Barbecues: who likes them?

[AdamW]

It's that time of year when the sun has suddenly appeared and the covers have come off the barbecues. Admittedly, I have been having them round my parents' place since March, but my dad and I are die-hard char-grillers.

It is at this time of year that I notice some people are a bit odd, and don't actually like barbecues. I was thinking it would be a good idea to try and quantify just how many people have this strange condition, as if it turns out very few people actually enjoy them, I might stop pushing the issue.

So:

1) Who here DOESN'T like barbecues?
2) Who likes barbecues, but worries about eating 4lb of meat in one sitting?
3) Who prefers the salad? (I've heard this one come up more than once )

 

[chainsaw_masochist]

1) Me. Watching (invariably) fat men in shorts cremate several pounds of roadkill every bloody summer is not my idea of enjoyment. Then having actually having to eat the stuff and maintain some pretence that it tastes good? Do me a favour!

2) Not me and yes, the very thought of eating 4lb of the stuff is utterly puke inducing! Better to try and get hold of some fresh sardines, give 'em a bit of heat, butterfly 'em and sprinkle 'em with Regianno. Lob in a few prawns and a couple tuna steaks....sorted...well, if you are near to a Waitrose? But for god's sake exercise a bit of scrutiny over the cooking process ie don't leave to some would-be arsonist intent on mayhem.

3) Depends on the salad. I'm not one for those mean spirited little English salads with lettuce and tomatoes that taste of eff all. Far preferable is a salad nicoise, you know...with cous cous, toms (good ones), French beans, anchovies, fresh olives, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, coriander etc. For drink?...If you're flush, then get in the Dom P. if you ain't then summer lightning or Budvar. But if you've gotta have wine well, white: non of that Chardonnay ****e, go for a nice Soave; red: any Merlot...most Aussie ..your choice.

 

[Richardp]

i love eating out doors but BBQs is a con to get the men folk to do the cooking, but mostly I enjoy them loads of wine loads of meat yum!

 

[keyplayer]

Mmm, you can keep your (black on the outside, pink in the middle) chicken drumsticks, I'm off round chainsaws' for lunch.

 

[breezer]

i never eat chicken cooked on a bbq or sausages, unless they have been cut in half first (sausages not the chicken)

 

[petewood]

Completely agree with chainsaw. It's too often that you go to a bbq to find charred drumsticks, cheap burgers & sausage, breadrolls that taste like cotton wool and sad salad. I have had bbq'd sardines, trout, pollack, gurnard and they all taste great cooked this way. By far the best in my opinion is mackerel that you have caught in the morning and bbq'd in the afternoon. Another favourite at our house is kebabs made with mushroom, onion, green peppers and cherry tomatoes and brushed with oil. In fact you have made me so hungry with this post that i would be out there digging out the charcoal right now if it wasn't p*ssing down!

 

[felix]

I do like barbecues but I wouldn't want one every day. It's something you do on a camp or caravan holiday where the cooking facilities indoors aren't that good anyway. There are also a few preconditions:

1) The weather has to be right. A warm, sunny evening (barbecues are not a mid-day event) with minimal breeze is essential.

2) You have to be hungry. This will follow naturally after a day's hiking or swimming.

3) You need good burgers with real meat in them, not the junk McD****ds use. Chicken joints must be pre-cooked in the oven.

4) The chef needs an adequate supply of Carlsberg Special.

5) Somebody else butters the buns!

 

[pipme]

 

[Richardp]

Completely agree with chainsaw. It's too often that you go to a bbq to find charred drumsticks, cheap burgers & sausage, breadrolls that taste like cotton wool and sad salad. I have had bbq'd sardines, trout, pollack, gurnard and they all taste great cooked this way. By far the best in my opinion is mackerel that you have caught in the morning and bbq'd in the afternoon. Another favourite at our house is kebabs made with mushroom, onion, green peppers and cherry tomatoes and brushed with oil. In fact you have made me so hungry with this post that i would be out there digging out the charcoal right now if it wasn't p*ssing down!

I totally agree with you petewood about the mackerel, we've even caught them in the evening and eaten them within the hour mmmm perfection, Pollock is good if you wrap them in a whole newspaper thoroughly soaked in the sea and put into the hot ashes of an open fire until the outer pages start to ignite, it cooks perfectly and has a slightly smoky flavour.

 

[jasy]

SALMONELLA

 

[petewood]

SALMONELLA

Yes I have bbq'd salmon (fillets cooked in tinfoil) but please don't call me Ella.

 

[petewood]

I totally agree with you petewood about the mackerel, we've even caught them in the evening and eaten them within the hour mmmm perfection, Pollock is good if you wrap them in a whole newspaper thoroughly soaked in the sea and put into the hot ashes of an open fire until the outer pages start to ignite, it cooks perfectly and has a slightly smoky flavour.

Interesting method, which newspaper would you reccommend? If it's a Sunday do you have to include the supplements?

 

[pipme]

In the past, caught mackerel, prepared, tinfoiled, wired to exhaust manifold cooked over 60 miles ... loverly !! .. Well, we thought so !!
Agree on partial oven cooking for fowl ....

Best barbie at farm on south slopes, home grown veggies and salad...Utilising the big oil drum halved longitudinally, suitably holed and charcoaled .. Venison, pork, beef steak, sausages .. Best in lovely surroundings with excellent views over the Chew valley .. Wine .. Friends !! Very satisfactory long summer evenings !!

 

[ninebob]

If the weather's nice, you can't beat a barbeque. It's not really about the food (although I do enjoy that too), it's about getting a few mates together and having an afternoon/evening being sociable and having a laugh, conversation etc. The beer is probably flowing too, and a lot cheaper than the other option which is lining the pockets of your local pub landlord...

 

[pipme]

If the weather's nice, you can't beat a barbeque. It's not really about the food (although I do enjoy that too), it's about getting a few mates together and having an afternoon/evening being sociable and having a laugh, conversation etc. The beer is probably flowing too, and a lot cheaper than the other option which is lining the pockets of your local pub landlord...

Just ensure you have plenty of smokes .. better still give up .. benefits all round for everyone !