Charcoal Barbecues

The charcoal barbecues we stock are from the most trusted and best quality manufacturer in the business, Weber. The purist barbecuers allege that the taste from a charcoal BBQ is... Show more

The charcoal barbecues we stock are from the most trusted and best quality manufacturer in the business, Weber. The purist barbecuers allege that the taste from a charcoal BBQ is far superior than the food cooked on gas or electric, although management of the charcoal can take a little while to master. You can spend as little as £70 on a small portable unit, which you can take with you on a trip to the countryside, to almost £2,000 on the Summit Grilling Charcoal Centre, which has a gas ignition, side table and storage. It also features the Gourmet Barbecue System (GBS) grate which allows you to use a lot of additional accessories letting you cook a much broader range of dishes, such as casseroles, waffles, stir-fries and pancakes. One of the most essential accessories for a charcoal BBQ is the chimney starter which brings the charcoal or briquettes up to cooking temperature much quicker then starting it in the BBQ itself. If the thought of cooking on charcoal seems like hard work then there are gas and electric alternatives which can still give you fantastic results. The electric is particularly useful if you live in a property which bans the use of live fire. If you need any help choosing your BBQ just call our Customer Services team or The Barbecue Shop located within the store here at Ambleside.

Charcoal barbecues buyers guideMore 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... Show more

Charcoal barbecues buyers guide

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 are not sure which BBQ is for you, you can test drive a grill in store, just call the team in The Barbecue Shop 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.

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Charcoal barbecues buyers guide

FAQ

Ian Hodgett. Ian is a passionate barbecuer and owns several grills from the various companies. He stars in the videos on the Hayes Youtube channel
alongside top BBQ chef Richard Holden. If you need answers to your BBQ questions or just some tips for easy delicious recipes then The Barbecue Shop in store is the place to head to. He also organises the many hands-on BBQ courses held here in store.

What are the advantages of having a charcoal barbecue?

Charcoal is the basic primeval fuel for cooking and as such appeals to the purists, who also claim that it gives the most authentic smoky BBQ flavour. The small portable charcoal grills, such as the Weber Go-Anywhere are ideal for taking on a picnic or to the beac

What are the disadvantages of cooking over charcoal?

Charcoal is slower than gas to come to temperature but can be speeded up by using the Weber chimney starter. Disposing of the ash can also be a problem, especially if you have taken one of the portable models into the countryside. The charcoal models tend to be smaller than the gas so if you regularly entertain large parties then gas or the wood pellet grills would be more appropriate.

How much should I pay for my charcoal grill?

As with everything you get what you pay for so always pay at the top of your budget, all our grills are from the very best manufacturers so they will far outlast any budget grill. If you are not sure whether barbecuing is for you then it makes sense to start with one of the smaller grills and see how you get on. As your culinary repertoire grows and you feel that you will be entertaining a larger number of people then invest in one of the large gas or wood pellet grills and keep the charcoal for when you are just doing a small cook.