Buying a barbecue can be tricky, especially if all your experience has been on the silver tray disposable ones! There are a few things to consider before making your purchase, and perhaps the most important is how often you plan to use your grill. If it’s a one-off event, it might be worth borrowing one or even going back to the disposable kind, but if it’s going to get regular usage it can be worth investing a bit more.

The two main choices for domestic barbecue grills are gas and charcoal. They both have their fans and it often comes down to personal preference.

Gas barbecues offer instant heat and can be ready to cook on within 10 minutes. The control is similar to a gas cooker, allowing you to regulate temperatures more easily than when cooking over charcoal. They’re low maintenance, with minimal cleaning needed and no charcoal ash to dispose of. Gas barbecues are powered by propane, and you’ll need to buy a cylinder. When it runs out, you can have it refilled.

Charcoal barbecues cook your food with heat from the glowing embers. They give your food the classic charred flavour and appearance. The temperature is controlled by raising and lowering the grill, and it takes a while to get the coals glowing white and ready to cook on.

Check out the amazing range of BBQs, Grills, Outdoor Kitchens and future available at Garden Trends, here at Moss End Garden Village – click here 

What to put on the Barbie?

Sausages, burgers and the odd kebab are fairly standard grilling fare, but we’re always on the lookout for something new to cook on the BBQ. We’ve got some unusual ideas as well as some top BBQ tips for beginners to help you bring the wow factor to your socially distanced gatherings this Spring.

• More cheese please! It’s no secret that halloumi is delicious, but have you tried grilling it? Slice your halloumi cheese into thick pieces, around ⅓ inch to avoid them falling apart on the grill. Then grill for around 3 minutes on each side, until golden char marks appear. You can also thread your halloumi onto skewers with your favourite veggies for grilling.
• Good golly it’s cauli! Cauliflower deserves better than being boiled, and when grilled on the BBQ has a whole new level of flavour. It’s one of our favourite cheap BBQ ideas for entertaining. We like to slice our cauliflower into steaks and slather with rich tandoori spices from our Veggie Rub 01. Grill until charred and tender, then add a squeeze of lemon before serving.
• Avo go at avocado: We didn’t think it got better than avocado on sourdough toast in the morning, but we’re happy to say we were wrong. It turns out that avocados are delicious on the BBQ. Just a few minutes of searing will give them a crisp burnished flavour.
• Use your loaf: You may not have considered putting bread on the BBQ before, but it’s a welcome addition to soak up all of the lovely meaty juices as well as using up any loaf that is a bit past its best. To take it to the next level, try blending butter and garlic before slathering it on thick slices of bread and grilling.
• Dish up fish, fresh from the grill: Fish is the unsung hero of the barbecue. It takes very little cooking and can be ready in a few minutes. Salmon and other oily fish are natural choices for the grill, as they’re unlikely to dry out and readily take on delicious smoky flavours. White fish works well too, but takes even less cooking – we like to parcel ours up in tin foil with butter and herbs, then grill.
• The perfect pizza, fresh from the BBQ: A pizza oven is top of our garden wish list, but did you know that you can still make a pretty good pizza pie on your current barbecue? We recommend using a pizza stone – a flat slab that gets extra hot and absorbs moisture, ensuring a crispy pizza every time. 
• Get fruity: We’re usually so stuffed after the main event that we can’t face dessert, but if you’re looking for a sweet treat to round off your BBQ party, why not pop some fruit on the grill? Watermelon and pineapple are obvious contenders, but we love slicing partway through an unpeeled banana, squishing chocolate buttons into the gaps, wrapping it in foil and letting it grill over the dying embers.

For all your BBQ ingredients, visit Moss End Garden Village and you won’t be disappointed!