Picture a Summer evening. What are the first thoughts that come to your head? Roasting marshmallows on the beach? Perhaps. Drinking strawberry daiquiris in the garden? If the mood strikes. Barbecue? Definitely! However you choose to spend a special Summer evening, we guarantee that a barbecue will be involved.
This being the case, it seems only reasonable that we discuss a perfect barbecue. We know what you’re thinking. “Surely a perfect barbecue is down to personal preference, isn’t it?” Yes, it is. Therefore, contrary to the implication created by the title above, we aren’t going to tell you how to have a perfect barbecue, we’re going to suggest some ideas for you to trial until you reach personal perfection.
Charcoal vs Gas
Ahh, the age-old question. Is it better to have a charcoal barbecue or a gas barbecue? As with most life changing questions, the answer is never that simple. There are many aspects to consider when deciding which is the best barbecue for you.
Charcoal is the traditional method of barbecuing, which some people see as the ‘proper’ way to have a barbecue. It gives the food a more smoky flavour that some would consider a necessity. If you are one of those people, the charcoal barbecue is the barbecue for you.
However, a charcoal barbecue can be difficult to light and takes a long time to heat up. Our ‘Barbecue Mayhem’ competition we had last week brought up stories of people having to wait hours for their food to be ready. There were definitely some hungry and angry guests at those parties!
A gas barbecue is much easier and cleaner to use. The chef has a lot more control when cooking the food to perfection. A flawless flame can be created at the touch of a button, which can be altered at will throughout the process until you have some perfectly tender pieces of barbecue chicken. This kind of control comes with our beautiful Calgary Barbecue, an ideal choice for many delicious barbecues for many years.
Remember, there is no right answer to this question. Whether you decide to have charcoal or gas, our barbecue collection should have you covered. If you’re thinking of having a small or romantic barbecue on the beach, why not try out our portable charcoal barbecue?
Homemade Burgers
We have to say, if you’re going to take this barbecue thing seriously, buying burgers from the shops is discouraged. We’re not expecting you to make everything by scratch, who has time for that?! Let’s just stick to the homemade burgers. There are few things in life that compare to a good homemade, home-barbecued burger.
If you need a helping hand in finding the recipe, you can find our favourite recipe here. Classic Jamie Oliver. Lovely stuff.
Music
Don’t worry; we’re not going to tell you what songs you should have on. That’s a slippery slope we won’t go down. However, the presence of music is essential to the act of barbecuing. Have you ever tried to have a barbecue without music? It’s not pretty…
We feel that a playlist of Summery music sets the mood at a barbecue perfectly. Watching the sun slowly set as some of your favourite songs play always draws a sigh of pleasure. The perfect end to a perfect night.
These are just a few thoughts to help you on your way to a perfect barbecue. There are so many more ways you can improve, such as experimenting with more adventurous food as well as the traditional stuff. Have a great National Barbecue Week!
