Equipment

Use this section to find out all the equipment you could invest in to get barbecuing outdoors. There really is no limit to what you can buy, but check out our “The Basics” section to get started.

The Basics

Barbecue: Build a barbecue from old bricks or buy one, you will need this before you get started. My advice is to get one that can be closed over so that you can slow roast food.

Fuel: You need charcoal or gas for the most barbecues. I prefer lump wood charcoal but Tom uses briquettes on his barbecue.

Chimney Starter: If you are cooking on charcoal, using a chimney started is the only sensible way to light a barbecue. Forget lighter fluid or fire lighter bricks, just stuff some old newspaper into the starter, add coal on top and you’ll have cooking ready coals in no time.

Tongs: I use two pairs of tongs: one that I only use on the coals and one reserved for food.

Gloves: A good pair of hardy garden gloves will work or you can buy a specialised heat resistant pair. They will make it difficult to pick up tools, but if you need to re-arrange coals or turn food, they can help to keep the heat off your hands.

Food probe thermometer: If you want to safely cook large joints, a quick read probe thermometer is indispensable for checking that the meat is cooked through. Use the instructions which should include the desired temperatures for various meats.

More Advanced

Flint striker, cotton wool and old newspaper: My favourite way to ignite the charcoal is with a flint striker. It works even when there is a gale blowing. Simply use a little rough cotton wool to catch the spark and then touch the newspaper to it from inside the chimney starter.

Barbecue thermometer: Many models come with a little dial that claims to tell the internal temperature of the barbecue. But you have to be standing next to it to read it. Get one that has a remote reader, or one your phone can connect to.

Wood chips for smoking: Soaked in water, beer or wine, wood chips can inject extra flavour to your cooking.

Useful

Spatula: A metal spatula can be useful for flipping burgers and steaks or other directly heated food. If you can get one with a heat resistant or wooden handle that is useful.

Bellows: Sometimes the coals won’t light. Blowing on them might work, but you may end up with singed eyebrows or worse. A good bellows can help get things going again without putting you at risk of igniting.

Rotisserie: My barbecue can be extended to allow rotisserie cooking. It can be a bit more effort to use, but keeps the moisture deep within the meat.