Six Tips For A Great Portable BBQ Experience
Portable BBQs are growing in popularity as a more environmentally friendly and safer alternative to disposable and fixed grills.
If you’re keen to have a good BBQ on the go, here are our six top tips for the best portable BBQ experience.
Step 1. Select your BBQ
There are a huge number of options on the market and your choice of BBQ will impact the smokiness of the taste, cooking time and amount of food you can cook.
Key considerations when selecting a portable BBQ include:
- Weight – you need to carry it
- How quickly it heats up
- Whether you want legs, for use on unstable surfaces
- Your Budget
- What you like to cook when you’re out and about
Always read the reviews when purchasing — buyer’s remorse is no good when you have hungry mouths to feed!
Step 2. Find the right location
Look for a spot that balances scenery with safety.
The best spots are usually concrete or sandy areas that can provide stability, while being resistant to heat.
Always set up your BBQ away from any buildings, tablecloths, and long grass, and avoid windy areas.
Step 3. Choose your fuel
The quality and type of fuel will determine how long your BBQ burns for. While larger BBQs and firepits adapted for cooking can make use of larger firewood logs, these are typically too big for portable BBQs.
Restaurant-grade Ecoblaze Binchotan Charcoal
Ecoblaze Charcoal Briquettes create very little mess, produce a high heat output and are long-lasting — up to two hours of cooking time!
There are also portable gas BBQs on the market, but this involves bringing a gas canister along on your trip.
Ecoblaze Charcoal Briquettes create very little mess, produce a high heat output and are long-lasting — up to two hours of cooking time!
There are also portable gas BBQs on the market, but this involves bringing a gas canister along on your trip.
Step 4. Get your fire started
Natural firelighters are a safe, sustainable way of lighting your BBQ. We recommend Ecoblaze Natural Firelighters, which are made from natural softwood wool, are non-toxic and burn cleanly.
Unlike other commercial offerings, which often contain nasty chemical additives, natural firelighters are smokeless and odourless — preventing any unpleasant tastes from tainting your food.
Step 5. Get cooking!
Allow enough time for the charcoal to heat up your BBQ — 15-30 minutes should be plenty, especially if you use a charcoal chimney starter.
Top Tip: when using Ecoblaze Binchotan charcoal, you want to wait until the coals turn silver before cooking, this is when it’s at optimal cooking temperature.
Step 6. Putting out your BBQ
When finished, close the lid and vents to cut off any oxygen to the charcoal and allow it to cool down.
When barbecuing on the go, another option is slowly pouring water over the charcoal and stirring to cool the ash quickly and completely.
Be careful — dousing can create hot steam!
Finally, we recommend using a metallic utensil to sweep off the remaining ash from the BBQ and thoroughly clean with warm soapy water, leave to dry naturally, and it’s ready for your next adventure.
Happy Barbecuing!
Ecoblaze Charcoal
Ecoblaze Bagged Lumpwood BBQ Charcoal
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Ecoblaze Charcoal Briquettes
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