Jasmine Birtles
Your money-making expert. Financial journalist, TV and radio personality.
Have the best BBQ on the cheap!
Jasmine Birtles
15th May 2024
Who doesn’t love a good BBQ? There’s something wonderful about the taste of food cooked outside on an open fire of some sort.
Summer is a great time for a good BBQ wherever you are, and it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg of lamb to have a great party with good food…safely!
Here are our tips for great BBQs, good BBQ food and a safe and happy experienc
- Best BBQs for the garden or patio
- Best BBQs for picnics
- Have a BBQ indoors!
- Great Barbecue recipes
- Cooking tips from the BBQ experts
Best BBQs for the garden or patio
There are BBQs of every size and price available online and in the shops.
However, we have looked for well-priced, simple ones that anyone can use in their back garden or on the patio.
Smoker & Grill Barbecue
The Bar-be-quick smoker BBQ really is fantastic for any foody. With an RRP of £85 it is a reasonable, compact and flavourful all-rounder.
A Dual-level charcoal grill with heat indicator dial and front-hinged charcoal access door. This smoker BBQ offers huge flexibility as the unit cooks four ways -smokes/grills/steams & roasts. The two cooking grills and larger charcoal pan provide the facility to cater for larger numbers. Easily converts to a charcoal grill. This product is a great introduction to the popular American way of cooking.
Can also be converted to a small portable barbecue by taking away the top section. (Ideal for camping).
the tower health grill
One we are particularly impressed by is the Tower Health Grill from AO which is just £49.
It cooks up to ten portions at once, even though it’s pretty slimline, and the great part about it is that – given the state of our so-called ‘summers’ in Britain – if the weather isn’t kind you can use the top part on a kitchen work-top instead. That’s really handy!
Kettle grill from Wilko
You can’t say fairer than this: £15 for a basic kettle grill BBQ from Wilko.
It’s durable and has a handy shelf underneath for storage. It’s particularly handy for patios and small gardens as it fits into a small space.
Napoleon Kettle Grill
Another fabulous BBQ that looks good in the garden and is sturdy and long-lasting, is the Napoleon NK14 Chartcoal Grill, retailing at £79.99.
It’s good for a family BBQ as it has a large cooking area and a dual-section charcoal basket offering direct and indirect grilling.
The compact design is ideal for any size garden or patio and the lid really helps for that delicious BBQ, smokey flavour.
It has a 5-star review from users so give it a try.
BBQ Pizza Box
…and check this out – if you’re a pizza fanatic you will love the idea of the Charles Bentley BBQ Pizza Box.
What it does is cook pizzas on top of your BBQ. Like having your own outside mini-oven.
It costs £69 and enables you to cook pre-made or fresh pizzas as well as you could in your own oven (or possibly better).
Best BBQs for picnicss
It’s getting easier and easier to have your own bbq anywhere, anytime. You can get disposable ones (mostly a tray with a grill and some charcoal) from the supermarket. Or, go up a notch and get this complete bbq cooking system from Lakeland which also roasts, smokes and cooks, all for £133.50. It’s an amazing piece of kit that can smoke salmon, roast (and marinade) a joint and even cook pizza. Not just your bangers and burgers! It’s an investment item so worth getting if you like to cook and eat outdoors a lot.
Then of course there’s the good old favourite; the portable tray BBQ. These are totally brilliant, actually work and only cost a fiver. What’s not to like? You can get them in supermarkets and independent retailers The Bar-Be-Quick instant barbecue (standard size) retails for just £2 at ASDA. It’s a one-off BBQ and can only be used once but it’s a great addition to beach or country picnics where you would like something hot too!
The Napolean Portable Gas Grill is absolutely incredible. Retailing at £299 they are an investment but will work for both at home and on the road. Don’t be fooled by its size either – it proudly boasts fitting “20 hamburgers at once”. It is sturdy, compact and easy to use.
Have a bbq indoors!
Yes, that really is possible…and often preferable given our changeable weather.
Who knows if our summer will be an actual summer? At least with an indoor barbecue you know your sausages won’t be soggy!
Try the, very reasonable ProCook Reversible Griddle is a great tool to have in your kitchen all year round. it’s only £29 and will last you for decades.
It can be used on gas cookers, AGA/solid top cookers and BBQs (but not electric hobs). It’s also oven safe.
I’ve tried it and it’s great for doing my favourite thing – char-grilled vegetables!
bbq tips from the experts
heston blumenthal’s advice for perfect bbq’d steak
Here are the celebrity chef’s tips for cooking a great steak on the bbq. There are more bbq tips from him on the Everdure site.
1. Remove the steaks from the fridge and the packaging approximately 30 minutes prior to cooking. Allow to stand at room temperature.
2. Salt the meat generously. Don’t add any pepper at this point as it will burn.
3. Rub a little groundnut oil or grapeseed oil on the both sides of the steak.
4. Cook the steak, flipping it every 15 seconds. A 2cm steak will take about 2 minutes to reach medium-rare.
5. Towards the end of cooking, use a digital probe to monitor how close the meat is to readiness. Insert the probe from the side of the steak and ensure it reaches the centre of the thickest part of the flesh. Because of carryover cooking during resting time, the meat should be removed from the bbq, approximately 5 degrees before it reaches your desire temperature.
6. Cut the steak into slices if you want, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Resting the meat is very important after the cooking process. The time will depend on the size of the meat. For a steak, rest the meat for approximately 5 minutes before serving. It should be rested on a cooling rack on top of a tray. During this time, the fibres will relax was the residual heat continues to cook the steak.
Meat can also be cooked at low temperatures. It some cases, it helps the meat hold on to its juices. It’s also particularly efficient at breaking down the connective tissue that makes meat tough and chewy. So the low-temperature approach lets you take all sorts of neglected and underestimated cuts like brisket, skirt, tongue and cheeks and turn them into something very tender and delicious.
tips from BBQ don and fire expert phil wood of CONTURA
Bringing the BBQ out of hibernation
“Before you even consider firing up the BBQ, give it a good wash with hot soapy water, removing any remnants of last year’s grilling. You should clean the grill after every use, but a deep clean is ideal when bringing it out for the first time after winter.
“As with all outdoor cooking, you are lighting a fire, and need to ensure it’s done safely. Ensure your BBQ is placed on a non-combustible surface, positioned on a patio, gravel or paving slabs is a safe bet, rather than grass or astro turf. You also need to make sure dropped embers aren’t going to cause a fire hazard; most BBQs have a base to catch soot and anything that drops. A drip tray is also handy to catch fat and prevent it from sticking and burning.
What’s cooking?
“When marinating meat, just remember one golden rule – sugar or sugary liquids like barbecue sauce have no place in a marinade. The heat from the grill will cause the sugars to burn, creating an unpleasant charred crust and burnt flavour.
“For vegetarian guests, consider switching out your meat kebabs for a recipe that includes the nation’s favourite squeaky cheese – halloumi. Add crunchy peppers, mushrooms, onions and sweet cherry tomatoes to the skewers for a real crowd-pleaser. If you’re feeling especially adventurous, you can also toast flatbreads on the grill to serve with the kebabs.
Easy and cheap Barbecue Recipes
jerk baby back ribs
This rather delicious recipe is from Encona who produce hot sauces.
Ingredients
- 600-700g rack of pork ribs
- 6 tbsp Encona Jamaican Jerk BBQ Sauce
- 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
1) Marinate the ribs in 3 tbsp Encona Jamaican Jerk BBQ Sauce, pomegranate molasses, crushed garlic, salt and black pepper. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 3 hours.
2) Preheat your oven to 150 C / 130 C Fan / Gas 2. Place the ribs into a parcel of tin foil and add 100ml of water. Fold over the top of the foil to secure and place in a baking or roasting dish. Transfer to the oven and cook for 40 minutes.
3) Remove from the oven and take the ribs out the tin foil. Brush the ribs with the leftover Encona Jamaican Jerk BBQ sauce and place under a hot grill. Cook on each side for 5-10 minutes or until they are sticky, bubbling and golden.
Melt in the middle cheeseburger
(from kitchen retailers Andrew James)
Ingredients
- (For 5 Large Stuffed Burgers)
- For the burgers:
- 1kg lean beef mince
- 10 diced sundried tomatoes
- 1 slice of mozzarella per burger
- Salt and pepper
To serve:
- 5 Toasted bread buns
- Salad of your choice
- Condiments
Method
Pre-heat your grill or barbecue so it’s ready to go when you’re burger has been made.
Take a small amount of your beef mince and place it into your burger press (this smaller burger is going to help form a seal around your burger filling). Once pressed, set to one side.
Next, take a larger portion of mince, and place it into the press. This burger will be the base for your filling, so it needs to be quite thick!
Once you’ve pressed the mince, press the centre of the burger down so you create a dip in the centre of your mince.
Now, it’s time to get creative. We stuffed our burger with mozzarella and sundried tomatoes, but you could go with whatever you like! Jalapeños, feta, olives, onion and even cooked bacon make fantastic fillings!
After that, place your smaller burger on top and press the sides down and seal it so you don’t lose any of the filling, especially for when it goes on the BBQ.
Season both sides of your burger with salt and pepper, before popping them onto your pre-heated grill or BBQ.
If you like your burgers medium to well done, we suggest giving them up to 10 mins per side – remember, they’re pretty chunky burgers so need quite a while to cook through!
Serve them in a toasted bun with your favourite condiments and a bit of salad
…and for the veggies…
Homemade Vegan Pulled Jackfruit BBQ Sandwich with Coleslaw and Chips
BBQ don and fire expert Phil Wood, says “for vegetarian guests, consider switching out your meat kebabs for a recipe that includes the nation’s favourite squeaky cheese – halloumi. Add crunchy peppers, mushrooms, onions and sweet cherry tomatoes to the skewers for a real crowd-pleaser. If you’re feeling especially adventurous, you can also toast flatbreads on the grill to serve with the kebabs.”
And we have these rather fab recipes too…
Grilled Marinated Peppers
Ingredients:
- 2 red, yellow, green and orange peppers
For the marinade:
- 2 cloves of garlic
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Salt and pepper
- Freshly chopped thyme, rosemary, oregano
- 100ml of olive oil
Preparation:
Cut the peppers in half, remove seeds and white release skins, wash and pat dry. Cut the peppers into wide strips and place in a dish.
For the marinade, crush the garlic and stir in a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the freshly chopped herbs and lemon juice. Stir in olive oil and mix the whole thing with the peppers. Leave to marinate for a few hours before heating on the grill. Add additional coatings of the marinade for extra flavour!
bbq’d asparagus with gremolata
Ingredients
- 2 bundles British asparagus, trimmed
- Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
- Juice ½ lemon
- 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley very finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic crushed, plus 1 clove garlic whole
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
- 50g fresh breadcrumbs
- Rapeseed oil
Instructions
Coat the asparagus with a little oil, cook on the barbecue for 4-5 minutes turning until cooked through but still retaining some bite.
For the gremolata mix the lemon juice and zest with the flat leaf parsley and garlic and season with salt and pepper.
Heat some oil in a frying pan along with a clove of garlic. Add the breadcrumbs and cook until golden. Place breadcrumbs on some kitchen paper to remove excess oil, remove the garlic and season with salt and pepper.
Toss the asparagus through the gremolata and sprinkle over the bread crumbs before serving.
black bean burgers
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oils
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 jalepeno, diced
- 200 g kale, finely chopped
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 100 g cooked quinoa
- 100 g black beans, mashed
- 2 Tbsp sunflower seeds, ground
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Brown rice flour, as needed
Instructions
- Over a medium heat, sauté the onion, garlic, jalapeno and red pepper in a drizzle of oil until softened. Add the kale and cook until softened.
- Combine all the ingredients together to form a dough. Add brown rice flour as a binder if needed.
- Shape the dough into 6 burgers and lightly dust with brown rice flour.
- Cook on the BBQ until browned and crispy on both sides.
BBQ Asparagus with Gremolata
Ingredients
- 2 bundles British asparagus, trimmed
- Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
- Juice ½ lemon
- 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley very finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic crushed, plus 1 clove garlic whole
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
- 50g fresh breadcrumbs
- Rapeseed oil
What to do
Coat the asparagus with a little oil, cook on the barbecue for 4-5 minutes turning until cooked through but still retaining some bite.
For the gremolata mix the lemon juice and zest with the flat leaf parsley and garlic and season with salt and pepper.
Heat some oil in a frying pan along with a clove of garlic. Add the breadcrumbs and cook until golden. Place breadcrumbs on some kitchen paper to remove excess oil, remove the garlic and season with salt and pepper.
Toss the asparagus through the gremolata and sprinkle over the bread crumbs before serving.
What About Dessert?
For pudding, Choco-banana splits are a nice and easy. Just slice a banana lengthways, top with chocolate and nuts before wrapping in foil and grilling on the BBQ.
You could also bake apples. Wrap up cooking apples in individual foils, having taken out the core and stuffed them with dried fruit and golden syrup.
Or how about cake (not on the BBQ though!)? We have some great cake recipes here so check them out.
Got any tips of your own…or recipes? Tell us about them in the comments below 🙂
Some great ideas for BBQ’s.