Most people in England enjoy a good barbecue. But it pays to know how to hold one without polluting everyone in your garden and beyond, how to keep safe, and how to find delicious plant-based recipes to enjoy, along with your baked spuds!
Keeping Safe at the Garden Barbecue
If you smoke, use a personal ashtray to prevent wildfires (like dropping a match to paper in dry weather).
Not to scare you, but barbecues have many safety hazards, so here is condensed advice from fire crews, who often are the ones getting called out in emergencies.
- Site barbecues on flat surfaces away from sheds, trees and shrubs, and keep them away from children and pets. Keep a bucket of water and sand nearby.
- After your barbecue, ensure it’s cool before moving it (can take hours) and never bring it inside (or a tent) as it can give off carbon monoxide fumes for hours after being put out.
- Most fire crews (and environmentalists) are not fans of disposable barbecues, as they can leave hot ground underneath for hours (which can harm children, pets and wildlife) and also can carry smouldering ash via the wind to nearby land and properties.
- Use only enough charcoal to cover the base with recognised firelighters, and never put hot ash into a dustbin, as it could melt the plastic and start a fire.
- If using gas barbecues, follow all the safety advice like turning taps off before changing cylinders (in well-ventilated areas) and turning the cylinder off (before the controls) to ensure residual gas in the pipework is closed up. If you suspect a leak, brush soapy water around the joints to watch for bubbles, then tighten (not too much).
Lighting a More Sustainable Barbecue
An alternative is to make barbecued foods with a normal grill, then take the food outside. Great Vegan BBQ Without a Grill (this links to Amazon simply because we can’t find it listed anywhere else in the UK) is a good book to help you do this. You can make all these recipes in the oven, slow-cooker, stove-top or grill pan, even if you don’t have a grill or smoker. Recipes include smoky chipotle black bean burgers, Texas BBQ brisket, hot dogs and kebabs.
The Great Welsh Charcoal is one of a growing number of companies that makes charocal from tree offcuts, rather than chopping down trees.
Slate Charcoal offers natural firelighters made from recycled wood (that would otherwise go to landfill), blended with wax. You only need one or two, so a pack should at least a year. They burn for up to 10 minutes and also good for wood burners, fire pits and chimeneas.
Eco Grill is an alternative to disposable barbecues, which can take 200 years to decompose. Made from alder wood, this is still highly flammable so use in accordance with safety regulations and tips above. With a burn time of 2 hours, it’s ready in 20 minutes. It needs no chemicals, lighters or fluids, just a match. The grill then burns down to a powder.
In the US, they sell solar ovens, which use the sun rather than fuel to cook food. These have tubes that stay cool and you can plug them into a suitable UK power bank when there’s no sun or at night. Cook fuel-free meals in 20 minutes to feed two people.
Nisha at Rainbow Plant Life has a fantastic post on how to create all your BBQ favourites using grilling and other healthier methods.
A Book of Plant-Based Vegan BBQ Recipes
Vegan BBQ is the ultimate guide for 70 simple summer recipes, plus delicious sides, dips and snacks to brighten up any alfresco event. Learn how to get the most out of your ingredients, how to host the perfect plant-based barbecue with friends and what kit you need (with tips on small barbecue set-ups for balconies or bijou gardens).
The book has extensive information on the best kind of charcoal and other items to use, with lots of good safety and sustainability advice. Once you’re sorted, recipes include:
- Buttered Hasselback Squash
- Sizzling Fajitas
- Brown Sugar Baked Beans
- BBQ Patatas Bravas
Author Katy Beskow grew up in Yorkshire, and learned to cook while studying physiotherapy in London (inspired by the markets of fresh produce, while having to eat on a budget). Returning to her home county, her blog led to a cookbook deal which led to another, and now Katy has many top-selling vegan cookbooks under her belt.
Consider Using Air-fryers for ‘BBQ Taste’
Crispy Smashed Potatoes (Ela Vegan)
Air-fryers (buy new for safety) lets you create ‘fried foods’ with little or no oil. You can use them to make homemade chips and also cook ‘frozen meals’ in them. They cost less energy too, and help to reduce chip fat fires (throw yours out, they are the biggest cause of house fires).
Consumer experts recommend Tower Compact Fryer for small kitchens. This costs around £40 and is ideal for 1 to 2 people, and includes a grill plate. It has a mechanical timer and safety cut-out.
Consider a silicone air fryer basket (also in rectangular shape). This has 2 sheets (measure air basket before ordering). The slotted holes and air-flow means this offers an easy way to keep your air-fryer clean.
The dishwasher-safe liners capture oil and large food bits, and the drain channel keeps oils from soaking food, while bevelled edges allow for more space for ingredients.
Silicone is made from a blend of sand and fossil fuels, but it’s food-safe, lasts years, is easy to recycle and can be sent off for recycling at end of use. Silicone can also withstand temperatures up to 250° C, so you can cook with peace of mind. Designed to fit most air fryers, this liner can also be used for steamers, ovens, Instant Pots, roasting and microwaves.
Barbecue Etiquette for Vegans and Non-Vegans
This can take a bit of delicate planning. Vegans don’t want to feel excluded, but obviously don’t want to be eating ‘bits of meat’ so it’s likely you’re going to have to either make something inside separate (or just serve baked potatoes and salad) or else have a separate area of the barbecue (the vegan books above get rid of the problems, as everyone loves veggie burgers!)
You don’t want things turning ugly, like some vegans who have tried to take legal action against neighbours grilling meats in their garden next door. Obviously it’s upsetting. But it’s thing kind of behaviour that usually gives vegans a bad name.
Just hold your nose, and invite them to your next vegan barbecue, they may be so surprised and delighted at the tastes, they’ll try some plant-based options at their next barbecue!
