How To BBQ Safely

A garden barbecue captures that quintessential British summer fun so many of us will be familiar with. Family barbecues might spark fuzzy feelings of nostalgia for a pre-tech childhood, but outdoor barbecues are more popular than ever with an amazing three in four UK households owning a barbecue grill.

The lockdowns brought about by COVID-19 may be to blame for the recent flourishing of do-it-yourself backyard dining. But the development of home improvement services has opened up new and grand potentials for people’s properties. Beautifully crafted bespoke outdoor kitchen spaces have become a savvy way to grow the value of one’s home.

Extravagant garden kitchens have been traditionally limited to hotter climates, with particular popularity in Australia and the southern states of the U.S. But leaders in the renovation industry, like us here at The-Oi, have made it easy to enjoy luxury outdoor living. We invite you to try some of our sophisticated garden solutions and embrace the magic of making good food in the fresh outdoors.

Treating yourself to lavish outdoor dining equipment and infrastructure facilitates plenty of fantastic fun with family and friends. It encourages happy, healthier mealtimes, but also comes with additional risks to keep in mind. So here are the dos and don’ts for a delicious, stress-free grilling so you appear nothing short of an expert to all your guests this summer.

Storing food

When you’re a parent hosting a barbecue it’s second nature to enter mission control mode. But it helps not to plan too far ahead, for example, you’re going to want to leave perishable food in the fridge until just prior to serving them. It can be tempting to dazzle guests with a banquet table overflowing with enticing bowls of food. However, lengthy exposure to the sun on a hot day can spoil your ingredients, risking illness, especially in those more vulnerable younger and older relatives.

With respect to this, the best practice is to keep foods refrigerated for as long as possible and, when eventually bringing them outside, ensure they’re kept out of direct sunlight in a cool, shaded spot. The-Oi has a diverse selection of outdoor fridges and blinds that provide the perfect solution, so your loved ones are safe leisurely grazing your barbecue feast well into the summer evening.

Remember the hygiene basics

In a post-COVID world, practices such as washing your hands regularly are widely well-enforced. But in the rush and excitement of hosting, everyone can benefit from the reminder to wash their hands thoroughly before handling food. It’s advisable to do so before and after tending to raw meat and fish.

Separate utensils and chopping boards for these products and the rest of your barbecue lineup go a long way in preventing contamination.

Maintaining as much of a clean workspace as possible also helps to minimise bacteria covering kitchen units, dining tables, and equipment from extending onto the food.

Positioning your BBQ

Where you situate your barbecue is vital for preventing accidents during all the fun. The  London Fire Brigade recommends setting up your barbecue on even ground and at some distance from flammable structures such as trees, fences, and garden sheds. The organisation also warns to wait before moving your barbecue, as a common problem arises when people try to transfer their barbecue before it has cooled down.

At The-Oi, our purpose-fitted outdoor kitchens are designed with careful consideration pertaining to safety. Our architects account for a risk assessment particular to your home, garden, and family that makes accidents much less of a worry. The high-quality materials we use are but to last to provide you with a safe and secure alfresco funhouse to enjoy for decades to come.

BBQ temperature

Barbecuing is a form of slow, indirect heat cooking method, so it can often feel like there is more than a little improvisation involved in figuring it out as you go along. This is all part of the experimental fun in outdoor cooking, but it is important to be certain that meat is thoroughly and evenly cooked. The Food Standards Agency shares the signs of undercooked beef, chicken, and other meats. The agency offers advice for avoiding food poisoning and other illnesses that can be caused by undercooked meat and festering bacteria.

Pizza ovens

Within the realm of outdoor dining, bespoke DeliVita pizza ovens are the latest fashionable garden cooking feature. DeliVita is a British brand that specialises in the design and construction of luxury pizza ovens. Synonymous with wood-fired roasting, DeliVita has quickly become beloved for the authentic, heavenly Italian-style pizza it produces. But just as with more traditional cooking applicants, pizza ovens will have hot, metal exteriors which, under the summer sunshine, can reach temperatures as high as 537 Celsius. Hence, as with a portable barbecue, it’s best to make sure your pizza oven sits well away from any nearby branches or flammable material in order to avoid a fire hazard.

Supervise children and pets

Barbecues are perfect activities for families and their little ones and can make an ideal setting for schools-out celebrations, birthday parties, bank holidays, and more. However, excitable children can run the risk of knocking over equipment, or perhaps a curious hand might reach for something hot. Pets similarly love to poke their noses and wag their tails at times and places that lead to calamity. So try not to find yourself far too outnumbered. With enough fellow adult reinforcements, you should be able to share the burden of caution between you and find time to relax amidst it all.

Do outdoor kitchens need to be covered?

In terms of safety and maintenance, do outdoor kitchens need to be covered? The answer depends on your personal priorities. The-Oi’s outdoor living solutions are designed with a keen awareness of the hurdles British weather can throw at homeowners. Our structures and furnishings are meticulously crafted to endure the elements for decades to come. However, our supplementary solutions, such as external blinds, verandas, retractable shading, and other astute concepts, can further protect your outdoor cooking area.

One irritable and potentially risky aspect of garden barbecuing occurs when the wind sweeps up smoke. Apart from the annoying spout of coughing it can cause, if this process is strong enough it can stoke the fire out of control or knock over the grill. It’s these possibilities in mind that make that bit of additional shelter so much more attractive.

The shielding effect offered by an awning or a pergola with roof and sides guarantees peace, luxury, and comfort all year round. These solutions also come with endless personalisation possibilities. Perhaps wooden pergolas might better suit for a desired rustic appearance, or alternatively, our motorised and retractable pergola roof options may give you the chic  and the versatile function you’re aiming for.

Outdoor Kitchens with The-OI

We at The-Oi are experts in luxury outdoor living. Whether you’re simply curious about the possibilities of transforming your property or are coming with a detailed vision of your dream garden, don’t hesitate to contact our friendly professionals today.

The staff at The-Oi can offer world-class advice on garden design, construction, and maintenance. We also take a proud front-row seat in the development of the home renovation business with a forward-thinking interest in advancing innovative ideas.

Questions like ‘do outdoor kitchens add value?’ have skyrocketed as homeowners take notice of the influence a property's garden has on its potential in the housing market. We at The-Oi are eager to share all the industry insights into investing in outdoor living and expanding your home’s wow factor.