Posts tagged "Charcoal Barbecue"

How to Buy a Gas BBQ

If convenience is a major factor, a gas barbecue is the best choice. If you like to get home from work and dine al fresco in the evening, a gas BBQ is ready at the flick of a switch. But you will sacrifice some of that authentic smoky flavour. However, if you only tend to barbie at weekends, when you have plenty of time to get the fire started, and wait for the coals to be ready, a charcoal barbie is the one to choose.

Firstly, you need to consider the type of BBQ you want. There are two main options to choose from charcoal or gas:

The Charcoal BBQ - The charcoal barbecue provides that unique charcoal BBQ taste to food which many people love. However to achieve this tantalising taste involves a lot of work. first you have to layer the charcoal correctly to ensure it'll burn uniformly and cook the food evenly. The next challenge is to actually get the BBQ lit, which is often a real challenge if there's the slightest of breezes. once lit, it's a case of fanning the flames and obtaining the correct cooking temperature to ensure food is cooked all the way though - after all you don't want to give your friends and family food poisoning.

The Stainless Steel Gas BBQ - for those who are looking for a simpler and less time-consuming method of outdoor cooking, there is the stainless steel Gas BBQ. The main advantages of gas over charcoal are that the barbecue is easier to light and offers a more consistent and controllable way of cooking which gives you more time to enjoy with family and friends. plus by buying a gas BBQ, you aren't necessarily sacrificing flavour. The renowned barbecue flavour is achieved by the meat residues dripping into the flames and then vaporizing on the cooking food.

After choosing the type of barbecue to meet your needs, you need to consider the size of barbecue you will need. The first thing to consider is what type of foods you will be cooking on a regular basis. for example if you are looking to regularly have a traditional family BBQ for four people, you are most likely going to want to cook burgers and sausages and maybe also toast marshmallows for dessert. However if you enjoy entertaining and will be regularly holding large alfresco dinner parties, you may be looking to cook slightly more adventurous food such as joints of meat and fish, followed by banana splits for dessert.

The size of a stainless steel BBQ can be determined in two specific ways - the grilling area and the number of burners. Generally barbecue retailers in the UK sell gas BBQs based on the number of burners they have for example 3 burner, 4 burner or 5 burner. Generally the more burners a BBQ has, the bigger it is. However some manufacturers put the burners very close together making the BBQ smaller in size. your therefore need to also consider the grilling area which is the actual space available for cooking your food.

What type of accessories are available for the BBQ you choose is also important when looking to purchase one. Generally on a charcoal BBQ, the only accessories available from the manufacturer are possibly different shapes of grill. However for a stainless steel gas BBQ, accessories include rotisseries for large joints of meat, racks for chickens, grill baskets for cooking fish or vegetables and special grill holders for corn on the cob.

Another consideration when choosing a barbecue is how durable it is. although many people tend to store their BBQs in the shed or garage during the winter, it is often not practical to keep getting the BBQ out and putting it away every time you use it - especially in the height of summer. You can therefore expect your BBQ to be exposed to the elements at some point. The most durable material for your BBQ to be made from is Stainless Steel as it is less likely to rust and is also reasonably lightweight for when you are moving it to and from its storage area. You can also buy covers for most makes of barbecue which offers further protection.

You also need to consider the practicalities of looking after your BBQ and one of these factors is cleaning it. with traditional charcoal BBQs you have to wait for the charcoal to cool down and then dispose of it, before you can actually clean it, by which time, the meat residues will have also cooled and will be stuck firmly to the grill. The advantage of a stainless steel gas BBQ is that it can be cleaned straight after it has been turned off. This makes it much easier to clean as the meat residues are still warm making them easier to remove.

There are many types, brands and sizes of barbecue on the market in the UK today and it's possible to find a suitable option no matter how big or small your budget.

Five Benefits of Gas BBQ Grills

When we were first married, we lived out in the country and had a basic charcoal barbecue grill. But when we moved and returned to school, we were living in town, and disposing of the ash became more of an issue. our grill was getting a bit old anyhow, so we decided to take a look at gas BBQ grills. It was spring time, so there were a lot of BBQ's available. being students, our budget was important to consider, so we ended up purchasing a basic gas BBQ grill from a large, discount store. It was a large, double sided grill (we had four kids) and cost just under $300.

Of all the gas BBQ grills that we looked at, we were quite happy with our purchase. We primarily used just one side unless we had company. We used it regularly, but not all the time, and we were quite pleased with how it worked. Here are some of the benefits that I really enjoy in a gas barbecue grill.

1. They are easy to light. you do not have to stack up a bunch of coals, squirt on the lighter and light it up. once lit, you do not have to constantly monitor it until the coals turn white. you just have to turn on the gas, turn a knob and push a button. very simple, even our responsible kids can easily light the grill.
2. Gas lasts a long time. We use our gas grill regularly during the summer, meaning about 2 time a week. our cylinder will last 1 to 2 years. when it runs out, it is rather inconvenient, but it doesn't happen often. Whereas, with briquets, you have to purchase them multiple times during the summer, and you always have to make sure that you have some on hand if you have a big BBQ gathering coming up.
3. Gas BBQ grills cost effective, which is evidenced by the above fact that the gas lasts a long time. Filling a tank every year or two comes out to $20 - $35 a tank, depending upon where you fill or exchange it. This is just a guess, but it would probably cost 10 times that amount to buy the briquets to enjoy the same amount of cook outs.
4. You do not have to wait very long before you start grilling. once you light up the grill, you can be cooking within a few minutes. This is much quicker than briquets, which usually takes anywhere from 15 - 30 minutes to turn white before they are hot enough to cook anything. sometimes this can be really inconvenient.
5. It is easy to regulate to heat. with coals, the heat is regulated by the amount of coals that are used, and how close the rack is that holds the coals in relation to what you are grilling. These factors usually have to be determined before you start grilling because it is difficult to impossible to adjust once you get going. But, with gas BBQ grills, the flame height can easily be adjusted with the turn of a knob, a higher flame to make the grill hotter, or lower to reduce the heat. This also allows for more accurate grilling.

These are just some of the benefits of gas BBQ grills, I am sure that there are more. So, if you are in the market for a new grill, and are not sure what type you want, make sure to check out the many gas BBQ grills on the market today.

The Built In Barbecue