BBQ How to Guides

With The Great British Bake Off about to start again, it only seems right that we teach you how to bake on your BBQ grill. Though summer may nearly be over, there’s no reason why you can’t keep your BBQ out and carry on with the fun throughout all the seasons. You might be thinking that baking on a BBQ sounds like a bit of a challenge, but it’s actually pretty easy and with our helpful guide you can’t go wrong!

 

What You’ll Need

  • Any covered grill will do, though we would recommend charcoal.
  • A thermometer is useful, but it is not required if you don’t have one to hand. Many grills include them. Use an oven thermometer if yours does not.
  • You’ll also need a heatproof buffer to place your sheet pan or baking dish on so it doesn’t sit directly on your grill rack. I prefer to cook with a cast iron pan.

 

On Your Marks Get Set and Bake (on the Grill)

To use a grill as an oven, you must first convert direct heat to indirect heat. Because each grill is unique, you must determine what will work best with what you have. Be patient as it may take a few tries to get it just right. It’s also a great idea to start with something simple, such as biscuits, and work your way up to more finicky baked goods, such as pastries.

 

Turning on Your BBQ 

If you’re using a charcoal grill, make sure there’s enough space between the coals for indirect heat. For instance, you could arrange the charcoal in a ring around the outside while leaving the inside empty.

 

Heat Your BBQ Grill

Aim for a temperature that is up to 25 degrees (Fahrenheit) higher than what is required because when you place your unbaked objects inside, some heat will be lost and won’t be as easily replaced as it would in an oven. As a result, aim to get your grill to roughly 400°F if your cookie recipe typically bakes at 375°F. It could take a few attempts to get the temperature just perfect but persevere.

 

Put Your Bake on

If you’re using a charcoal grill or a single burner gas grill, you must put something between the grill and the baking pan. Even though you can bake over off-gas burners, we still recommend using a buffer just in case. Lift the grill lid only long enough to allow your baking dish or pan to fit inside.

 

Keep in mind that if you’re baking cookies that normally bake at 375°F, try to keep your grill between 375°F and 400°F, adjusting the grill up or down as needed.

 

Enjoy Your Baking

Take everything off the grill once the baking is finished, then enjoy! The fact that you didn’t even have to switch on the oven to eat freshly baked pastries should also give you some satisfaction.

 

The appropriate goods are essential for a great BBQ, and our collection of charcoal is perfect for lighting your grill quickly and responsibly. If you want to keep up to date with everything we do and see more of our helpful guides, follow us on Instagram and Twitter!