Charcoal Barbecues

Buyers guide to charcoal barbecues

More and more of us are utilising our outdoor space as an extension of the house rather than a traditional garden and as such have embraced outdoor cooking with many families having various grills using differing fuel sources. The charcoal BBQ is favoured by the purists who claim that only charcoal gives you that authentic smoky BBQ flavour. Charcoal grills are often chosen by those who are new to barbecuing as they are simple to operate and usually not as expensive as gas or the Traeger wood pellet grills, so they are ideal if you are not sure whether you will fully utilise a barbecue. The disadvantages of charcoal are that you have messy ash to dispose of and they can take quite a while to come to temperature; however, this can be accelerated by the use of a chimney starter. It pays to practice the different methods of placing the charcoal in the grill to give you the different heat zones, essential if you want to avoid burnt bangers and salmonella chicken; click here to read the blog and watch the video where we show you the different methods for laying out the charcoal. Click here to view our barbecue videos on our Youtube channel. Our Barbecue Shop manager Ian Hodgett is a passionate barbecuer and owns many grills using the whole spectrum of fuels. He is also our head BBQ buyer and as he has many years’ experience of serving Hayes customers, he is well aware of the standards you require. As a result, The Barbecue Shop only stocks the very best quality grills from Weber, Traeger and Kamado Joe, using not only charcoal but also gas, wood pellets and electric. Click here to read the blog and watch the video showing how cooked burgers compare using three different fuels. The Weber kettle Master-Touch charcoal barbecues are one of our best sellers and represent excellent value for money, being the iconic barbecue shape and an ideal starter grill if you are not going to be entertaining large parties. They are versatile and not only for the standard BBQ fare but almost anything you can cook in the kitchen you can cook on your barbecue. Click here to watch how to cook the Christmas turkey on your Weber Master-Touch. The Weber barbecues which feature GBS (Gourmet Barbecue System) enable you to add various extras to the grill to allow you to cook a huge range of dishes. Accessories include a Dutch oven which enable you to cook stews and winter warming casseroles, a griddle where you can cook the classic British breakfast, pancakes or delicate fillets of fish, a sear grate for giving you those marks on your steak or chicken fillets and a wok for cooking healthy stir fries. Our videos feature both Ian and top BBQ chef Richard Holden, click here to get some inspiration not only for traditional BBQ grub but also sandwiches, brunch, fish, healthy eating and variations on the good old burger. The Barbecue Shop in store is open all year round not just when the weather is good so that you can use your grill at any time of the year and, if it is situated under a gazebo, in any weather. If you are stuck for a present for the barbecue in your life then The Barbecue Shop is the place to visit, there is sure to be something to suit every budget from just a couple of pounds for a tasty rub or sauce to a large grill capable of cooking for a huge party. Our team in The Barbecue Shop are always on hand to give you any advice or help you may need, just give them a call. If you own a Weber BBQ, we can service it for you, just book it in for a service and we will pick it up for you, service it, replace any worn parts and deliver it back to you ready for you to start cooking. If you are not sure which BBQ is for you, you can test drive a grill in store, just call the team and book a slot, we will have the grill fired up for you and all you need do is bring the food. They will be on hand to give you tips on how to make the most of your grill. We regularly hold BBQ demos and workshops in the store so keep an eye on the Events page for the next event.