more of a charcoal oven than a BBQ - the drippings are diverted away from the coals so I have to rely on a smoke pot to get a bit of smokiness.

Al H said:
A webber kettle is all you need, love mine

And gas barbecues are so wrong

Tip from the top, boil your sausages and unseasoned chicken pieces for a few minutes before putting them on
Click to expand...

How do you use the kettle? Have you bothered arranging the coals to provide direct and indirect cooking areas, etc? Just wondering how well that works in practise.

Completely agree about the gas - my Dad's a major gas fanatic, but it's more or less the same as cooking in the oven. Not sure I'll ever boil sausages though :D
Click to expand...

Mines not big enough for separate areas but if most coal is in middle the sides can just warm
 
There is nothing sophisticated about a Weber kettle, it just happens to be made with a gauge of steel no one in Europe dare use anymore so it'll last but it does have very sensitive albeit crude system of control air vents so you can get it as low as you like. Use it how you like, sear with direct heat then finish indirectly, open top or closed depended but there are a number of ways of doing it plus there are loads of accessories.
 
The gadgets are a temptation (more so if you go for the gourmet grill system with the fancy inserts) but the main thing is that my current kettle barbecue shows how it's possible to get things wrong - and highlights the risks of buying things unseen. Mine's an outback Cookdome and the grill is deep-set into the bowl and so rests no more than a couple of centimetres above the coals meaning that everything gets seared, whether you want it or not. I guess that is the main advantage of a Weber - I've got at least 3 local garden centres I can go and have a nosy at it before buying.
 
Go for the Weber Kettle mate you will not regret it, I have the Go Anywhere which I started with and still use for quickly doing steaks or burgers etc ; and out & about. I also have the Weber Performer which is superb being so versatile, I direct & indirect BBQ and have a rotisserie for it and also smoke meat,vegetables,cheese,fish,etc! I use these BBQ's through-out the year what ever the weather, have BBQ'd on Boxing Day filet of beef traditional Columbian style salt encrusted lomo!:icon_razz:
P.S The BBQ Bible is super info source.
 
I am building mine out of brick this summer!

Could have got some free, but ended up paying £25 for 100 all the same type/colour so it'll look a tiny bit nicer.
Bought the grill and stuff from Amazon last summer but never got round to building it.
 
I have a small and big Weber kettle.
Just get the big one with ash bucket below, so easy to clean up after and the grill has plenty of space for direct and indirect heating. If you can afford it get the one with trolley, and table built around the kettle.
Wings, ribs and even simple sausages are so juicey on it, I won't eat sausages cooked inside now.
No doubt other kettles are good, but the Weber design seems to cook well and they are well made. I still miss seeing the food cooking and flames ( I know there should not be flames), but lid on cooking makes for better food.
 
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