How to barbecue: why grilling is the ultimate outdoor lifestyle flex

Why barbecue culture is the ultimate outdoor lifestyle flex.

There was a time when British barbecue culture meant one person aggressively overcooking burgers while everyone else hovered indoors waiting for the weather to collapse and drinking too much dodgy punch, but not anymore.

Barbecuing has moved up through the domestic ranks to become one of the biggest extensions of modern home and lifestyle culture, somewhere between cooking, entertaining and low-level outdoor theatre.

Smoke, fire and open-air cooking now sit alongside pizza ovens and carefully curated garden furniture as part of a much broader shift towards making outdoor space feel like an extension of the home. During summer, many families subsist on barbecue rations for months on end, keeping the indoor oven switched off, and dads permanently attached to their tongs, much like Luke Skywalker with his light saber.

How to barbecue well

Obviously, in our era of wagyu and smokeries, the food has evolved too. Yes, sausages still have a place, but today’s barbecue trends skew (literally) more Mediterranean than motorway services (though we stand by the concept of Little Chef).

Think charred vegetables, grilled peaches, chimichurri, smashed burgers, smoked aubergines and whole cuts of meat cooked slower and better. Even the classic dad barbecue apron has been replaced by something vaguely workwear-adjacent, for those “I run a restaurant in Copenhagen” vibes.

And perhaps most importantly, the gear has evolved dramatically too. Modern barbecue culture now spans everything from full outdoor cooking setups to compact patio grills, with smarter designs that make cooking outside feel easier, faster and far less chaotic. Whether you’re feeding a crowd or throwing together a quick midweek dinner outdoors, the new generation of barbecues is designed to fit around real life rather than turning every meal into a full-scale endurance event.

Case in point: the Char-Broil Professional PRO S 3 Burner Gas BBQ. The stainless steel design looks serious, but the real appeal is how straightforward it makes outdoor cooking feel. Its TRU-Infrared technology distributes heat more evenly, reduces flare-ups and helps keep food juicy, while the side sear burner reaches extremely high temperatures for proper crusts and grill marks.

There’s also enough cooking space to comfortably feed a family or small gathering without descending into logistical panic. is fast, heat control is consistent, and the whole experience feels more “outdoor pro cooking” than “man serving somehow simultaneously burnt and undercooked sausages”.

VERDICT:

A genuinely impressive gas barbecue that makes outdoor cooking feel easy rather than performative. *****

Price: £899
Available from: CharBroil.co.uk

For smaller gardens, patios and balconies, the Char-Broil Patio Bistro E2Coal offers a more compact take on modern outdoor cooking. Combining electric convenience with charcoal cooking, it allows you to switch between quick weekday grilling and proper smoky weekend barbecue mode depending on your mood, patience levels and available sunshine.

Unlike older electric barbecues, this one actually delivers on heat. Temperatures climb high enough for serious searing and proper grill marks, while the smaller footprint makes it feel far more realistic for modern outdoor living.

Again, what we like is how much stress it removes from the process. Heat-up is quick, the setup is straightforward, and the whole experience feels refreshingly uncomplicated. Even the weatherproof cover earns its keep. British summers remain confusingly volatile, but with this setup, no one needs to go hangry because of a sudden shower.

VERDICT:

A smart, compact barbecue setup built for real outdoor living. ****

Price: from £349
Available from: CharBroil.co.uk

SUNSET SPRITZ

Low effort, highly drinkable and designed for long afternoons outdoors.

You’ll need:
1 bottle rosé
500ml sparkling water
A handful of strawberries
1 peach, sliced
Fresh mint
Ice
A splash of elderflower cordial

Fill a large jug with ice, fruit and mint. Add the rosé, sparkling water and a small splash of elderflower cordial. Stir gently and serve cold. You’re basically Italian now.