some advice please

[robin61]

Guys, sorry if this is a question you get tired of but I am going to start barbequeing again this year. I need to buy myself a barbeque for both indirect and direct cooking. If I want to do a bit of smoking I have an old brinkman in the shed I can use but in doubt I will be smoking that often so I would like a good all round barbeque really. I am leaning towards the Weber one touch premium 57cm. What do you guys think ? Is there anything else I should consider which might be better without busting my bank account. I like charcoal rather than gas.
Secondly I was having a look at the events on the home page but I can't seem to figure out what's going on. Are there any good barbeque events worth going to in the South East this year

Thanks,

[robgunby]

As I mentioned on your other post, I think the OTP is a good bet, albeit a pricey option.

[robin61]

Hi Robin, I saw a OTP on the internet for £149..99 so I thought it was a pretty good price so I have ordered one of those. I still have the chimney starter which is a great piece of kit - best few quid I ever spent on barbeque accessories and I have ordered some charcoal holders and a drip tray which I am told fits perfectly between the charcoal holders. I reckon I might need to upgrade my old meat thermometer and I should be good to go. Let's hope. It doesn't. Start raining again before it all arrives.

[robgunby]

Grab yourself a Maverick ET732 - wireless thermometer with grill and meat probes. It will surpass the chimney as the greatest bbq purchase ever

Don't let a bit of rain put you off! Only gales should do that

[keith157]

So we should avoid anyone called Gale then

[robgunby]

NEVER invite her round for a barbecue. She'll mess with your fire, and when you take a piece of meat out of the fire she blows crap all over it. Stupid woman. She's never coming to my house for dinner again!

[robin61]

Well I got my Weber OTP yesterday. Fairly straight forward to assemble and I am impressed with the build quality. Decent weather forecast here for Sunday afternoon so I think I will try a chicken and maybe some sausages. If the chicken will stand up I will probably have a go at beer can chicken but the height of the lid looks a bit tight to be able to stand a chicken up. Might just about be OK I think. Anyway I am looking forward to having a go.

[derekmiller]

Robin, stand the BCC on the coal grate and have the coals to either side of it. Works fine if just doing a BCC. Otherwise it worth getting the gourmet system grate, you can take the inside out, put the BCC in there and do the sausages around the side.
Derek.

[robgunby]

I'll be honest I've found pouring a little beer, stock, or whatever into the cavity of the chicken and smoking it back side down works just as well as bcc and a whole lot less effort.

[robin61]

OK thanks for the tips guys.