Everyone loves a barbecue in the warm summer sun. But only true heroes show up when the weather gets cold.
Putting duck on the grill while covered in goosebumps themselves! Have you met the tough guy standing at the barbecue in the biting snow and frost?
The “winter griller” is a cool dude who uses wood chips from old whisky barrels for flavour, and also sips on a bottle of the same to keep warm. Afterall, they say that any alcohol you drink with food should also be used in its preparation. As the sleek machines owned by barbecue novices are worth the value of a small car, it makes sense to use them every day! Of course, there are still some old-school boys who actually stand out on the patio in front of an old-fashioned grill without a lid, often derided by the community of ball and lid barbecue owners as “flat grillers.” In winter, the classic rack and grate can actually be an advantage, as the old appliance not only spreads heat under its cover, but also wraps the griller in warmth.
Fire up the veg
Winter is the season for red-hot methods. The grate can be left off and vegetables like celery, cabbage and kohlrabi can be placed directly in the fire. Afterwards, the blackened skin can be peeled off to enjoy the smoky inside, just like in the best kitchens. Or how about a caveman steak, grilled directly on the coals, like our ancestors did?
While men see steaks as thick as a forearm as the ultimate challenge in freezing temperatures, women love an ice cream bomb. Ice cream is put on liqueur-saturated cake bases surrounded with beaten egg whites and then put under the barbecue hood for three minutes at 250°C.
Women love creative barbecuing
Barbecuing is by no means just a man’s world. Yulia Haybäck, who organises barbecue lessons in Austria, has noticed a competitiveness in couples. “Women want it to be more playful, light and refreshing, but they are more hardened,” she says. Most women would not even reach out for the tongs because “they are used to the heat of the kitchen.” Here they like cooking winter vegetables like parsnips, Brussels sprouts or leeks over charcoal and gas fire, previously marinated with festive flavours like cinnamon, gingerbread spice and star anis for an extraordinary Advent Sunday.
The biggest disadvantage for the winter griller is that you can’t just quickly turn the sausages over and then return to the dining table, right next to the fireplace. A juicy pork shoulder or a crunchy beef brisket can take 14 hours.
In comparison, the Christmas goose is fast food. After just six hours the skin should be crispy and the breast and legs juicy. Pure enjoyment!