What’s the point of Barbecues?

[PinkIcedCream]

I read a lot of threads on here from posters who appear to spend a lot of weekends cooking food outdoors on a barbecue and wonder what it is about cooking on a barbecue, whether charcoal, gas etc…that they love so much?

I live very rurally with no near neighbours so at least if I lit an outdoor wood fire, the smoke wouldn’t bother anyone else. Presumably, if you live in a built up area, the smoke and the smell might bother your neighbours?

My DH is vegetarian and never cooks so he wouldn’t be one of those blokes who like to take control of standing around turning the meat into charcoal. I eat some meat and no fish and don’t really like burgers, although homemade ones usually taste a bit nicer.

We don’t drink alcohol either so have no interest in getting pished.

One of my friends offered me their big barbecue when they moved abroad but I declined and I think they were a bit surprised but I couldn’t see us ever using it.

Please tell me what you enjoy about having a barbecue at home. Am I missing out?

YABU - Barbecues are great fun.

YANBU - I don’t really enjoy them either.

I like the casualness of eating outside buffet style.
I would do it more if I had a garden.
I suppose it’s traditional to eat food cooked on a bbq if you are having a eat outside social meal - the same it’s traditional to have a turkey roast dinner at Christmas (which I never do because I hate food like roast dinners).
If you don’t like a bbq don’t do one.

I only eat bbq chicken so I don't normally like what else is on offer, having to fight off wasps which I hate so I'd rather sit and eat indoors.

Bbq here in a few days:
Pork souvlaki skewers
Grilled halloumi
Grilled Marinated peppers and baby corn

Served with homemade coldslaw, flat breads, tzatziki, tomato salad.

Grilled flat peaches and ice cream if anyone wants afterwards

YANBU. I think if you have a full outside kitchen thing going on, with all the stuff to hand, fair enough. But I for one can't be arsed with going in and out of the kitchen repeatedly to get stuff out of the fridge. I've got a perfectly good oven and grill so if we have people over I'd rather cook it indoors and just eat outside!

We have had BBQ every day so far on holiday, it’s quick and easy and tastes amazing. We like meat though, lots of it.

Well there are BBQs and there are BBQs.

Eating some cheapo lips and arsehole burgers that have been incinerated with some gloopy shop bought coldslaw is not my idea of fun. Getting stuck into some slow cooked pulled pork, home made burgers, lovely fresh salads with a decent cold wine and company, absolutely.

The sunny weather, eating outside, social aspects, drinking... all are part of what make a BBQ great. But as PP have said there is an unbeatable flavour of food cooked over charcoal which is why I love them so much. There is also something special about the ritualistic nature too.

I also think it's a massive misconception that BBQ are no good for veggies, we have a couple of vegetarians in our immediate family and some of the vegetarian items such as sticky halloumi and garlic aubergine are family favourites above meat options!

What's the point in anything OP? We're born, we live, and we die, why bother with anything that might afford us a bit of pleasure?

I can take BBQ food or leave it personally and I don't love eating outdoors but they aren't especially smoky and I love the smell of BBQ in the air, it's a real summery smell so wouldn't object to them on those grounds.

So weary 😮‍💨
We’re about to do one for our tea. Wonderful having the house cool and battened down and venturing out.

Love bbq we do it most of the year not just when the sun comes out.

I'm in charge though, DH doesn't get a look in.

Today we having porchetta with nduja stuffing. Smells amazing.

You know you can just buy a big tray and get others to help you. Right?😂

What’s up?

I can't be bothered myself, why shun the perfectly nice stove for unreliable outside devices! I like eating outside but I cook in the kitchen. It turns out if you rarely clean your oven you get a decent charcoal flavour from roasting

I love a good BBQ. We have a really large garden and in one corner it has seating in the shade. I like to sit in the sun eating the food. Chicken breast butterflied, pork belly chops in BBQ sauce, prawns sausages, burgers, kerbabs. Plus glasses of wine and ice cold beer for DH. We have friends over on a bank holiday and have music too. The children like BBQ food and come with some of their friends. Strawberries and cream as Nd cheesecake for desserts. DH has a separate bbq. Veggie BBQ with veggie burgers and veggie sausages and kebabs with Quorn cubes along with peppers and cherry tomatoes on.

We add various salads and coleslaw and everyone help themselves and DS likes to cook.

Some of the naysayers may be like myself and have fairly bad emphysema which is made worse by any kind of smoke / smoky air pollution . It would be nice if I could enjoy my garden in the summer as well but on nice weekends it’s pretty much a no go area ,

Barbequed meat just tastes infinitely better.

I do not get the excitement. Typically hosted by women in maxi dresses waving prosecco around and looking all excited over the couscous while their loud children scream on a trampoline and the balding husband burns meat. Do not get it.

I live in the carribean. My bbq (along with my crock pot) are life safers. seriously it is toooooo hot to always cook inside . not going to lie, i hate cleaning the bastard but right now it is 10:57 am (ignore clock in photo as I do not know how to change it lol) So lunch is just cold sammies. but dinner tonight will be on bbq.

It tastes nice!! Nothing better than a bbq hotdog with some onions

just because you have only been to objectively bad barbecues, it does not mean barbecues themselves are objectively bad.

Charcoal BBQ’s are lovely but personally I think gas BBQs are a waste of time, it’s just an outdoor cooker. I don’t know anyone was uses a charcoal BBQ either :-(

I agree- the barbecues you host/ go to do sound shit.

Mine are great!

If you do a real bbq, lid down and offset charchol and you can cook everything beautifully and not burnt. It's an art