Cobb BBQ, slightly different questions, I promise

[mafog]

Think we're quite keen on getting one of these but have a few questions first.

We're not big meat eaters, but would like to know about your experiences of cooking fish and things like pizzas on it, plus making meals like pasta and sauce, how easy is it?

Where did you buy yours from. I see lakeland stock it, but the official site also has a load of extras, which brings me onto-

What extras are useful? I am trying to see the difference between the frying pan and frying dish, but it seems both are included in the more expensive bundles. Would it make more sense to buy a basic set and then one of these?

Haven't done fish yet, or pizzas - sorry. Pasta sauces are ace as you can use the big wok jobber and get LOADS of stuff in. I particularly enjoyed sitting out in one of my camping chairs chez vino giving the sausage and tomoato deluxe sauce the occasional stir as it bubbled away at my feet.

Folk walked past reaaaaaaaaaaally slowly to have a gander. I know they were full of envy.

Frying dish, is that the wok thing? tbh I used that more than anything last year, but then we are stew and curry people.

You need the standard whojimmywotsit plate with holes in for your bbq needs, and the wok.

I think I bought the whole lot though [extravegant]. Think I may have used the frying pan for bacon. Can't remember, sorry.

OK, I have done a geeky spreadsheet and it appears that with the bits we want we might as well get a bundle offer anyway.

OK then another question, was planning tbuy and use the cobblestones but what's the heat bead things? Do you need firelighters and heatbeads or just firelighters?

I have everything! But absolutely love the griddle - have used it loads. Brilliant for a "pierrade" type affair if you know what that is - little chunks of meat or fish that you pop on a few at a time and cook individually - wooden skewers brilliant for getting them off. You can do a dinner party for as many as 6 people as you sit the Cobb on the table and all cook away!! We do a lot of prawns, scallops and pieces of salmon that way if you don't eat meat.

I think the Wok is brilliant too for the stew type dishes. Other camping saucepans just aren't big enough to do a big chilli/ stew. And we used the frying pan for a Spanish omelette last year - it turned out just perfect!

Cobblestones definitely the way to go - stuff them in to every hole you can find when packing!!

Oh, don't forget you can make bread too - though make sure you find a bread tin that fits...

PS. you'll need one of those whizzy gas lighter things to light the Cobblestones as they take a few seconds to catch - you'll have burnt your fingers if you try matches!

I aboslutely love my Cobb.
What's not to love about walking along the cliffs picking blackberries, then making a crumble right outside your tent?
I went for the full kit, although I'm not sure when I will use some of it to be honest. Meat thermometer anyone?

Cobblestones are great and once you're done cooking, you're left with an easily-disposed-of block rather than an annoying pile of ash. But, they are expensive, and our local Waitrose sells Heat Beads £5.99 for a bag) so I use them. With heat beads, if you only need an hour's cooking, say, you can pick them up with tongs and drop them into a metal bucket of water, dry them off and re-use them. Cobblestones are one-use only. They are individually wrapped though, so they can't get damp, and they do light pretty quickly, and some of the extra cost if offset by the fact you need firelighters to light the heat beads. I also tried a bag of coir nuggets from a garage when we were low on fuel, and they worked fine, so that might be another option.

Finally, a couple of points to consider, and suggestions for you:

1. Invest in a turkey baster. If you cook on the , the fat drains in to the moat. When it comes to cleaning it, just suck it up with the turkey baster.

1. It's not a barbeque. The distinctive BBQ flavour you get in meat comes from the fat dropping down and sizzling on the coals. With a Cobb, that won't happen, as the fat drains off into the moat. It's not too far off, but it's not the same flavour as a BBQ.

1. I find it's not that big if used as a BBQ. We cook for 3 and it's fine, but 4 is pushing it in my opinion. The wok pan is pretty huge though, so you can do a nice big stew or curry for more people.

1. Don't expect to cook things in a hurry - the Cobb is great but if you just want something quickly, you can't beat gas and a tin of soup, and good luck boiling water on a Cobb, so I take a small camping gaz stove too. I have just bought a kelly Kettle though, so may brave it without the gas stove this year.

1. Practice at home. It is amazing baking fresh bread etc when camping, but it's a good idea to get to grips with it in the garden first.

Thanks for all the replies, we went and ordered, it arrived yesterday Going to practice tonight with the griddle, then may do a more stewy type dish before we head off. I did get the cobblestones but will try out the heat beads in due course, so thanks for the tip off about Waitrose.

LOL we have a turkey baster, My gran-in-law bought me one for Christmas about 15 years ago when we were very strictly veggie, I knew it might come in useful at some point.

If you bake bread- do you take a packet mix and knead it?

No, the Cobb recipe book has a recipe for beer bread!!! It's ever so simple & you can add whatever you like to it.
Enjoy your Cobb!!

We did Chinese spare ribs on ours at the weekend (thank you Jamie Oliver) - delicious!
Have yet to try bread but the main reson we bought ours is that we can make DS2's gluten free bread in it, enabling us to go on a 16 day holiday to France in the summer with no worries!
Good tip about turkey baster - DH was washing ours up for what seemed like hours at the weekend...

Mafog- how did you get on this weekend trying it out?

OK ish....

Had no gas in the lighter thingy so took a lot of burnt fingertips before the damn cobblestone finally lit. But from then on, it went very well.

We did roasted veg in foil parcels in the moat, next time we would make the parcels longer and thinner as they took a bit longer than we thought they would. And cooked chicken thighs, salmon steaks and veggie sausages on the top, all cooked well and easy enough. It really is cold enough to pick up and move, although the dome does get hot and DS (3) thought he could peek in it like the grown ups, cue a fast run from me!

DH cleaned it afterwards, taking great care as one does with shiny new gadgets (that'll last, oh about 1 more time and then it will be cleaning per normal).

I have also discovered that if you pack it in the bag with the top dome inverted into the base bit you can fit all the gadgets into the bag and a few cobblestones.

So all in all, we're pleased with it so far. We're off camping next week, so the proof will be in the pudding, or maybe the pizza.

cool, dh is buying one tonight, glad you are reporting back favourably!
He is very excited, especially at being able to hot smoke. Boys and their toys

Just found this and love the product- could you use a regular frying pan ?

sphil i have been gluten free for almost 4 weeks now and i am desperate for a good bread recipe, i love cooking bread and make it daily in the oven or on the BBQ, its great when we are away, it saves taking loads of rolls with us. anyway every gluten free one i have made has been like a scone that smells of wet dog.

Where did you order from?

• have my eye on one. (with wok and holey plate as a starting point as per above)

Slubber I may become your camping stalker - I am going the canvas route after a lot of research/deliberation. Fancied a pyramid (!) but Barbados too expensive (given we are novice campers - but planning to go august and sept) and maybe a little small so have gone 5m bell tent. And of course a Cobb too..

And Mel2005!

Hi Kings.

Shame about the Barbados, never mind, a bell will do I guess

How is your new puppy?

If I had my way we'd buy a giant cabanon sleeping 8 I think but sadly too much £ - can't really justify at least several £1000 when we are novice campers.. Maybe in a few years mwah ha ha. Although, having said that, i might be ensconced in the bell tenting by then.

Now I have you here... can I quickly ask your opinion on a) do you have any thoughts re emperor bell tent - ZIG - (6m x 4) - two poles so trickier to put up - could 1 person do it? and no inner tents (although I suspect they may bring some out next year) and it will have more usable head height I imagine vs 5m bell tent - ZIG - with 1/4 inners as bedrooms? (I really have my eye on the emperor - do you think I could fashion some sort of sleeping area myself? I have a sewing machine etc - if Emperor has loops could sew toggles onto a massive throw and attach to loops. If no loops could I make and attach some myself?

Second thing is - puppy very well thank you - he is starting to lose his teeth and calm down a bit (although when people come over he goes mental and starts biting again as he is so excited). what are your thoughts on taking him camping in a few weeks (assuming we can find somewhere not too far from London which has space)? What happens if it rains - no indoor activities except in tent? (Have done a separate thread on this)

Really sorry for enormous thread hijack - just didn't want to let slubber run off without bombarding her with asking her some questions!

Just reverting to OP can I ask where people get their Cobb accessories from? Am v tempted by the wok thingy.

fatsatsuma I bought my Cobb. And all the gubbings from the ukcs link (you get 10% off if you are a member). I think the link takes you straight to the Cobb site proper.
Lakeland sells Cobbs and I think Nauticalia does too, although whether you can get the individual bits and bobs from them not sure, sorry.

Kings, not being a bell tenter myself I'm not sure if I am adequately equipped with knowledge to help you there. Main thing to consider with canvas is the bigger tent you have the bigger and heavier pack size you get. This is a major consideration for us when we do eventually upgrade as tbh the 4 man Guadeloupe already fills a huge % of our boot capacity.

I'd love a ZIG. Makes cleaning the bottom much easier when you pack up.

As for separate bedroom inners. We don't have 'em, and tbh I've never thought 'this tent would be so much better with an inner. Horses for courses though.

Re puppy camping. May the force be with you. We have taken 1 year old dog with us and...well let's say it adds another element to the holiday

Fatsatsuma - I have been googling to find where you get the best deal - Think some places do "packages" and they are better value etc. Can't remember which one was best VFM though - sorry v unhelpful...

Slubber - okay cool re boot space - thank you. We have a landrover freelander and a roofbox - will it be big enough?!

Yes I remember you aren't an "inner tent" girl actually...

Oh dear - maybe we should leave puppy behind - don't want to make it totally stressful for myself!

pros and cons of taking a young dog. If you go for it take at least 3 extra leads, we had some chewing incidents.

yy land rover and roof box should be OK

Thanks slubber and kingsroadie. I already have a much-loved Cobb but want to try using it less like a BBQ and a bit more creatively this summer, so the wok might be good.