Barbeques. Gas garden variety or disposables.

[#1]

Back from the recycling depot after dumping our third hand smelly, mouldy and rusty gas barbeque and yes, we should have cleaned it better...... but Mrs Minivanman never got around to it. 

Anyways.

Like many others we enjoyed a barbeque in the sun yesterday and our burgers for the kids and steaks for the grownups both cooked a treat on a couple of those disposable instant ones. Entirely recyclable, no smelly mess and cleaning afterwards so methinks it'll be no more gas in the garden for us, and certainly not at some of those half a grand prices I've seen.

This one here for £530. I should cocoa!

[#2]

A pile of bricks, an iron grid, charcoal and some matches. Low cost and long life.

[#3]

I hear you.

We will now use this. It's an old cast iron pot brought over from our last house. The stand I rescued from a barn (I think it might be some sort of tank trap) but the pot sits on it perfectly. Grid on top from the one I dumped earlier and again, perfect fit. 

Easier I still think to put those disposables on top as you'd still have to buy that charcoal so.......

[#4]

we stock up on disposable ones at the end of the summer when supermarkets are selling their stock off

[#5]

[#6]

If you've ever wondered whether you really want your barbie food cooked on the fumes coming from 'instant lighting' briquettes or charcoal (and TBH can't resist gadgets that actually work), a charcoal chimney is a worthwhile investment - just a little wad of old newspaper screwed up underneath and no firelighters, squirty stuff, or (in desperation) blow torches in sight! 

[#7]

I have a Weber Compact 47CM grill I bought off ebay a few years ago (New & unused, but open box as the seller wanted a gas BBQ instead), best thing I ever bought...

Used it yesterday to cook up some pork shoulder steaks (marinated in seasonings & basted in BBQ sauce once seared) and hasselback potatoes (not a success, didn't get the temperature and cooking times right!):

[#8]

We cook our food in the kitchen and pass it through the window.

Capital expenditure nil and neighbour friendly, no smells......

[#9]

Where I had my 'Q set up yesterday, it was about 35 metres (or 115 feet in old money) from the houses, that and unlike the disposables and lidless hibachi-style grills, I created very little smoke, just lots of delicious smells that were better than some of the smells in the air from the burning sausages in the area...

[#10]

My way is much cheaper.

I lean on the fence and say to my neighbours, that smells nice what we having today.

No cleaning no mess.

[#11]

Wouldn't be so lucky with me, I'd probably just give you a lump of charcoal from the bag...