Author Topic: Disposable BBQ,s  (Read 4443 times)

Disposable BBQ,s
« on: 26 July, 2016, 01:36:50 pm »
Does anyone take Disposable BBQ,s with them on a camping trips

Re: Disposable BBQ,s
« Reply #1 on: 26 July, 2016, 01:46:32 pm »
Terrible things. Full of chemicals. I use an old Weber Smokey Joe. Perfect for 4 people and works as a fire pit late into the night.

Not on the bike obviously. Car camping.

Kim

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Re: Disposable BBQ,s
« Reply #2 on: 26 July, 2016, 01:49:40 pm »
The main point in disposable BBQs is that you don't have to take them with you, rather that they can be sourced in a local shop, saving you having to carry them, particularly by bicycle.

They're fairly rubbish compared to a proper barbecue and real charcoal, but good enough for a couple of burgers (or warming your feet).

Re: Disposable BBQ,s
« Reply #3 on: 26 July, 2016, 01:50:50 pm »
Terrible things. Full of chemicals.
I think that is a bit of an exaggeration. They usually have a bit of bbq lighter fuel in the charcoal in them.

My disagreement with them is that they badly burn the grass, leaving a horrible scar. Take something to shield the ground or put them on stone if you are going to use them.
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Kim

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Re: Disposable BBQ,s
« Reply #4 on: 26 July, 2016, 01:51:31 pm »
My disagreement with them is that they badly burn the grass, leaving a horrible scar. Take something to shield the ground or put them on stone if you are going to use them.

Civilised campsites supply bricks for the purpose.

Some of the better disposables include a wire frame to stand it off the ground by a couple of inches.  Which works okay on shortish grass, if you're careful not to knock it off.

Re: Disposable BBQ,s
« Reply #5 on: 26 July, 2016, 01:53:15 pm »
Have used them in the past for camping but we found a small BBQ in B&Q for about a fiver that packs away in a box not much bigger than a disposable so for car camping it doesn't take up much space. I can't see it on the website. It might have been an in store thing or they don't do it any more but I hope not as I intend to buy a couple more.
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Kim

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Re: Disposable BBQ,s
« Reply #6 on: 26 July, 2016, 01:54:22 pm »
Have used them in the past for camping but we found a small BBQ in B&Q for about a fiver that packs away in a box not much bigger than a disposable so for car camping it doesn't take up much space. I can't see it on the website. It might have been an in store thing or they don't do it any more but I hope not as I intend to buy a couple more.

That's a better approach, if only because you can re-fuel it and probably have an adjustable height grill.

Re: Disposable BBQ,s
« Reply #7 on: 26 July, 2016, 02:05:46 pm »
Terrible things. Full of chemicals.
I think that is a bit of an exaggeration. They usually have a bit of bbq lighter fuel in the charcoal in them.


Perhaps but the food tastes ghastly after cooking over them. My preference is for a proper fire made without fire starters or chemicals. Cherry, apple or pear wood smell stunning and make the food taste how it should when cooked over flame. You shouldn't need to light a fire with the help of paraffin. Basic fire skills are enough. I'm pretty impressed with some of the charcoal you can buy in Somerset.

I'm a bit of a Puritan having lived in Africa for a couple of decades. I wince when I see ill treatment of BBQs in Britain. The school curriculum is missing something.

Re: Disposable BBQ,s
« Reply #8 on: 26 July, 2016, 02:22:28 pm »
I was under the belief that quite a few campsites ban open wood fires but allow charcoal bbqs, presumably on the worry that open fires have an increased risk of setting fire to tents.

You have no need to sell the superiority of wood burning to me, I'm the person who has hauled a full-sized kelly kettle on overnight bike rides just to make a cup of coffee.
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Re: Disposable BBQ,s
« Reply #9 on: 26 July, 2016, 02:34:39 pm »
My disagreement with them is that they badly burn the grass, leaving a horrible scar. Take something to shield the ground or put them on stone if you are going to use them.

Civilised campsites supply bricks for the purpose.

Some of the better disposables include a wire frame to stand it off the ground by a couple of inches.  Which works okay on shortish grass, if you're careful not to knock it off.
The ones I found have a little fold out legs short but appear sturdy

Re: Disposable BBQ,s
« Reply #10 on: 26 July, 2016, 02:58:03 pm »
Have used them in the past for camping but we found a small BBQ in B&Q for about a fiver that packs away in a box not much bigger than a disposable so for car camping it doesn't take up much space. I can't see it on the website. It might have been an in store thing or they don't do it any more but I hope not as I intend to buy a couple more.

That's a better approach, if only because you can re-fuel it and probably have an adjustable height grill.

Yes, being able to adjust the height and therefore the heat allows much better control of what you are cooking rather than blackening on the outside and leaving raw in the middle.
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Kim

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Re: Disposable BBQ,s
« Reply #11 on: 26 July, 2016, 03:03:05 pm »
Obviously wood has far more chemicals in it than charcoal...

I've no objection to paraffin for lighting barbecues, particularly where you can't move the coals around to get it lit properly as on a disposable - it should have burnt off by the time you start cooking anyway.

I suggest that it's not the paraffin that's the issue, but whatever gunk they use to form charcoal dust into briquettes.  Briquettes are rubbish - hard to light, slow to burn, don't get hot enough, have a nasty habit of extinguishing themselves with their own ash.  Their only advantage is consistent size.  Real charcoal is much better, but disposables tend to use briquettes.

Re: Disposable BBQ,s
« Reply #12 on: 26 July, 2016, 03:43:35 pm »
Self lighting bags are the future for camping BBQs ;D

They contain charcoal and not briquettes so stay hot longer and cook more efficiently (as per Kim) and alright they are covered in paraffin or similar flammable chemical but it's a good half hour of burning before the coals are sutiable for cooking on by which time the bag has disintegrated and burnt all of the nasties.
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Re: Disposable BBQ,s
« Reply #13 on: 26 July, 2016, 04:46:44 pm »
I was under the belief that quite a few campsites ban open wood fires but allow charcoal bbqs, presumably on the worry that open fires have an increased risk of setting fire to tents.

You have no need to sell the superiority of wood burning to me, I'm the person who has hauled a full-sized kelly kettle on overnight bike rides just to make a cup of coffee.

We shall agree on Kelly Kettles. Working outdoors, this is my main source of hot water. Fired up with a handful of pine cones the world starts to go round again.

dim

Re: Disposable BBQ,s
« Reply #14 on: 26 July, 2016, 09:09:32 pm »
buy proper organic BBQ charcoal such as Big Green Egg ... available from John Lewis or online .... I buy big bags of this closeby from a farm shop in Cambridge called Gog Magog no paraffine or nasties in it .... they also have an excellent butcher there

if you are camping or touring on your bike, find a few rocks where you want to BBQ  and get an oven rack which is small and once it's cool/cold, it can be wrapped in a black bin bag ....the oven rack  fits perfect in a pannier bag

I use this charcoal on my large Weber BBQ and on my smoker
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Re: Disposable BBQ,s
« Reply #15 on: 28 July, 2016, 10:27:05 am »
I was under the belief that quite a few campsites ban open wood fires but allow charcoal bbqs, presumably on the worry that open fires have an increased risk of setting fire to tents.

You have no need to sell the superiority of wood burning to me, I'm the person who has hauled a full-sized kelly kettle on overnight bike rides just to make a cup of coffee.

We shall agree on Kelly Kettles. Working outdoors, this is my main source of hot water. Fired up with a handful of pine cones the world starts to go round again.

My dad had one of them.  Brilliant invention.  He got his to use in Africa, a rather long time ago.

For me BBQs are for when it's too hot to cook indoors.  Best if they run on gas :demon: :o :facepalm:
Move Faster and Bake Things

Re: Disposable BBQ,s
« Reply #16 on: 04 August, 2016, 04:09:05 pm »
You can buy stainless steel BBQs that fold flat and rest on bent wire legs for £10 online. They fold flat and could even be packable for touring. Good for charcoal cooking then switch to wood for the evening fire pit. Backwoods TV!

Saw a small folding legged fire pit for £35 with grill and screen mesh cover for after cooking fire. I've seen lots of these in campsites this year but not as many previous years.

Whatever disposables use to aid lighting.will be volatiles that get burnt off before cooking. As said the briquettes might be the issue due to their forming with possibly fly ash waste. That's cheapo garage ones. Either way real charcoal burns better and is easier to light IME.

Short of lugging around a sack of your favourite green, organic, fairtrade hug the planet charcoal from your secret supplier any lump wood charcoal will be good in any reusable BBQ with sufficiently long legs to prevent scorching, we have a £10 mini folding barrel one which opens to give two mini half barrels, twice the cooking space. Great for 5 or more, especially since you mostly cook a bit, eat a bit then eat more. You never really cook all the food at once. IMHO BBQs need to be long running affairs that lasts hours. Firmly believe BBQs to be half entertainment, half sustenance.

P.S. those pot bellied, cast iron BBQs were the popular type a good few years ago. Now it's fire pit types I reckon. Fashion BBQs!