to think barbecues just aren't worth the effort?

[GulesMeansRed]

First barbecue of the year today.

Retrieve barbecue from back of shed, give it a good scrub because although it was put away clean (or DH sys it was) and covered, it's sticky and mucky after 9 months. Search for charcoal. Search for firelighter thingies. Get the thing going. Stand around while it gets to the right stage for cooking. Start cooking the stuff. Constant debate about whether it's done or not. Multiple trips back into the house to get salad, salad dressing, cheese slices, another beer, tomato ketchup, another plate, another spoon, forks. Then all the clearing away and disposing of the charcoal.

Total faff.

What’s the point? Just cook the whole lit inside! I don’t think the bbq flavour is that amazing. Certainly not worth the faff.

You're all doing it wrong. Having a BBQ means DH and the kids are in charge of dinner - while you have a glass of wine and boil a token pan of jersey royals.

The gas ones are easy and practical when you don’t want to add any more heat to your house. I bbq a roast chicken, pizzas potatoes loads of veg.
The charcoal ones are a faff but that’s half the fun - the ritual makes it special - it’s something to do on a hot day when you can’t be arsed doing anything else.

Don't drag the Scottish weather into this. I'm east coast Scotland and the weather has been gorgeous for two weeks straight now. Bbq food is what we have eaten for the last 2 days 😋

We’ve barbecued dinner about four times this week. Got a gas barbecue and a new bottle of gas and we are caning it.

I love it. Kids (older teens) love it. Husband loves it. We all eat and talk together with no screens. And there’s less washing up.

I agree I don’t bother for burgers and sausages but I will go to the effort for something worthwhile like a tomahawk steak or some nice lamb.

Not a huge barbecue fan either. And don't see the point of gas barbecues, if you're going to use one of those you might as well cook indoors.

Someone round here has one often and i love the smell of it - but doing them myself? Nopes.

I get lulled into doing one against my better jugement apx once every 2 years or so and every single time i regret starting it about 15 mins in.

The sheer amount of work! The sheer amount of stuff!

,,, Just to sit in a deck chair balancing a plate of weird food on your knees flapping flies away and thinking of the massive clean up at the end complete with chipping burnt food off a metal grill muttering ''never a bloody gain''. Again 🙄

DH is in the process of building a bloody great fire pit out the back (no near neighbours) but it's going to be for marshmallows only 😂

We love a BBQ, it’s no more faff really than cooking indoors, and it makes DD really happy.

I'm vegetarian. If DH wants to BBQ he has to go out and do the shopping for it, sort out his BBQ, cook everything, clean it all up and clean and clear the BBQ.You won't be surprised to hear we don't have BBQs.

The charcoal ones I agree, what a faff. And it’s always dodgy cooking. We bought a large gas one in a sale. Eight burner, and it’s fantastic, it’s also got a temp gauge on it and uou control the burners like a gas hob inside.

much nicer to be cooking outside in the sun with a glass of wine than stuck in the kitchen cooking it and carrying it all out.

I can't see the attraction of BBQing to be honest. Generally they are to be had on the hottest days of the year, take ages to cook (usually)meat products that you need to ensure they are cooked through, ensure that everyone gets something and that there are plenty of side dishes/salads/bread rolls/cobs.
Nah. Give me my hot stone every time

I love a barbecue! Dh is a fab barbecuer and I don't have anything to do with it beyond making a nice salad. He keeps the bbq clean etc and makes gorgeous homemade burgers, lovely marinades for chicken, lamb kebabs etc. What's not to like?

Would never have a bbq just for us. But you can't beat them for a social thing with other families.

We never BBQ in the garden.
Only at the beach and it’s lovely.

We have a gas BBQ and my husband is the best bbqer. I love this time of year cos he's always out there. You need a better bbq and a better cook!

We also have a coal one but I hate the smell so I don't put it on often

The idea of a BBQ tires me out but we just had one today and it's actually not that bad.
I'd marinated and frozen the drumsticks and meat a few weeks ago, the kebabs were also ready to cook straight from freezer, corn on the cob was in the fridge since Friday. Bought the coal this morning when I stocked up for the week.
Took frozen meat out this morning. Lit the BBQ at 5, I used the instant light coal, closed all the doors and left it for 30 minutes after which everything went on in around 3 goes.
It was a lot more fun than cooking the meat in the oven. Tiring though but fun.
I've washed the grilled rack of the BBQ, left the ashes, will bag them up in the afternoon after work.

We were planning to spark up the barbie today, but went for a far more enjoyable Chinese takeaway instead.

I love it. I'll happily cook on the barbecue any time. I can't understand all the people that want their food to be as easy as possible at all times. Yes you can cook your sausages in the oven but getting the bbq out is fun and makes a break from the mundane.

It’s such a con

i get the bbq out, clean it, but charcoal, but food, make salads, sort invites, get drinks, ice, pudding sorted. Last minute dash to the shop for missing stuff, napkins, sauces, vegan options whatever

do all the prep, make salads, get garden furniture clean.

DH cooks the meat, calls out for tongs, plates, beer

i run around like a headless chicken

DH calls that the meat is cooked

i run to get it distributed to all the people.

DH gets all the praise and now does not have to do cooking for a week as I’ve had a lovely break from cooking

next day I have to sort a tray full of coal, ashes and rain water

last year I took the bbq to the tip

I LOVE a bbq at someone else’s house though

I used to foil wrap the potatoes and throw them into the coal towards the end but this time sliced each potato down the length then tossed them in mixed herbs with salt and olive oil. Then baked them on the BBQ, took longer than normal but that's okay.

It is a faff but with the barbecue my husband does most of the faff, whereas I do most of the faff for normal meals

Meh I don't identity with this at all.

Walk outside, twist gas valve, ignite grill, wait 10 mins for it to get hot, put the food on, turn it round a couple of times, remove from grill, turn everything off.

Easy and yummy. No pots or pans to clean.

We bbq all year long

I must be doing BBQs totally wrong if they'll meant to be no more faff than a meal in the house.

I mean - you've got to light the thing - marches and bags of fuel - big flame/small flame it's been 30 mins can't we please start cooking now?! That doesn't happen in the kitchen. Then go in and out carrying all the food and plates and sauces and knives and forks and tongs and oil and fuel and napkins and skewers and serving dishes and extra tables and salad bowls ect ect ...

and then arrange it all and hope the sun stays out or the wind doesn't blow half of it across the garden while you wait.

Then the actual cooking it and the smoke and the touch and go of is it cooked through. Is it burnt? What do we cook first? Who wants what - well you can't 'cos it's still raw have a sausage in a bit of bread instead ....

And the clean up. I mean i've never had to take a wire brush to my kitchen after a meal or spend ages going round the house picking up napkins and plates and bottles of sauce from under the chairs .... 😂