The most important things at a glance:
- Store coal & briquettes dry
- Warm clothes for grilling but please fireproof and without pompoms
- Always keep an eye on the wind
- Warm dishes are not only good for warm hands
- Use alternative meats in winter
- Always clean up immediately and quickly saves later trouble
Who thinks about barbecuing in January?
Very easy: A full 60% of Americans . Because, as our friends on the other side of the pond know, cold weather does not spoil the fun of grilling. Quite the opposite – with With its great types of meat that you would never think of in summer or that would be hard to get hold of, winter grilling can open up completely new doors for the enthusiast and in the evenings, when it gets dark early, an open fire creates a cozy, warm atmosphere. And who doesn't get excited at the thought of a piece of smoky meat? even on cold winter days your mouth watering?
So this year we will try to do the same as our American grill buddies and fire up in snow and wind instead of sun and heat, we light our fire.
And so that grilling fun and good taste remain the focus even in the cold season, here are our tips for stress-free winter grilling:
Store coal dry
No fire, no barbecue – therefore it is important to have coal, briquettes & Co. in winter protected from the weather and especially Store in a dry place . If you have a garage or a weatherproof shed, you're in luck, otherwise you should keep a small supply of coal left over from the summer in a secluded corner where it won't get in anyone's way.
If you prefer to use coal & co. with gas If you want to grill, you should pay attention to which gas you use. The well-known propane gas is very stable and only liquefies at a temperature of -42 degrees , far from our lowest temperatures in this country. However, other commonly used gases, such as butane, can already around freezing point start to liquefy and spoil the barbecue fun.
If you do not want to use gas grills, typical smoky taste of burnt charcoal, then we recommend you to use the Liquid Smoke by Rufus Teague with the delicious blend of Hickory flavor , molasses, brown sugar and soy sauce.
Warm and fireproof clothing
Of course, the right clothing is absolutely essential for winter grilling, after all, not only the meat stay comfortably warm . It is important to keep in mind that with open fire work and in winter it is often a stiffer breeze Clothes that tend to blow strongly in the wind, such as scarves or ponchos, should therefore not be your first choice. Pompoms and cords , no matter how stylish they may be in winter, are best kept away from the grill.
And even if wool and felt naturally keep you cozy and warm, so they are also very highly flammable and a few sparks could literally burn a hole in more than just your barbecue mood.
We therefore recommend that you avoid tight-fitting jackets, preferably with a hood. And if you want to be on the safe side, you should fireproof or at least not easily flammable materials over classic fabrics.
Of course, you can simply use firm grill gloves or, for extra warmth, put on a pair of mittens and then pull the grill gloves over them. For this purpose, the robust Outset leather grill gloves – available as mittens or finger gloves, depending on your preference.
Pay attention to the wind
As already mentioned, as a professional winter griller you should keep an eye on the wind. Not only fire and sparks can otherwise quickly fly towards you without warning, but a strong gust of wind can also quickly a handful of ashes from the embers and spread over your deliciously sizzling grilled meat. Therefore, it is important even before lighting Check which direction the wind is blowing and position yourself and the grill so that smoke and fumes do not spoil your view and your fun.
You should also make sure that the smoke blown away by the wind does not potentially have a direct path into your own four walls. windows and doors Keeping it closed even during short trips to the grill also helps here.
If the wind is not so strong, we can also use a wind protection We should not forget that potentially flammable material should be placed far enough away from the grill and well anchored so that it does not suddenly fly towards the open fire in strong winds. good ventilation should be provided so that smoke and fumes can dissipate quickly and safely.
If you have a grill with lid then you're in the clear. Just shut your mouth and the issue is largely resolved for you.
Preheat dishes
Once all the preparations for the grill itself have been made, you may think it’s time to get started, but we should still take the time another step to plan:
Because what could be worse than if your beautifully seared steak on the way from the grill to the dining table cools down and you are only rewarded for all your efforts with a lukewarm piece of meat?
The roasted meat can cool down quickly, but this time the culprit is not primarily the wind. The heat goes away the fastest through physical contact lost and if you put your freshly grilled steak on a cold plate it literally sucks the heat out of the meat.
However, if you preheat your plates and thereby reduce the temperature difference between them and the food, then meat and other items will retain their temperature for longer.
It is therefore best to leave the plates for a while until shortly before serving. in the oven and let them take on a certain basic heat. And since you are probably already too mittens & Co., we can keep these here and use them as a replacement for oven gloves use when we go to pick up our portion.
Our tip for even more warmth: We simply take a second preheated plate and put it like a lid over the meat. This way, the heat is retained even better in the shielded food until it reaches the dinner table.
If that is not enough heat for you, we personally recommend serving delicious spicy sauces by Rufus Teague, Bone Doctors, Stonewall Kitchen & Co or a spicy delicious aioli for dipping and enjoying:
Alternative Meats for Winter
And now that everything is prepared, our grill is lit and the plates are in the oven to preheat, it is finally time to talk about the most important thing about grilling: our Menu .
Of course, the summer classic such as pork and beef as sausages, steaks, ribs & Co. also look good in winter, but the grill professional knows that you should also use the season to try out meat varieties that you are rarely or not found at all in summer , or with which you can often save more than just a few cents in winter compared to summer.
Instead of classic beef, how about some lamb chops from the grill? Lamb is a delicacy for many and with its spicy, distinctive taste it is guaranteed to be an aromatic alternative in the cold grilling months. Grilled lamb is particularly delicious with notes of Garlic and rosemary . We therefore like to use the tasty Aiolis from Stonewall Kitchen for a special taste experience:
The winter months also offer great alternatives for seafood fans. Instead of scampi skewers, try a piece of Salmon on the grill and enjoy the taste of delicious seafood with a tangy hint of lemon :
Also vegetarian are guaranteed not to be neglected when grilling in winter. eggplant, sweet potato & Co. taste twice as good when cooked slowly over an open fire, especially in cold weather. We particularly recommend the aromatic spices by Urban Accents:
And even if this is typical cold beer In winter, this might not be the right thing for most grill masters, but there is a solution. How about a delicious Mulled Cider so that even when turning in the wind, the grill mood remains untouched. Especially with lamb, the most adventurous can also enjoy a cup of hot chocolate – a surprisingly harmonious combination of flavours that we are only too happy to recommend to you. Or how about a delicious Pumpkin-Spiced-Latte , easy and quick to make yourself. Simply add a good shot of Pumpkin Spice Syrup from Blackberry Patch and the warm, spicy winter drink is ready:
- Mulling Spice as a spice for Apple Cider from American Heritage (43g jar)
- Hot Chocolate & Marshmallows from Stonewall Kitchen
- Pumpkin Spice Syrup by Blackberry Patch in the glass bottle (236 ml) - Pumpkin Syrup
Clean up now, relax later
Finally, of course, we have to talk about tidying up. Our simple tip: Immediately after grilling dismantle everything and store it away. Put the remaining coal and the grill away in a weatherproof place before a snowstorm gets there. Then everything is ready and immediately ready for the next round winter grilling.
If you need a little extra motivation to keep going despite the cold and wind, we recommend you grab a bag full of delicious Sunflower Spitting Seeds by Rufus Teague in 4 delicious BBQ flavours . From spicy to smoky, there is guaranteed to be the right taste for every winter griller:
So now take a leaf out of our American friends' book and make winter 2022 your barbecue season. We hope you enjoy your meal.
