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With summer on the way, our thoughts turn to the great outdoors – even if it’s only the back garden – and those primeval urges to cook something outside will come surging to the fore once again.
Firstly, the fuel that you use is a big issue. Gas and electric barbecues are about as authentic as dragging your hob outside. They also use fossil fuels which release carbon dioxide when combusted, contributing to climate change. This brings us to wood – but it’s not as simple as it seems. Much of the charcoal sold in the UK is manufactured abroad, destroying tropical hardwood forests in the process, creating pollution in transportation and often doused in unpleasant chemical firefighters. So look out for UK produced charcoal, preferably from sustainable sources such as managed forestry commissions (look for the FSC logo).
Don’t be afraid to use wood, too – wood chips are commercially available, or you can collect your own source: just be sure to use dry (not green) wood, use hardwoods and avoid softwoods like pine which can burn sootily and give an unpleasant taste due to the resin content. Effectively you are creating your own charcoal – it just may take a little longer to reach the white ash stage ready for cooking.
Think about whether really you need to go out and purchase this year’s model barbecue – sustainability is all about conserving resources, so look after what you already have and make it last. Effectively you just need a metal container – an old grill pan or oil drum cut in half with a cake rack on top will work just as well! I’ve even seen a barbecue in a old shallow terracotta plant pot.
Lastly, the eco-friendly outdoor chef will want to know what to put on those glowing coals, and it’s not going to be those special offer burger barbecue packs that practically leap into the trolley as soon as it reaches 20 degrees. Lamb is a better choice than beef, as its invariably grass fed even if not wholly organically farmed. Seasonable fish such as the healthy oily fish we know we should eat more of like herring and mackerel all taste great barbecued. And unlike prawns, which may need their source investigating, try squid: it marinades well, needs brief cooking and will help rebalance the surplus that has been created by over-fishing their predators.
