Best Portable BBQ

With the Royal Wedding and the rise in music festivals and places where you can take a BBQ we thought it was about time we updated our Best Portable BBQ’s Blog Post so here goes.

We have had a play on all 5 of these and really like them. If I had to choose though, I would probably go for the versatility of the Weber portable kettle BBQ or the very nice looking tripod BBQ from Landman.

1. Weber – Smokey Joe Original Portable BBQ £44.99 – Amazon

A nice looking, super versatile BBQ from the BBQ masters at Weber. With it being a kettle BBQ you can do far more on it than the usual open top BBQ’s. It won’t pack as flat as some of the other portable BBQ’s but you get better back for your buck with this one than many of the others. Oh yeah, it also comes in silver, what more could you want?

2. Large Portable Bucket BBQ – £9.99 Amazon

Portable Bucket BBQ

We all loved this retro and funky looking portable BBQ. The wooden handle is a nice touch meant that you can move it easily and not have to wait for it to fully cool down. Not the biggest portable BBQ out there but possibly the cutes and it feels incredibly sturdy.

3. Hotspot Notebook Portable BBQ – £21.99 Amazon

This was quite a controversial BBQ that we promoted in 2009 and then had a flood of complaints because the metal warped after heating and it would not go flat again. The new design is much better and we had not problems whatsoever with it. One of the most portable BBQ’s about… very impressive.

4. Portable Barrel BBQ – £19.99 Amazon

Another portable BBQ that we really love. It looks brilliant and the two barrels means that you can have a hot grill and a medium heat grill. Ultra portable and very stylish, you will look the star of the party if you rock up with one of these.

Oh yeah, we also love that this one is on offer at Amazon at the minute, reduced from £35.99 to £19.99.

Tripod Portable BBQ

5. Landmann Tripod Charcoal BBQ £25.99 Amazon

Possibly the best looking portable BBQ out there and it will certainly get people chatting to you on the campsite, beach or park. Looks like an olden days cowboy BBQ but it built to high modern standards.

No doubt about it, this is one of the iLoveMyBBQ.com teams fave BBQ’s.

So, there you have it, our Top 5 Portable BBQ’s. We have a popped a few more in the below carousel that shows a the ones we love and recommend.

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Top 5 Best Gas BBQ's

We are getting more and more questions about which BBQ’s are the best, gas or BBQ, which is a whole new post in its own right but I thought it was about time we reviewed our Top 5 Best Gas BBQ’s as the last one we did was 2009! Wow, how time flies.

As I frequently say, we are massive fans of charcoal BBQ’s but I can see why so many people favour gas BBQ’s. If you have a big family, use BBQ’s multiple times per week and need your food grilling fast, then BBQ’s are probably best for you and your family.

That being said, we have twins on the way and I don’t think this will make us switch to gas, but never say never!

Moving on, based on our experience and having had  a play with many gas BBQ’s, here are our Top 5 Best Gas BBQ’s for 2011.

1. Weber Q220 Black line Gas BBQ & Stand (Amazon £289.00)

One of the new 2011 range of Gas BBQ’s from Weber. Why does it get the number one spot, well, it has everything! The Q220 Black Line BBQ from Amazon has a huge 206 inch grill, cast iron lid and cooking grill and is possibly the nicest looking gas BBQ currently on the market. At £289.00 it is for the serious griller or those who want a BBQ that will last them for life. If you have a large family to grill for, this is the gas bbq for you.

2. Outback Omega 250 (Amazon £144.00)

A great entry level BBQ for gas fans but it is also built to last thanks to it carrying the well resepected Outback branding. The cooking area is 50×36 cm and it even has a side burner. A real bargain in the gas bbq world.

3. Australia 200 Series 3 Burner Roaster Gas BBQ (Amazon £249.99)

I picked this one for a couple of reasons. One, I had a go on an Australia Gas BBQ as part of a testing day and found it to be one of the easiest to get going (in terms of fiddling about) and secondly, it specifically has tools for roasting joints.

A 64 x 49 cm grill space is also a bonus as are the three burners.

4. BillyOh Gas BBQ Tasman 300 (Amazon £63.90)

A nice, affordable and cheap entry level gas BBQ from BillyOh. This gas BBQ does the job, has two burners and I picked it because it comes with the kit.

It comes with regulator and cover and as I say, is a nice affordable piece of kit.

5. Outback Excell 300 Gas BBQ (Amazon £149.99)

Another new season BBQ and this one is from Outback who make great gas BBQ’s. A 50 x 38 cm grill means that this is not the largest gas bbq on offer but in my eyes it is the prettiest.

Don’t be worried about the eye catching modern design though, it is still a very powerful gas bbq and will do brilliant for the average sized family.

6. Weber Summit S670 Gas Stainless Steel BBQ (Amazon £2849.99)

Ok, so this one was more of a giggle but… if you have won the lottery and have watched MTV Cribs, this is the Gas BBQ for you!

So, there you have it, our Top 5 Best Gas BBQ’s… And here they all are (below) in one easy to see widget (courtesy of Amazon).

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BBQ Meat Thermometer

A quick shout out for our BBQ Gadget of the week, the Kitchen Craft Meat Thermometer from Amazon, just £3.99.

This is a brilliant and very handy gadget, especially for the larger joints of meat and more complicated BBQ Recipes that you plan on grilling on your BBQ.

We found it to be essential for the likes of the Beer Can up The Bum Recipe, along with the Leg of Lamb from last season. It is brilliant for the first time BBQ’er as well, because you can even use it on smaller portions of meat that you may be barbecuing such as chicken breast, chicken thighs and even sausage and beef burgers.

At just £3.99 this is a real bargain and with it coming from Amazon, you know it will arrive quickly and be fully guaranteed.

So, hat’s off to our gadget of the week, the Kitchen Craft Meat Thermometer for your BBQ from Amazon and at an amazingly cheap £3.99.

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Easy BBQ Recipe

This lovely weather means that we are currently enjoying our 3rd BBQ in as many days and we have one planned for every day over this Easter period.

Sometimes it is good to step away from the experimenting with various BBQ recipes and just go for a nice and simple BBQ dish. So last night we went for the ever brilliant BBQ recipe of “Grilled Sirloin Steaks”.

You see, nothing exciting, not even steakmarinaded in coca cola, just wacked in a basket and grilled for a few mins either side.

The secret to great BBQ steaks when cooking in a basket is to place them with fat side facing out of the basket. This way, once the meat itslef is cooked, you can place the basket on the side (see the picture) and then crisp up the fat.

A simple BBQ recipe but man, it tastes good. Hope you enjoy it… tonight we are going even more back to basics with a basket for of bangers and burgers. Pics to follow!

Have a great Easter BBQ fans and don’t forget to take pics of your own BBQ’s and send them in.

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Egg and Bacon BBQ Recipe

The BBQ weather has officially started. Gone are the days of hunting round a damp garden on Easter Sunday for chocolate eggs. Well, actually, you can still do the egg hunting bit, makes it more fun. This Easter something very weird and wonderful has come to our attention at I Love My BBQ.

Thanks to DivaQ (find them on Twitter @DivaQBBQ) the ultimate recipe of madness for the BBQ has come to light. Read on if you’re a bacon and eggs kinda guy (or gal).

“Bacon and eggs? On the BBQ? That’s madness!” one may cry. However, stick with it because we are not talking about your average morning fry up. As you know, we here at I Love My BBQ like both a challenge and the more ‘out there’ recipes.

Once the egg hunting has finished on Sunday morning around midday you may be thinking “Sod the traditional Sunday roast, there’s a BBQ to be had here” (due to the incredible April weather we have been having). If however, you are fresh out of burgers and sausages simply take some of your crème eggs you so lovingly hunted down, take a pack of bacon and start wrapping the eggs (much like pigs in blankets only these are… eggs in blankets!) in said bacon.

Then whack ‘em on a tray and pop it on the barbie. Once partially cooked, dispose of the tray and grill directly on your trusty BBQ. For full information and handy pictures check out the DivaQ blog http://bit.ly/f8EXu7 Thank you guys for an inspiring and downright mental idea. We’re sure to be trying it this weekend.

Popularity: 17% [?]

Jack Daniel's Original BBQ Sauce

Wow! A quick blog as we have just had chance to try the Jack Daniel’s BBQ Sauce and I could not wait to share our verdict!

It is ace… You may remember that we road-tested the Weber BBQ sauce and one of the major plus points was that it had a more original/home- made taste to it.

Well, the Jack Daniel’s BBQ Sauce also has this by the bucket load.

We had it over butterflied chicken and although we only had 20 mins or so marinade time, it did the job perfectly.

As you would expect from a Jack Daniels product, it has the famous kick to it, but nowhere near as harsh as the Bourbon (or is it Whisky?).

Available in packs of three large bottles from Amazon for just £13.35 you still have time to order some today and get it in time for the weekend, which we are reliably informed by the weather people is going to be another warm one.

At this rate, we will run out of BBQ Sauce’s to road-test, but so far, this one is neck and neck with the Weber BBQ Sauce and definitely one to try.

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Going through the old iLoveMyBBQ.com pics for the site the other day I came across my favourite BBQ pic of all time.

Not entirely sure why I love this one so much, think it is the sunset and also the pink spotty apron!

It was taken during a BBQ at the Clims!

Fave BBQ Pic

What is your favourite BBQ pic? Email it over to me at andy@petoba.com and the best ones will get on the site…

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BBQ Tips and Tricks

The previous weekend saw us going for an “away-day” BBQ at Cotswold Park and Beach. Being tasked with BBQ’ing comes with enough pressure when you do it on home turf, so doing it away from home adds extra pressure.

Remembering the essentials is pretty easy, i.e. Charcoal, Meat and some BBQ Tong’s but it is all the silly BBQ gadgets and gizmo’s that make a BBQ go smoothly, so here are the iLoveMyBBQ.com Top 5 Essential Gadgets, Tips and Recipes for away BBQ’s.

Top 5 Tips

- Make sure you take matches or a lighter. The Park and beach we went to last weekend did not sell matches or lighters for Health and Safety reasons. Mad I know… luckily (given our group are all none smokers) one of our friends had a blow torch in the back of his 4×4 (I don’t know why either, you will have to ask him).

- Take a BBQ Mitt (Weber, £9.70 Amazon). When using someone else’s BBQ or an industrial BBQ you never know how it will work or what will need moving at a crucial point. Having a BBQ Mitt nearby can prevent any nasty food burns and also enable you to “work the grill” a little easier.

- Have a bottle of water nearby. This is an essential one for a number of reasons. 1, to immediately apply to any rogue burns you may endure. 2, To prevent any rogue sparks or bit of charcoal causing the nearby grassland or woods to catch alight. 3, it gets hot!

- Take a Kilner Jar with some Cajun Rub in it. Some away-day BBQ’s call on visitors and guest to bring their own meat. Whilst you should never be so rude as to just shake some of your rub onto their plain meat, you may want to encourage them to have a bit of extra flavour. BBQ’ing is about sharing remember

- Don’t forget a sharp knife. Now, I don’t really know the laws about driving around with a kitchen knife in yiour boot, but I am sure that if the police see the rest of your BBQ equipment they will apply a bit of common sense. A sharp kitchen knife is essential to make sure food is cooked and to (as funny as it sounds), cut up people’s strings of sausages! ps, a simple veg or pairing knife will do. Avoid the Crocodile Dundee knives!

Those are my Top 5 Essential Tips for BBQ Away Matches… why not share yours below in the comments section.

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Easy BBQ Recipe

Another away-day BBQ today, that is two in two days. Today we were at Granny BS’s house and it was a great opportunity to test out one of the Weber range of BBQ Marinades.

We had the traditional Weber BBQ Marinade (£9.94 for 6 Amazon), a simple and easy BBQ Recipe that you simply pour over your meat, leave to marinade and then slap onto the grill.

We seem to always use the BBQ marinades over chicken but they also work really well over other cuts and varieties of meats such as Lamb chops, Pork Steaks, Beef steaks (Sirloin, fillet and rump etc).

I also thing the Weber BBQ Marinade works well when you brush it over seafood kebabs and, if a rogue veggie has snook in, you can smear it over their veggie kebabs as well.

Weber BBQ Sauce and Marinade

Marinades work best when you can leave them to flavour the meat overnight but we only had chance to give the Weber BBQ Sauce Marinade a couple of hours over our chicken breasts and being honest, you would not have noticed the difference had they been marinading for three days!

The flavour was spot on!

You kind of expect it to be perfect, it is Weber after all, but this really is spot on. In my mind it even beats the Paul Newman range of marinades. The trouble with some of the marinades is that they taste synthetic and a bit fake, but the Weber BBQ Sauce tastes authentic and original.

Easy BBQ Chicken Recipe

The Weber BBQ Marinade was not only a quick and easy BBQ Recipe it is one of those recipes you can prep in a couple of mins and leave to marinade whilst chatting with friends and still taste amazing.

Everyone loved the chicken and I suspect that had we not admitted that it was out of a jar I could have claimed it was home made! I totally would have as well…

Kudos Weber, you have done it again…

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Cotswold Country Park and Beach

Wow, what a day! A bunch of us went along to the Cotswold Country Park and Beach today for a day out and to try their BBQ pitches that you can hire and we all had a great day.

There were six adults and three kids and we all got their for the peak lunchtime slot.

First up, it is really easy to find and very clearly signposted once you get off the A419 (if coming from Gloucester way it is the turning after Circencester). There are some amazing new lakeside homes being built in the area and you can see why the likes of Brad Pitt are rumoured to have bought one of the new builds.

Anyway, we got there and we were under the impression that you could hire one of the BBQ’s that are dotted around the place. You can’t, officially!

When we asked about them at the hire place we were told they were £50.00 to hire (wow) and were meant for parties of 50+ people. Instead though they sold us some disposable BBQ’s.

Lesson number one though, bring your own lighters as the shop on site does not sell lighters or matches. Luckily one of our friends had ways and means to light the BBQ in his car.

Cotswold COuntry Park and Beach.

When we found a pitch to set up in it was next to one of the big BBQ’s and we were fine to use it, no charge.

For the disposable BBQ we went for Chinese Pork, Lamb Kofka’s and traditional bangers and it all tasted awesome. I am not sure how good the disposable BBQ’s are, they seemed to lose heat very quickly.

All in all, we had a great day and cannot recommend Cotswold Country Park and Beach enough…

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