I don't understand the appeal of the BBQ

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There, I've said it.

I understand that it's an excuse for day drinking and being outdoors with friends on a nice day. I get that bit. But why does the food have to be cooked over a fire? Someone has to stand over a fire on the hottest day of the year.

It's not even easy. Cleaning the grill is worse than any washing up, you can't have all the food ready at once and there's all the "bits" that have to go with it.

I'm sure BBQs weren't a thing when I was young in the 1970s, but maybe that was just my family. We'd have similar gatherings, but they'd be a picnic or picnic type food in the garden.

I still think that's much nicer and for any summer entertaining at our house, it will be an afternoon tea type spread in the garden. Just me? Do my friends (who always make appreciative noises) think I'm weird not to fire up the barbie for outdoor entertaining?

I think you're right, barbecues are a primary selling point to get people into supermarkets and DIY stores, where they pick up other items.

I think there is a lot to make barbecueing easier nowaways, a gas barbecue doesn't generate as much heat (I would guess). A lot can be precooked inside with just a few things on the barbecue. It also gives people something to do, milling over food etc. and you can have people bringing and cooking their own food.

I kind of agree. My DH isn’t into BBQs and refuses to get one. I get that it’s a faff.
However this inevitably leads to me having to sort out the food situation when we have people round for garden type party. I do that every other day of the week. Meanwhile he just gets to chill. So I am rather envious of friends whose partners are big on BBQing.

I don't get BBQs either. Takes ages to cook anything, things are never ready at the same time, there's more mess, and cleaning is worse than indoor cooking. Plus it's just meat, meat and more meat. Or maybe that's just how my DH does BBQs, LOL.

We got rid of ours.

I cook on charcoal, so I don't cook over flames. I cook over the residual heat of the coals and I proper bbq in a drum with a temperature Probe etc. I don't pre cook anything as I know what I can cook, how long it takes and have a charcoal starter to top up the coals should they be needed. I also smoke my own food. Contrary to what you say, I don't see bbq asa chore. My grill is incredibly easy to clean with a C wire brush and I have liners to remove ash. It's a 3-5 minute job.

And nothing compares to a slow cooked brisket. The depth of flavour is amazing. I do fabulous cherry smoked ribs too. And Thai chicken wings and honey and mustard sausages. Even cooking burgers, they have to be hand made burgers with an excellent quality mince. I make all my own sides. I have an outdoor kitchen that is under cover. I don't just churn out charred smart price burgers and semi frozen salmonella chicken.

I prefer a gas bbq to a fire one.which a lot of people feel really strongly about. With a gas one i quite like the spit roast mechanism. Keeps the oven clean.

Husband allows the BBQ to burn on for 15 minutes after he has finished cooking and a quick brushing and the grid is 90%clean.

Next time he turns it on it warms upnfor 15 minutes and again he does a quick brush with the BBQ wire brush and it is ready to cook on.

I have recently heard a few people say they hate BBQing because of the washing the grid...🤷🏻‍♀️what a palava??

Completely contradicts the ease of cooking.
We use ours all year round and i find it great for steaks cooked to perfection. Gas BBQ here.

Absolutely hate them.
Eating, outside, uncomfortably, stupid paper plates and plastic forks. Insects. And there is never enough food. People seem to think that because it's fun!!!! you don't actually need feeding.
I will invent any excuse going to not participate. I often work on residential summer camps where the chef will go "way hey, sun's out, we'll do a barbecue" and I'm "ffs".
And why are things in mayonnaise obligatory? Or the dreaded "dip". Yack.

I agree op. I only like a small barbecue occasionally (maybe couple of times a year) for family only (never a party) because it's really bitty, messy and an enormous faff.

Also always in the back of my mind is the worry about the unhealthiness of the food.

I can see why people need them and use them frequently in hotter countries as it's awful having the oven on when the temperature outside is really high. But I don't love them at all.

It's very marmite I think! I don't get it either. I cook indoors and we eat outdoors.

I don’t see the point of them either. I seem to be the only one in my social circle that thinks this way though.

I would gladly live and let live but all my neighbours are BBQers so I still have to suffer them 😂

I totally agree, I think the whole idea is bizarre, and they stink to high heaven.

@Carycy

I kind of agree. My DH isn’t into BBQs and refuses to get one. I get that it’s a faff. However this inevitably leads to me having to sort out the food situation when we have people round for garden type party. I do that every other day of the week. Meanwhile he just gets to chill. So I am rather envious of friends whose partners are big on BBQing.

Are the partners organising all the food though or has DW done all the shopping and marinating and prepping of salads etc and he just takes the glory for throwing it on the fire?

I agree - I really dislike barbecues. I don't like the smell of the lighter fluid, the acrid smell of cooking meat, smoke, and the mountains of 'bits and pieces' food. I do like eating outside though, and my compromise is an electric grill plate which I plug in outside. It is easy to use, easy to clean and cooks the food as well, if not better, than a barbecue.

I do like BBQed food but so often a picnic or summer food eaten outside is much more pleasant.

Wash the grill? Why? You just burn it off and brush the char with a wire brush, sold everywhere you buy a BBQ.

We have one as often as possible. Get the coals to the right heat/colour. Make lunch, usually prawns, squid etc.

Then move the coals to the side and put a slab of meat in to slow roast.

At tea time we revive one side of the coals and cook off sweet potato, corn on the cob etc and then put pudding in as it does down again - baked fruit usually, but that's changing as I get used to the idea of it.

Hardly any pfaff, takes 20 minutes to get to temperature and, being a Weber, is easy to use and clean etc.

BBQs are popular because it is mostly men in charge of the cooking performance.

All these people complaining, I have to say that your idea of a bbq sounds like hell and not what u would like either.

Not enough food? Paper plates? Scrubbing the grill? Woman doing all the work while the man takes the glory? Good Lord no! I can understand why you hate it. Im a woman and I do all the bbq . My OH is in charge of cleaning, ash removal etc. He does the gophering, cleaning up etc. Because he is useless and can't light a match 😂. But I adore cooking outside. I also have a wood fired pizza oven .

I love bbq, the food cooked over charcoal tastes amazing, you can't achieve the same results with any other methods. Cleaning takes 15 min if you know what you are doing and I actually enjoy the process of cooking as well.
As people say each to their own.. Your idea of afternoon tea in the garden sounds utterly boring to me. I don't understand any appeal of the scones and cucumber sandwiches, but I am sure other people enjoy them.

I think it's a primeval/caveman type thing. Men can grunt and poke fire with sticks. It's genetic. (Only the alpha male gets to wield the tongs)

I quite like the smell of a BBQ, but otherwise I'm with you OP. Also I work in Countryside Services and the mess and damage that disposable BBQs can cause is dreadful.

It seems like a lot of faff for a smallish return. But I suppose it can make an afternoon a bit more lively.

We use ours most evenings that we eat at home April - October. I’ve never understood why you’d cook e.g. steak or chops or ribs or even fish indoors in a pan or under the grill, making your house smell and splattering grease up the splash back and all over the hob when meat and fish cooked and eaten outdoors from the barbecue causes none of that and - most importantly - tastes a thousand times better.

If your barbecue smells of lighter fluid or burning or acrid smoke you’re doing it wrong (and if you did it more often and worked out how to do it properly, would probably really like barbecues.)

Nor me. I'm not even a vegetarian but the smell of charring meat makes me a bit queasy.

I quite like going to a bbq but I never do one at home.
I just cook the food indoors and eat outdoors. I don’t have that much outdoor space to store bbq or to deal with smoke

Like the idea of it. But for more than 2 families it gets a little bit expensive. I haven't done many BBQ parties, two possibly three but I remember being surprised how much we'd spent on food compared to the normal sort of picnicy type food we would go for at a casual birthday party or similar. And it being a bit of a pain trying to track down who had and hadn't had a burger / hot dog / chicken leg / veggie skewer yet.

I like bbqs as I like how it tastes (when it’s good anyway) but I heavily dislike that it means I do a lot of running round (getting the table ready, doing the salad, getting things for DH from the kitchen, doing all the other bits and pieces) while he stands at the bbq with a drink and then considers that as he “cooked” that he’s exempt from tidying up. He gets put right on that one but still everyone thanks him and it’s a lot of fuss.

If you hate BBQs then you aren’t doing it right
Me and DH can whip up a lovely BBQ using food we already have in with not much notice and not a sausage or burger in sight.
Takes very little time to clear up as well and the food is always delicious