Confessions of a British Barbecuer

Let’s admit it. We Brits are not exactly known for our barbecue prowess. The standard affair involves burnt sausages, dry baps, craggy coleslaw and mushy tomatoes plopped over iceberg lettuce, dressed with a bottle of wince-inducing French dressing.

But hey, we love it anyway, don’t we? Because when the sun finally shines, just being outside makes us happy.

Other parts of the world, however, have turned this cooking method into an art form. That’s why I drove down to Ockham for a 5-hour Low n’ Slow BBQ course with The BBQ Company, hoping I could elevate my own backyard cooking into something above the norm.

But could a single afternoon teach me what it takes?

I’m sure most of us are guilty of the same routine: light the coals, get them blazing hot and throw the food on the grill. But authentic American-style barbecuing means cooking on a low, indirect heat and allowing the smoke to flavour the food.

This requires maintaining a steady, low temperature all day, which is much easier said than done. So, our day started with the basics. We learned how to light a low-temp grill, exactly how much wood to use for smoking, and the secrets to keeping the heat rock-steady.

Our instructor, Shaun, was full of insightful nuggets:

From there, we dove into the different styles of barbecue, breaking down the pros and cons of ceramic vs. wood pellet vs. kettle grills, and how to manage the quirks of each.

Next came the meat preparation. We learned target temperatures, exactly when to remove and wrap the meat, and why different cuts require different wrapping materials. As the lessons rolled on, the food rolled out.

These were soft, smoky and full of flavour. With my face and hands covered in sauce, I masked a sense of shame as I reached for the next few. Phenomenal.

As Shaun told us: “If you learn to nail these consistently, you will blow some minds.” He wasn’t wrong. Coated in a sweet sauce, these sumptuous little nuggets of smoked pork belly were tangy, rich and bright.

We were treated to two brilliant variations of ribs: one slathered in a trendy, savoury Gochujang, and another with a fiery Carolina Reaper sauce. Both were melt-in-the-mouth tender and a million miles away from the tacky, pre-packaged ribs you find at the local supermarket.

The classic BBQ brisket is notoriously one of the hardest things to pull off, so Shaun recommends starting with the more forgiving short rib. As luck would have it, this also happens to be my favourite cut of beef.

The complexity and depth of flavour achieved from a piece of meat coated in nothing more than salt and pepper is astonishing.

There are not many better ways to spend a sunny day than standing around a barbecue, drinking cold beers in a relaxed environment, learning to cook incredible food, while also getting to eat it.

To my mind, at £160 for five hours of learning and eating, it’s worth every penny.

I left feeling like I have the foundational building blocks to start doing this properly at home. I know exactly what it takes to cook this food; now, I just have to put in the reps.

The BBQ Company runs a variety of other classes, including the highly recommended Butchery & Steak Masterclass, the Ultimate Burger course and a dedicated day for Kamado Grills.

It’s a brilliant experience with plenty of fantastic food to go around. If you’re looking to step up your outdoor cooking game, I recommend checking them out.

Who knows? Perhaps together, we can finally make the British barbecue brilliant. But we’ll have to wait for the sun to come back out first.