I've never cooked on a bbq - help please!

[ImFree2doasiwant]

The DC want to have a bbq at home. My parents love a bbq so we've always gone to them. They have a massive gas thing with several cooking options.

I have a standard weber bbq, so will need charcoal etc. I'm very apprehensive! It seems like a lot of faff but I'm happy to give it a try.

Please can someone give me sone guidance?? Any old bbq charcoal ok, or is some better than others? How much do I need? How deep? How do I light it? I'm assuming not with firelighters. 😆

Any other tips for a novice bbqer. (I can cook perfectly well In the kitchen!(

Have a look on you tube about when to light a charcoal BBQ and how long to leave it before cooking. If doing chicken for the first time, I’d cook it 3/4 in the oven and finish it on the BBQ. Keep in mind that the centre will be hot so use all of the grill area to save burning.

sausages are just like cooking on the hob.

keep turning food

what food do you want to cook?

Whatever you do, don't use petrol to light it! Firelighters are fine actually.

My main advice is to keep turning as much as possible. Otherwise you're just going to end up with it burnt on the outside and raw on the inside.

Get a chimney starter, firefighters to the bottom and coals on top. Once it’s all glowing, spread evenly out at base & cook on. I’d suggest not turning things like burgers or steak too often, it will cook evenly through this method as long as the coals are evenly spread.

DH is South African/Aussie so we bbq multiple times a week at this time of year.

Top tip would be to wait till the flames have died down before you start cooking - so a good half an hour from lighting it.

Lumpwood charcoal is your friend!
As above firelighters under, charcoal over.
When fire has died down spread out the hot coals (obviously with a tool!)
I have successfully cooked shit loads of everything from raw chicken to burgers to sausages, steak, bacon etc.
Don't turn too often, but don't turn too little

If it's your first time I would cheat. Cook things in the oven first and then put on bbq to crisp or burn

So, we bbq quite often.
I recommend lump wood charcoal as it doesn’t have the chemicals found in charcoal briquettes.

You put it in a cone shapes pile in your bbq with a fire starter or a bit of kindling underneath to get it going. How much you use depends on the size of your bbq, your bbq user manual should say. But in general, enough to cover the base in a even layer about 4-5cm deep if spread out.

Let it burn until the flames are tiny & blue and the charcoal has white edging. Then you spread it out evenly in the base of your bbq, put the cooking rack on and start cooking.

Some people will flip often, but imho the best way to cook on a bbq is to flip only once when the food is cooked halfway through. This is most true for burgers, steak, pork chops, chicken breasts. Flipping often tends to dry out the meat. Sausages can be rolled back and forth with impunity, doesn’t affect the food quality.

Most bbqs come with a lid. Use it to speed up cooking time or if the meat is a bit on thick side to keep the heat in and so ensure fully cooked in the centre.

You can make a whole English breakfast on the bbq if you're feeling brave as well.

I do, it's bloody lovely.
Sausages, bacon, flat mushrooms slathered in butter and tomatoes straight on the grill bit, frying pan to the side a bit for eggs, toast on when the sausages are done.

I do a Sunday roast on mine.

Hayse garden world on YouTube. Plus buy a meat thermometer to make sure you don't undercook things or overcook things just in case.

Chimney starters are amazing, I also recommend Big K lumpwood charcoal. Don't be tempted to pile the coals up, just have a single layer otherwise stuff will burn. Also have an area of the BBQ where there's no coal where you can put already done things to keep warm. Use the lid with the air holes open to heat everything through properly without putting the fire out. Having the lid on also stops the fat dripping from the food from causing a crazy fire which makes everything go black.

Thank you for all the responses. I feel sure it can't can't that difficult yet am actually quite nervous about it! I May have to have trial run while the DC arent here.

I'll be cooking sausages burgers, chicken skewers to start with I think! Nothing fancy. Its just me and 2 small dc.