Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

How do!

So needing to shake a thought loose during work, I decided to attack the Triffids infesting my garden. Having done so, and making good progress, thoughts inevitably turned to Barbecues - though almost certainly barbecues next summer.

Being a Brit, I of course have little to no practical knowledge of proper grilling. As in, offset smoker, low ‘n’ slow, bark and juice grilling. Naturally there’s a lot to be learned online, with YouTube being a particular font of knowledge.

But it all starts with Buying A Halfway Decent Grill. And here I’m afraid I am utterly, utterly clueless. See, in the U.K. our idea of a barbecue grill is….woeful. The following picture is not for the faint of heart, and Grotsnik Industries accepts no responsibility for eye vomit or apoplectic rage at such an insult to the Grill Gods.



Yes it is disposable. Yes the disposing should probably take place before use…

Now I’ve had a loose sniff around, and have found this one which looks the part, isn’t gas fired (heaven forefend. Sorry Hank Hill) and doesn’t seem overly expensive.

But as I don’t know my arse from my elbow, I’m hoping a Pit Boss can offer this Grill Grot their thoughts. After all, I suspect if my basic kit is up to snuff, that’s half the battle (the other half being knowing, and the other other half being cooking on it).

Any and all advice welcomed. And in case as I suspect it’s necessary information, I’m looking at cooking for up to 8 or so people at a time.

First question is, what do you plan to cook the most with it? High heat cooking ("grilling") like burgers, sausages, and steaks? Or low-n-slow cooking ("smoking") like slabs of ribs, whole or half chickens, pork butts, and briskets? Many cookers can do both, but some will have an easier time with one or the other.

Anyway, first recommendation for something affordable that can do it all will be the Weber Kettle, preferably the one with the removable ash pan at the bottom, like this one. And, ye gods, that is expensive on your side of the pond. Maybe try to find the best quality clone you can find. The Weber really is a classic for a reason. It can do it all, and there are lots of 3rd party accessories for it like the Vortex (very good idea to get) and even a pizza oven adaption. Best option if grilling is your primary use, or if you'll be 50/50 grilling/smoking.

Another one that can do really well is the Pit Barrel Cooker. Really good at smoking, and can still function as a grill, but not as good at grilling as a Weber. I did a lot of ribs and chickens in mine before I passed it on to the brother-in-law after getting by wood burning offset. The PBC can be a real "set-and-forget" cooker once you've got it set up right. But also looks to be very expensive on your side of the pond. This is a good option if smoking will be your primary use, but it can still be set up as a grill, just not as east to control grilling temps like a Weber.

Alternatively, if you've got the tools and the time to do it yourself, look into making your own Ugly Drum Smoker (UDS). Conversion kits and plans are easily found online, you just need a drum/barrel to get started. This one is for smoking.

There are certainly other options if you're going gas, pellets, or wood-fired, but you seem to be looking at charcoal.

Looking to do a bit of everything to be honest. Low & Slow I think is possibly showier and tastier. But, regular grilling is more flexible and possibly more a crowd pleaser.

The Weber isn’t too bad, especially if the build quality is solid. I’ve got a proper shed in the garden, so once covered and bunged in there it should weather the winter quite nicely.

I guess I want to be able to break out from Just Burgers And Sausages. Anything with a grill temp gauge is going to help!

Another good accessory is a chimney starter; you'll never need a bottle of lighter fluid again.
You can even use the chimney as a mini grill to sear a steak you've already precooked in a sous vide setup or low temperature oven (once you've gone reverse sear on a steak, you'll never go back).

Weber kettle clones are everywhere, and quality varies, so check reviews when possible.

Also, with charcoal, don't waste your money on gimmicks like self lighting or flavored charcoals. Kingsford is a solid brand, but I don't know if it's in the UK. Probably will just have to check reviews to find a good one.

The charcoal I most often see is briquettes, which are pressed into regular shapes. But the YouTube videos have actual charcoal.

Though I’m fairly sure the woods my friend’s Mum owns makes their own proper old fashioned charcoal after coppicing. Hmmmm…/

Briquettes are perfectly fine as long as they're not cheap crap. The other charcoal you're probably seeing is hardwood/lump charcoal. Also good as long as it's not cheap crap.

Which one you use is generally a matter of preference and cost.

You can get some canny decent grills for reasonable price in the UK. To be honest, anything is better than those disposable heaps.

As long as it has a lid and a shelf or two to keep things warm off the grill you will be grand.

Depends on how much you want to hoy at it but you can pick up a decent set for probably just over 50 quid.

This one from Argos is decent.

Honestly, if your goal is just to do burgers and brats and stuff, I'd go propane. It's a lot easier to control the temperature and get a feel for timing and the like. In particular, its a lot easier to learn to cook with indirect heat, which really keeps things juicy, particularly when grilling thicker cuts of steak or pork.

For grilling i found an instant read thermometer so valuable.

That is most certainly a good investment. We want to give our guests tasty numnums. Not a jelly botty!