Outdoor Cooking

[ClaireDavid]

We have a standard BBQ that we have used ever since camping days and it's done us well, but im hearing so much about these "Cob" systems (they are like multi level things with different pans and such) Im wondering if its worth investing in one, or just keeping 'Ole Smokey going a bit longer?! heh heh

 

[MikeAce]

i see a lot of people cooking on a large george forman grill outdoors, not quite a bbq but very easy and well cooked food.

 

[sparkes]

cadac, the best and very easy to clean

 

[Martin_E]

I agree with Sparkes the cadac's are excellent and fold up to a smallish package they don't seem to use much gas either.

Martin "E"

 

[RichardS1]

Another vote for Cadac, its a great piece of kit.

 

[Saladdodger]

Agree. Cadac is very easy to use, clean and store but takes a little practice to get the gas set right as it tends to go out in the slightest wind. I have errected a wind break around the BBQ but recently have seen people using a make shift shield (an old food can) around the air hole of the Cadac's upright.

 

[JTQ]

Just a thought you might like to first consider.

In choosing you need to consider the type of outdoor cooking you wish to do. Grills and BBQs , or cooking like in an oven, or both.

If its the former only then an open device is what you need; if the oven type, then it has to have some form of enclosure. Many offer both options so therefore could easily be the wiser choice.

I use a 15 year old american "Pyromid", a folding stainless job that uses a charcoal like bricket, "Heat Beads". This unit is better suited to enclosed cooking but can be used as a BBQ, but spending a lot of time away we prefer not to have too many grilled or BBQed meals.

 

[cris_408518]

Your lovely caravans tend to come with a nice oven and most I've had and seen have a grill and a four hob burner that will cook anything in a variety of styles with a minimal ammount of kit.

BBQ, means Charcol. No new fangled gas powered lumps that load more weight and kit into the van.

A light weight charcol BBQ with coals available when you get to most destinations is the only way to go ;-)

 

[Chrissylizzie]

I agree with that. We have had two gas barbeques in the past and they just don't taste like barbequed food. They are just something else to carry and maintain. We have now gone back to cheap and cheerful disposable ones - one big enough for two of us cost me 99p! The convenience was great, the taste was super and the mess was minimal. I think it is being able to cook and eat outdoors which is the real pleasure, rather than the appliance.

 

[JeremyClarksson]

We use a gas BBQ with a lid rather like the Weber one here.

http://www.caravanning-online.co.uk/acatalog/portable-gas-barbecues.html
We bought it in a Woollies sale for around

 

[DeliDave]

we have done lots of breakfasts and spaghetti,chinese etc with cadac and although i think its a bit fiddly to clean its great to cook on

 

[Chris_5133652]

I love the Cadac for various reasons, the main being that it can be stored in bags and takes up little space. It's great to cook on and relatively straight forward to clean. I wrote a review about it here:

http://www.busyoutdoors.com/Cadac_Eazi_Chef_Delux_Combo_Gas_BBQ_review.html
I know you could use the grill in the van but defeats the object of being way in the caravan and it keeps all the cooking smells outside!

 

[cris_408518]

Chris.

I've read your article and post here, and without starting an arguement I am a little lost with some of your stuff.

One of the great things with cooked food is the smell, in all our caravanning years I can never remember it being a lingering problem in the van especially with better modern day extractors.

The food is stored in fridges and cupboards around the vans work area and I still can't see that a cadac does any more than you can do with the vans gear and minimum well thought out pans!

At 12 odd kilo's and another gas bottle that's getting on for 10% of carrying weight.

BBQ to me and many others means taste, and that in outside cooking Charcol based and something that a gas powered cooker fails on big time.

Carrying more stuff when most vans are already fully equiped cooking wise seems a strange one to us.

Each to their own I guess but for starting out, I would learn to use what you have, not what you can add on ;-)

 

[Allyson]

We use the electric George Foreman BBQ, excellant for cleaning and the taste is very good, this item has a timer on it so you can more or less let it cook on it's own.

We also have a double George Foreman which has a griddle and a flat bed on it. Griddle is ideal for sausages,chicken etc, flat bed excellant for bacon, egg, mushrooms etc so doubles up for an English Breakfast.

 

[Moth_5041363]

I have a Cadac, it very heavy, a pain to clean the bottom plate with the holes in, but it does turn out great food, I have all the pans and use it for 90% of all the cooking.It could do with a fold up washing up bowl to sook it in

 

[Chris_5133652]

Hi Cris

Each to their own as they. Yep, 12kg is a lot and you don't get the authentic charcoal bbq taste, but I find that anything cooked outside always tastes great anyway! I use the spare gas bottle for ours so I don't see that as extra weight.

We all do things differently and that is what having a caravan is all about.

Regards

Chris