It’s National BBQ Week! Get Your Outdoor Grilling & Living Essentials Here

National BBQ is back for the 27th time from 29th May to 4th June 2023, meaning it lands on the end of May Bank Holiday weekend!  With a focus on a better British BBQ, we are encouraging everyone to fire up the barbie and surround your garden with the smells of delicious, grilled food that can be enjoyed al fresco.  

British BBQs have somewhat evolved from blackened, charcoal flavoured sausages and burgers.  Many celebrity chefs have turned their hand to cooking their culinary delights outdoors, on display, on a barbecue grill.  It’s a healthy and truly versatile way to cook, the possibilities are endless enabling you to cook everything from fish and vegetables to whole roasting joints and even a traditional English breakfast. 

If you are looking to make barbecuing part of your summer season then we have everything you need to do it well and make the most of the good weather.  Here are our top BBQ essentials:

A Barbecue (of course!)

Probably the most important thing to have if you are planning a BBQ is something to cook on.  If you don’t already have an outdoor grill then we have a few, simple barbecue options, depending on your usage and requirements.  

Charcoal

If you aren’t using a gas BBQ then you’ll need some type of fuel.  Charcoal is available to buy as lumpwood, briquettes or supplied in instant, quick lighting bags.  Lumpwood is made using smaller, shorter pieces of carbonised wood branches and usually makes for quicker and easier lighting.  Briquettes are carbonised wood that has been crushed and mixed with a binding compound and then moulded into the pillow shaped pieces.  Briquettes tend to take longer to light but will generally burn hotter for longer.  You’ll be able to choose the right fuel depending on what you are cooking.  

BBQ Utensils & Accessories

If you’ve got the BBQ and the fuel you’ll need some other essential items to help you cook with ease.  

• A good set of BBQ cooking utensils is a must.  They usually feature longer handles than generic kitchen utensils, which is necessary when cooking over a large, hot grill area in order to prevent injury. 

• You’ll probably need a combination of matches, lighters and firelighters to get your charcoal BBQ lit.  The choices available now include natural and environmentally friendly options such as the Flamers Natural Firelighters.

• Skewers are ideal for cooking vegetable and meat kebabs and we have a choice of disposable Bamboo skewers as well as reusable metal skewers.  They are also great for toasting marshmallows at the end.

Al Fresco Dining

Ideal for garden parties and BBQs, we stock a variety of tableware that is perfect for use outdoors.  Acrylic, bamboo and melamine are a great choice as they are safer and less likely to break if dropped compared to glass and ceramics.  The Colourworks Classics Melamine Collection features cups, bowls and plates that are great for pairing together and are virtually unbreakable.

If you are serving salads, sides or even some nibbles then you’ll need some kind of serving bowl too.  We also have steak knife and fork sets, ideal for those barbecued steaks and Ice Lolly Moulds to keep the little ones happy. 

BBQ’s bring family and friends together.  With some great company, a few ice cold drinks and maybe some background music you’ll be able to celebrate National BBQ week in style.  Browse our entire Outdoor Living collection here.

Sources:

https://www.awarenessdays.com/awareness-days-calendar/national-bbq-week-2023

www.barbequick.com/grillguide/grillguide-blog/choosing-briquettes-lumpwood/