Charcoal Barbecue : Garden Barbecue

What is a backyard without a garden barbecue?  While many people opt for the more expensive bbq gas grillers, many homeowners opt for the traditional charcoal bbq grill for their weekend garden barbecues.

There are three top of the line products to consider.

The gas griller is a very convenient unit but what’s the point of grilling outside if you are going to use gas? You might as well fire up your Maytag indoor oven. The results will be pretty much the same. In order to get the well loved char-grilled taste that we all know, then you have to use a charcoal bbq grill.

The Weber Company is well known for making outstanding garden barbecues. This is why the Weber One-Touch Silver comes on the top of my list of personal favourites. Actually, this is the charcoal bbq grill that I use every weekend at my own home. I’ll tell you why.

The Weber charcoal bbq grill is built to stand the test of time. I’m not always very nice to my outdoor barbecue equipment. Just ask my lawnmower. This outdoor grill is
designed to take punishment and it is designed to be user-friendly, too. Even though it’s simple to use, I really don’t like to share this charcoal bbq grill with
other cooks.

The optional rotisserie kit is a must for the serious charcoal king. Make sure that you add this to your shopping list because you can make some amazing meals with this rotisserie and it won’t take much effort. When it comes to the charcoal bbq grill, the Weber stands out among the rest.

The Weber is great for me but I know that some people might opt for something different. I also had my eye on a larger charcoal bbq grill, too. The Big Green Egg is great for the name alone. But you really might like this machine because it has a rare design that allows you to cook without requiring a lot of attention. The Big Green Egg is ideal for those who like to use smokers.

My third pick is the Char-Griller Outlaw. I like the name of this charcoal bbq grill as much as the Big Green Egg but I really like the cooking space. If you host a lot of big grilling events, then this is the charcoal bbq grill for you. The Outlaw is also a great choice for the frugal bunch, too.

It doesn’t matter which unit you choose as long as you pick a charcoal bbq grill for your next garden barbecue. Gas just won’t cut it.

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Everyone loves a barbecue, including vegetarians. Barbecues (BBQs, barbies or braais depending on where in the world you are) are almost perfect social gatherings, where you and your favourite people hang out in the fresh air, shoot the breeze and prepare to eat delicious food. Any occasion can be celebrated with a BBQ:

Major (or minor) sports events

Birthdays, wedding anniversaries, home comings, going away

The fact that it's Friday or Saturday, or Sunday, or Monday ...

BBQ aficionados develop specialised techniques that they swear by, and won't deviate from, under any circumstances. Some incorporate marinades or spice cocktails, others will only use wood, or only charcoal, while others combine the two. Wood users can be further subdivided by the wood they choose. Hickory, maple, apple, cherry and oak are favourites as they add to the flavour of the food cooked. Conifers also contribute to the flavour, but in an undesirable way and are generally avoided.

Outside gas grills or barbecues are used quite frequently in the UK and US, but tend to be shunned by Southern Hemisphere countries (Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa). They're viewed as too easy and clean, and they don't impart the full smoky flavour that is the essence of a good braai.

The phrase, "You don't know what you're missing", is one that vegetarians hear all too often when it comes to outdoor cooking. Meat eaters think that they own the BBQ market and pity those who can't appreciate a good piece of meat fresh from the barbie. In fact, people dread inviting vegetarians to a BBQ because they don't know how to feed them. Vegetarians, meanwhile, roll their eyes and quietly go about sorting themselves out.

The truth is that you can cook anything on fire. Vegetable skewers, made from aubergines, courgettes, mushrooms and sweet peppers, are easy to make, and taste divine when barbecued. Instead of roasting veggies, take the same mix, wrap it in tinfoil and stick it on a fire for 40 minutes and you'll think you've died and gone to heaven. Even brussel sprouts, that much maligned vegetable, get a new, smoky twist that make them out of this world edible.

Experiment with marinades and spices that can be applied to vegetables as well as meats. When it comes to vegetarian barbies, your imagination is your only limit, and if you're truly stuck, try some old standbys: stick a corn cob and a couple of potatoes (sweet as well as regular) on the grill. Your veggie guests will appreciate the effort.

Braais needn't only be reserved for main meals and savoury dishes. Grilled pineapple and brown sugar is delicious, so is BBQ'd banana, you can even leave them in their skins. Serve with a little ice-cream and you're laughing. What could be easier?

For fun in the sun (and rain) you can't beat a good barbie. So raid the fridge, light a fire and tap into the good life.

Recommended sites:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbecue

http://vegetarian.about.com/od/cookingtipstools/qt/vegbbq.htm

http://www.toptastes.com/features/grill/veg.htm

Author: Sandy Cosser

Sandra wrote this article for the online marketers DeckPro deck and patio builders Leaders in the field of decking and patio construction.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sandy_Cosser

Technorati Tags: barbecues, barbie, bbq, outside gas grill, vegetarians