We all know how much fun a good summer BBQ is. Sunlight until 11 pm, sitting outside in the warmth, fresh salads and airy baguettes. This is everyone's go-to in the warm months, but what if we told you that the best BBQs can also be had in the winter?
Our wood-burning ovens heat up so quickly and provide so much cozy radiant heat that they lend themselves perfectly to a very comfortable winter BBQ. For example, place them close to your table or your company to keep them all at the right temperature. With a winter BBQ you should of course think about a number of other things than with a summer BBQ, and here we give you 8 tips so that your winter BBQ does not end in (ice-cold) soup.
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Make it cozy with light
In the winter months it gets dark quickly, which gives us the opportunity to make the BBQ cozy by means of light. Take the Christmas lights out of the box again and hang them in the garden for extra cosiness.
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Choose the best spot in the garden
Wind directions play a major role in keeping your guests and food warm. Make sure you choose a place that is out of the wind as much as possible and to save some energy on lights, you can also look for places where it stays light for a long time.
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Build up the fire slowly
Our wood ovens need very little wood, but make sure you have good dry wood nearby so you don't have to cleave with cold hands! Build up the fire slowly in cold temperatures: the wood-burning ovens need a little more time to get going in winter, because they first have to get a very cold mass warm before the fire starts to burn properly. You can also do it yourself quite easily if you have a Vonken Mini by bringing us pre -chipped wood into your home.
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Preheat the oven in advance
If you want your guests to immediately end up in a warm environment, it is best to make a fire in the oven so that the oven is on its way when people arrive.
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Don't let your food get cold
Because the ambient temperature is colder, the hot food cools down faster. So provide meals that can be prepared as a whole (such as well-filled casseroles) or pizzas that are eaten immediately. If you do not heat too hot, you can also work with good ceramic casseroles: they retain the heat for a long time.
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Go for warm and comforting recipes
Heat and comfort need not only come from outside. Where in the summer you go for fresh, light and quick recipes, winter is the time to bring comfort through food. We are talking about good hot fillers such as stews, potato dishes and delicious smoked meat (see tip 8). We always make sure that there is a delicious quiche and for dessert, good s'mores are of course not to be missed in the winter! It is reminiscent of a campfire in the woods.
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Provide hot drinks
It is important that your guests feel warm and comfortable at a winter bbq from the moment they arrive. This can be done by having hot drinks such as hot chocolate and mulled wine ready and putting blankets down.
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Experiment with smoked fish or meat
Winter is the perfect time to introduce new flavors through cold smoking before grilling. Because the outside temperature is low, you can perfectly smoke meat and fish without fear of spoilage, such as our smoked salmon recipe. Please note, with most recipes for smoking you have to start at least a day in advance! Also take a look at our different smoke pellets and smoker tool (and the nice flavor combinations cherry x ocher nut , vine x cherry and olive x chestnut ).
Actually, there is nothing nicer than a cold winter day with a ray of sun. It's just the ideal opportunity for a good winter BBQ because it gives so many new opportunities to grill and try out recipes that are once typical of winter. But even more fun: nothing is as warming as being together with friends and family around a fire!
Sebastian and Adrian
Sparking up the Good Life!
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