Perhaps it’s the ancient hunter-gatherer instinct that makes the smell of open-air cooking so irresistible, unconsciously transporting us back to the days of our ancestors.

While well-established in warmer climes such as the USA and Australia, outdoor eating is a much more opportunistic activity in the UK.

But while possibly in denial about the fickleness of our weather, barbecuing and other forms of outdoor cooking continue to grow in popularity.

In fact, it’s a pretty serious business now. Gone are the simple metal boxes into which you chucked a bit of charcoal and hoped for the best. Now we have sophisticated cooking centres which make life a lot easier for even the most reluctant barbecue chef.

With adjustable heat reducing the ‘burnt outside, raw inside’ offerings commonly served up in the past, the risk of food poisoning is much reduced.

If you’re thinking of buying a barbecue ready for the good weather, give the matter a little forethought. Decide what you’re looking for, rather than being seduced by the shiniest model with the highest number of knobs.

The first decision is to choose your fuel, ie charcoal or propane gas, both of which have their aficionados.

Patrick Renahan runs Kitchen Kiosk in Aldershot with his parents Robert and Tove and stocks a range of charcoal and gas barbecues.

“People think that the barbecue flavour comes from the charcoal, but most of it comes from the meat juices dripping on to a hot surface and then evaporating,” he said.

“Gas barbecues have a hot surface, such as stones called lava, incorporated into their design for this purpose.

“There is a slightly better flavour with charcoal, but the versatility and advantages of gas far outweigh this in my opinion.”

These advantages include not having a swathe of smoke enveloping the garden and being able to cook food in a reasonable length of time.

Charcoal takes at least an hour to reach a temperature hot enough for cooking, while gas barbecue ‘coals’ will be ready in around 20 minutes.

Using gas, it is also possible to continue cooking for long periods with no loss of performance, unlike charcoal which has to be replenished and brought back up to heat again.

Cooking temperature is also more easily controlled with gas, so a variety of foods can be cooked and there are no dirty ashes to dispose of at the end of your barbecue.

“With gas barbecues you can cook whenever you feel like it without having to do too much planning,” said Patrick.

“If you have a model that has a griddle, you can cook eggs, mushrooms and tomatoes to accompany your sausages and bacon and there you have your cooked breakfast.

“Or, if you have one with a lid or a spit, you can roast meat too, and then add a rack to keep your food warm until you’re ready to eat.

“The fact that they’re so quick to get going means they’re ideal for our unpredictable climate.”

There are lots of models to choose from and it’s easy to be tempted by an all-singing, all-dancing model. But before you part with your money, think about the practicalities.

First, where will you site the barbecue? They take up considerable room and need space around them for safety’s sake, so measure up your area before you buy.

Similarly, consider how many people you are likely to cook for on a regular basis. A large barbecue might be great for the occasional party but will be uneconomical on gas for small, everyday meals.

Buy the best quality you can afford. You want your barbecue to last a few years, so it must be robust and well-made.

But if you are still hankering after that smoky charcoal taste, there are one or two other cooking options besides the conventional barbecue.

One possibility is the chiminea which has an enclosed fire and, as the name suggests, a chimney. These originate from the Mayan era in Mexico, where they were used as ovens, but today they are used for heating outdoor areas and cooking over the coals.

A word of warning — if buying a chiminea, do check that it is possible to cook on it, as some can be used only for heating.

Modern versions can be made from cast iron, terracotta and copper, with cast iron being the most practical and durable.

Terracotta ones tend to be more fragile and copper ones will tarnish and can flake at high temperatures.

However, although cast iron chimineas can be left outside all year round, they will rust if not painted with a suitable enamel paint.

Chimineas achieve very high temperatures and the whole piece will get very hot, so safe siting is essential.

Children and pets should be kept well away and chimineas should not be near anything flammable, such as trees, awnings, sheds and washing lines. They must be placed on a non-flammable, even base, such as paving.

A slightly less dramatic heater-cum-barbecue gaining favour with stylish home owners is the fire pit. This is a low fireproof dish on legs into which fuel such as charcoal or logs is placed.

The styles tend to be simple but modern and, again, many come with cooking grills.

While fire pits and chimineas may not be as versatile or controllable as a gas barbecue, they have the advantage of doubling up as patio heaters. You can burn just about anything in them, so they’re handy for getting
rid of garden rubbish.

For barbecuing, keep the fuel low in the basket below the grill level, but once cooking is completed, remove the grill and stack the fuel high for a cosy campfire effect.

For more details of the barbecues available, call Kitchen Kiosk on 01252 344233.