It's nearly the weekend, the forecast is great, so it's definitely time to get the BBQ out and gather with friends and family in the garden. But what are you going to cook? A successful BBQ requires a little planning and preparation. Taking a moment to consider who you’re cooking for, how many, what the conditions might be, and what equipment you’ve got. It's important to think not just about what you're going to cook, but also how you’re going to cook it. Do you need to marinate anything ahead of time? How long will it take to cook? Is it worth considering reverse searing some items? Reverse searing is an ideal way to manage larger items on the BBQ, where you…

If you browse online BBQ articles you’ll be confronted with all manner of exotic equipment, but the truth is you really don’t need that much to get the most out of your outdoor cooking. It’s more than likely that you’ve already everything you need. We've already covered simple BBQs and grills in our basics guide, so we're going to focus here on the additional items that you'll need. We'll also look at planning and preparation, so that when you start to cook you can be sure that everything is in order. The Essentials Chimney Starter If you're using a solid fuel BBQ, a chimney starter is a great way to manage your fuel. It only requires a small amount of paper or…

One critical factor in the success of a BBQ is the fuel used, and the truth is it's often a neglected one. We're going to focus on solid fuels in this article as for gas grills there's really only one standard in the UK. When it comes to charcoal and wood, it really is worth making it a priority. Budget is of course a factor, but it makes little sense to spend good money on quality meat, only to ruin it with your choice of fuel. First of all, there's a big difference between lumpwood and briquettes. Lumpwood is the traditional product, produced by burning wood without oxygen present (retorting), to leave a product rich in carbon. Briquettes are made by processing…