What do you need for a successful winter barbecue?
Winter barbecue
Barbecue with a lid
For starters, you need a barbecue with a lid. When you barbecue in winter, you do it with the lid closed. This way, you keep the heat in the barbecue. In addition, the barbecue must be made of thick material. A kamado BBQ such as a Big Green Egg is suitable, but other BBQs with a thick metal exterior are also a good choice. Keep in mind that you place the barbecue out of the wind, so the outdoor temperature doesn't affect the temperature of your barbecue.
Smokers
Do you want to give your dishes a delicious smoky taste? If so, bring out the smoker. You can also use a smoker for a winter barbecue. Cold smoking is a great way of adding extra flavor to the dish. For example, you can smoke a large piece of meat in the smoker first before putting it on the barbecue.
Patio heater
During a winter barbecue, it's important to stay warm yourself. With frozen fingers, it's hard to eat a burger. That's why you should put on warm clothes, but watch out with dangling scarfs close to the barbecue. You can also set up a patio heater, so you and your guests will be warm all night. For example, set up a flame heater for a nice ambience or an electric ceiling or wall heater under a roof.
Lighters
The ignition of a charcoal barbecue takes some more time in winter than in summer. That's why it's important that you have the correct ignition equipment. This is charcoal and firelighters, but also a briquette starter. With a briquette starter, you can heat up the coal faster. In addition, a briquette start allows you to easily spread the hot coal over the barbecue evenly.
Barbecue accessories
During a winter barbecue, you want to serve winter dishes. Due to the cold, you might prefer heavier meals like pea soup or meat. With the right accessories, you can prepare soups, sauces, and vegetables on the barbecue. Think of a barbecue pan or pizza stone and barbecue tools to flip meat. With a good springform pan, you can even prepare an apple crumble on the barbecue. That will really surprise your guests.
Winter barbecue recipes:
Not sure what to make on your barbecue this winter? We'll help you out. With these 2 recipes, you can impress your friends and family without spending too much time. With a nice piece of meat, you can never go wrong. Make it a bit more special by choosing venison. Serve with the peso jalapeño poppers for some extra spice. This will get you through the cold.
Venison steak
Turn on your BBW, choose direct heat, and heat up to 230°C. Take the venison steak out of the packaging and dab it dry. Season it with black pepper and some sea salt and put the steak on the barbecue grill. Grill both sides for 3 minutes with a closed lid to get a deliciously tender medium rare piece of meat. Let the venison steak rest for 5 minutes before you cut it. Serve with your favorite side dish. Enjoy your meal!
Pesto jalapeño poppers
Turn your barbecue to 180°C and choose direct heat. Halve 12 jalapeño peppers and remove the seeds. Mix 200g of shredded cheese with a few spoonfuls of pesto. Scoop this mix into the halved peppers and put them on the barbecue grill. Close the lid and roast them for 5 to 10 minutes or until the cheese melts and the peppers are soft and brown. Service with torn basil leaves and enjoy.
Create ambience
A winter barbecue party revolves around all the snack you serve, but it's a complete party with the right ambience. Hang up some lights along the fence and the bushes round your garden. Turn on the patio heaters and set up a party tent to give your guests a spot out of the wind. Don't forget to light up a fire pit. This will get people in the party mood. Add some marshmallows and your winter barbecue is a success.
Nice to give with the holidays
Is your partner, best friend, brother, or sister a real barbecue enthusiast? Give them a gift that they can use all the time these holidays. Think of a good thong set or a sturdy cover to protect the barbecue from rain and dirt. Go all out and surprise them with a meat thermometer for perfectly cooked meat or a pizza stone for nice flammkuchen. This will change the next winter barbecue into a winter barbecue party.