To think gas barbecues are a waste of space?!

[MerryCosIWonaGold]

So, Friday we were at a 'proper' barbie with half burnt sausages, burgers and it was all smoky, yummy. I do adore the special summer taste.

Saturday we were at another, much posher, barbecue with 'barbecued' prawns, lamb, chicken, sweetcorn, the works. Problem being you don't seem to actually get any barbecue flavour. May as well chuck it in the oven or under the grill? What is the point other than men seem to be more willing to dabble with it? All that delicious food would have been gorgeous on a proper charcoal barbecue.

Gas Barbies. Waste of space, I tell ya!

Merry ours is an outback one that come from homebase and it is actually a really great one. The metal plates have a coating that gives it a charcoal-y flavour, apparantly. But my husband has put some rock things underneath that are supposed to help a lot as well. But it has to sort of develop - the melted fat carbonises and over time the charcoal flavour builds up.

YANBU my friend has a huge one and uses it right outside the back door of the kitchen. I mean what's the point? Doesn't taste any different thtn cooking indoors does.
I like the taste of a proper barbie

YANBU at all. Unless you have a huge garden (so that it takes more than 10 minutes to walk from the barbecueing area to your kitchen) barbecues are completely pointless. You might as well just cook in the kitchen and then take the fod outside to eat it. I don't see the point of any type of barbecue if the house has a fully equipped kitchen.

MerryCosIWonaGold

Hmmmm...I reconsider my original OP. As much as I do like a proper barbecue flavour, I really don't like cleaning....seeing the benefits of the gas barbie now. So, which ones can make the food taste a bit more 'proper'?

You want one with a lid and with a layer of lava that sits above the gas burner. A side burner is useful to have but not essential. I find it's good for when I'm doing a cooked breakfast on the barbecue. Unless you're going to be putting it away after use, it's worth buying a cover for it because that keeps the rain (and hence rust) off.

it so much niceer taste than kitchen grilled plus no smoke alarm issues. Nd is a real treat in winter

but if you dont want one i dont really give a fuck. wonders why she is persuadeing a stranger that gs bbqs are good

We have a gas bbq. It's just easier than charcoal. We only use it for entertaining though, as I don't want to have to clean it, for just an evening meal. I think we've had it about five years, and had about three bbq's on it.

itsjustmeanon, apparently you don't need to clean them, which seems to be their redeeming feature. So go for it!

You kind of do need to clean a gas BBQ, but it depends what you've been cooking. Just a quick brush is usually enough though.