BBQ season is officially upon us. Here are a few things to consider this season to ensure that you have all you need to BBQ.
So us British are somewhat fanatical are really quite mad when it comes to BBQs. It may be 16C with the slightest glimmer of a sun ray, and we pull out the BBQ with the rusting grills and give it a good scrub and clean so that we can spend time outdoors with sizzling food, sharing the experience with friends and family.
What many fail to understand is that BBQing is really quite an art and by doing some really simple things, you can turn what could be construed as an average BBQ into something really quite special.
Cleaning
Lighting it up!
Probably one of the most important elements. After all, if you don’t light it, you can’t cook on it. I probably am being a little biased here in that I am a sole believe of cooking food over some hot charcoal. There is nothing more satisfying than lighting the bbq, and smelling the smoke waft around the garden to give that true summer feel. When it comes to what to burn on your BBQ, there is much of a debate around choosing lump wood or briquettes. Personally, I am a fan of lump wood. That said, it does depend on what I am cooking. If I am cooking a leg of lamb, I would almost certainly use briquettes as they maintain their heat. If cooking a normal BBQ (burgers, sausages, chicken etc) I would always use lump wood as you get greater control over the heat. Not to mention, it smells better!
One word of advice would be to always let the coals heat up properly.
Extra Touches
Once the BBQ is hot enough, it is worth throwing on some hickory chips or springs of lavender onto the coals. Not only does this smell lovely and add flavour to the BBQ, it also helps keeps away the bugs if you are having an evening feast. If you are putting hickory chips on the BBQ, it is worth soaking them in some ale beforehand – amazing!
Prep
To get the most out of your BBQ and to impress your friends, you have to do some prep! By simply marinading your food the night before or hours before you are about to cook, not only will you add amazing flavour to your BBQ but you will also find it a lot less stressful. 
Simply add some herbs, garlic and season the meats and put them back in the fridge in a suitable container so that you can just pull them out and you are ready to go. It is also worth putting some herbs in and around the meat before you put it in the fridge, perhaps some springs of lavender on top of the meats.
BBQing is, without doubt, fun! And with the right amount of peroration, you can BBQ like a king! ENJOY!
