Camping barbecue: our guide to cooking up a storm this summer

Finding the right camping bbq for you

For camping in the summertime, a portable bbq is an essential piece of kit. If it can’t fit into the back of the car without taking up too much space, then we are not interested.

Over the years, we’ve reviewed a wide range of different camping barbecues, including the classics, gas and charcoal, as well as some more varied designs, like firewood barbecues and plancha style ones.

Ultimately, the type you go for will come down to personal preference. There are pros and cons for each in terms of flavour, effectiveness for cooking and ease of keeping clean.

Gas is by far the easiest and most practical way of barbecuing but if the authentic smoky flavour is important, then go for a charcoal option. If you fancy impressing people and trying some more avant-garde recipes, something like a plancha barbecue is worth looking at.

Gas camping bbqs

Gas is billed as the most reliable form of barbecuing for good reason – the consistent flame makes cooking food evenly easier, while you also don’t need to clear out dirty coals. These are some of the most popular types of camping barbecue, including models from major manufacturers like Campingaz.

It’s worth noting that the reliability of a gas flame does depend on the environment which you’re in and the barbecue that you have. We’ve got personal experience of trying to cook up a feast while camping on the Isle of Arran, with the wind playing havoc with the gas flame.

Charcoal camping bbqs

The other most popular option is cooking with charcoal, which imbues an authentic smoky flavour to your food and – and this is an important consideration – looks really cool. You’ll get credit from your fellow campers and barbecue purists for the satisfying glow of charcoals reflecting off your sunglasses.

The drawback is precisely why many people forgo street cred and opt for a gas barbecue – cooking on charcoal is more difficult. It can be difficult to light them and spread the heat evenly, often resulting in some food being generously described as undercooked and others being burnt beyond all recognition or hope of recovery. Of course, if you do persevere and successfully cook a full barbecue on coals, the flavour is a noticeable step up from cooking on gas.

Firewood camping bbqs

Cooking on firewood is generally reserved for permanent barbecues sited in your garden rather than a portable camping barbecue, but it’s not unheard of.

Some folding and collapsible barbecues can be loaded with firewood rather than charcoal. There are pros and cons to doing so – charcoal can be fiddly to light but generally burns and retains heat for longer, while using wood allows you to adapt the smoky flavour it imbues on your food.

Selecting an oak or hickory firewood will add additional depth of flavour to red meat, for example. Whether or not you have the inclination to put that level of research and effort into your camping barbecue is a separate question.

Plancha camping bbqs

The difference here is between cooking on a conventional grill or a metal plate. A plancha barbecue features a large metal plate heated from below, usually using gas, on which you can cook a wide variety of foods and meals.

It’s often the versatility that attracts campers to a plancha. While small foods like prawns and chopped vegetables can fall through a grill, everything is cooked evenly on a plancha, remaining in its juices to retain moisture. There are claims that this style of cooking is healthier, too.

This is a brief introduction to plancha barbecues and you can find a lot more detail on dedicated Reddit forums – if you care enough to visit those, you’ll almost certainly end up buying a plancha barbecue.

Reviewed: the best portable barbecues for camping

Barbecue enthusiasts, Patrick Cruywagen, Iain Duff and Geneve Brand have looked at a selection of portable barbecues that are worth considering for your camping trips. See what they think of each one…

Valiant Bee BBQ

Since barbecues are usually all boring black or grey, it can be hard to stand out from the campsite crowd. However, Valiant has come up trumps with this eye-catching suitcase bbq, which is buttercup yellow and has a cute picture of a bumblebee on it.

That’s because this limited-edition barbie has been developed to support the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA), and it comes with a packet of wildflower seeds, so you can do your bit to help support our pollinators. It's also available in black, if you prefer.

The bbq has a folding design with everything fitting inside, so it’s nice and compact to take on your travels, at 28.5cm by 40cm by 10cm and weighing 3.3kg, and is large enough to cook for two to four people.

Simply open up the suitcase to reveal the cooking grill and charcoal basket. Fold out the legs and place the charcoal basket on the metal brackets and pop the grill on top, and away you go.

Geneve says, "I like it because it's so easy to set up, use and clean. Being so small means it's handy for taking down the beach or on a picnic, too. Then, it takes up no room at all in my campervan, come home time."

Price: £44.99
Weight: 3.3kg
Cooking area: 32cm by 23cm
amazon.co.uk

Weber Go-Anywhere Gas

This is the ultimate in portable barbecues; for this review, we have included the gas version but please do note that it is also available in a charcoal version.

Patrick says, "I think my own Weber Go-Anywhere gas barbecue has probably cooked more than 1,000 lamb chops in the five years I have owned it. It has seen action in Scotland, France, Wales and all over England."

Weber is the Range Rover of the bbq trade: they don’t come cheap, but they do last and do the job with style. We have at least five friends who have purchased one of these after seeing it in action.

"Mine has taken a pounding, fallen out of the back of the Land Rover, been dropped by my son and I once left it outside in the rain. Yes, there is a small chip on the lid but otherwise it looks and does the job just like a new one," says Patrick.

We religiously clean the whole bbq after each use, which includes scrubbing the porcelain-enamelled steel cooking grate. We like how the steel legs fold over the lid to secure it all so you can carry the whole thing with one hand by using the black handle.

Very quick and easy to set up, just screw on a gas canister and push the red button to fire it up and you are good to grill. Don’t forget to pack the gas.

Price: £169.99
Weight: 7.22kg
Cooking area: 42cm by 26cm
weber.com

Cadac Safari Chef 2

Cadac is a South African brand and institution. Patrick says, "When I was growing up in South Africa, every family had a Cadac Skottel Braai (braai is slang for barbecue). My dad and uncles would do us great big fry-ups for breakfast on it, normally followed by a swim in the pool."

"Now I’m going back to my roots with the low-pressure, gas-powered Safari Chef 2, easily the most versatile bbq in our line-up. The Safari Chef 2 is my new favourite; it offers so much more than a traditional barbecue."

For starters, it has four different cooking surfaces. Boil a kettle on the pot stand, the lid can be used as a pot or wok, and the flat grill plate is great for bacon and eggs. Finally, it has a separate barbecue grid, of course. The grid has a special ceramic coating for healthier and cleaner cooking.

Then there is a removable fat pan, which makes cleaning a breeze. Cadac has thought of everything. It does come from the land of the braai, after all. The legs fold in and everything fits into a small carry bag that doesn’t take up much space.

"This is without a doubt the best all-round portable bbq on the planet. I even checked if it fits into my hiking backpack – and it does," says Patrick.

Price: £108
Weight: 4kg
Cooking area: 28cm diameter
gooutdoors.co.uk

Outwell Asado Gas Grill

The Outwell Asado has a very similar style and look to the Weber Go-Anywhere gas bbq, but the big clincher is that it costs a third of the price. It arrived flatpacked and it took us about 10 minutes to fully assemble this chrome-plated steel barbecue.

We actually like its utilitarian grey colour. We used the Asado for a few weeks as a part of this group test and, in that time, it has impressed us no end. It’s light, easy to use, cleaning it is a breeze and it is more than capable of doing what it is supposed to.

The only thing we cannot comment on is how durable it is, as we have not had it for long enough. It certainly does not look or feel as sturdy as some of the other portable barbecues in our line-up.

This was also the first time that we used lava rocks in a portable gas barbecue and, according to the brochure, they ‘hold and reflect the heat and help to give your food that grill flavour.’ The jury is still out on the bit about the flavour as it tasted the same as the meat we did on other barbecues.

Overall, this is definitely good value for money.

Price: £34.29
Weight: 3.7kg
Cooking area: 41cm by 26cm
amazon.co.uk

The Landycue

If you want to impress your guests with looks then this is the bbq to go for. We have posted pics and videos of the Landycue in action and they have gone viral. "The green heatproof paint of this beauty was the clincher for me as it matches my own Land Rover Defender," says Patrick.

To get started, insert the legs into their slots or, instead, don’t use them and put the Landycue on a raised, flat and safe surface. I like the fact that it has a little coal tray, which can be removed and emptied, just like the load area of a pick-up truck.

So, the body of the Landycue remains unaffected by the heat and coals.

The one big negative is the size of the grill, as you can only fit about 12 pork sausages on it. Cleaning the little grill does not take long and is easy to do.

After several uses, the paint on the coal tray does start to flake, just like on a real Defender.

Price: £149
Weight: 5.5kg
Cooking area: 43cm by 18cm
chickenshedcreations.co.uk

The Medium Firepit Set

"If space and time were not an issue then this would be my go-to option every day of the week," says Iain.

This is for the traditionalist, the one who likes to do things properly and with lots of style, space and time. This is not just a wood or charcoal bbq, the 50cm-diameter grill can be removed and placed to one side, then you’re free to use it as a firepit only, which attaches to each of the tripod legs. The tripod legs are 150cm long and made from 12mm solid round mild steel. So they are pretty sturdy.

It takes a few goes to perfect the pegging of the tripod legs into the ground so that the solid grill, which is attached to the adjustable hook via three chains, hangs exactly where you want it to.

The trammel hook is great as you use it to adjust the grill height. Many campsites don’t like open fires on the ground, which is why this bbq is such a great option. It’s off the ground and you can use charcoal instead of wood.

"Because the grilling area is so big, I often use half of it to cook on while I have a wood fire underneath the other half. The one thing I am planning to do is to have a canvas bag made for the grill and fire pit, as they can tend to get a wee bit dirty," concludes Iain.

Price: £310
Weight: 15kg
Cooking area: 50cm diameter
campfirecookshop.com

Campingaz Attitude 2go CV

Of all the conventional barbecues we’ve looked at here, this is the least portable. It tips the scales at 13.9kg, so, if size and weight are critical, you might want to look at one of the smaller Campingaz Party Grill models.

But, if you have the space in your car we’d highly recommend this for camping trips. In fact, it won cooking product of the year for 2021 in the Camping magazine awards.

It has the biggest cooking area of all the barbecues we looked at, the gas burners are easy to control and it runs off a compact Campingaz CV470 Plus cartridge, so there’s no need to pack a bulky bottle and none of the hassle of a traditional barbecue.

One of the neat features we really like is the integrated basket which houses the gas cartridge at the back.

Although this bbq looks like a serious piece of kit, it’s actually really easy to use. You can just take it out of its box, attach a gas cartridge and start cooking straight away at the press of a button.

The set-up of the burners ensures the whole cooking area gets an even heat so you can maximise that grilling surface – it’ll easily cook five or six pork chops or eight chicken thighs in one go. And the built-in thermometer lets you check the temperature without lifting the lid.

Price: £123.09
Weight: 13.9kg
Cooking area: 48cm x 26cm
amazon.co.uk

Crusader Portable Double Burner High Wall Plancha Grill

The porcelain-enamelled cast iron plate on this plancha barbecue is a fantastic surface on which to cook a wide variety of foods and meals.

Whereas a regular bbq allows juices and small foods to fall between the grate and into oblivion, a plancha grill collects everything, blending and intensifying flavours. Even better, the high walls of this Crusader model prevent oil from spitting out, which is particularly helpful if you’re cooking near a tent.

The large cooking surface, measuring 70cm by 35cm, allows you to take on a range of interesting meals. A plancha is traditionally designed for Spanish cuisine, so picture searing meat, fish and vegetables all together, merging spices and seasonings.

Since this Crusader plancha is gas-fed, it’s simple to operate, too.

The enamelled surface is easy to wipe clean and oil collects in a removable cup while cooking, making that process even easier.

Price: £175
Cooking area: 70cm x 35cm
outandaboutshop.co.uk

Your camping barbecue checklist

If you’ve figured out what type of barbecue you’re interested in, you’re most of the way there – there are a few more essential items that you’ll need for a successful camping bbq, though. Here’s our rundown of the most important items:

• Barbecue utensils (tongs, spatula, etc)
• Barbecue cleaning spray
• Barbecue cleaning brush
• Heat-proof glove
• Barbecue lighter
• Fuel
• Oil
• Food containers (for cooking batches or in stages)
• Hand sanitiser
• Hot water and soap (for cleaning hands when cooking meat)
• Fire extinguisher
• First-aid kit (in case of burns)

Camping bbq recipes

With your camping barbecue upgraded, it’s time to start cooking!

Sure, you could tread the straight and narrow with burgers, sausages and vegetable kebabs – they’re classics for a reason and we’ve enjoyed more than our fair share of traditional barbecue fodder. It’s not the only option, though.

Listed below is a range of exciting recipes from our editors, including meat and vegetarian options, as well as some inventive recipes for desserts and sweet treats.

• Griddled asparagus
• Goats cheese stuffed mushrooms
• Grilled pork with warm potato salad and a mustard dressing
• Pork and apple burgers
• Grilled trout with easy summer salad
• Basque burgers with raspberry and beetroot ketchup
• Tandoori chicken
• Butterflied leg of lamb
• Beef kebabs
• Marshmallow kebabs
• Fried bananas

Camping barbecue tips

Finally, here’s some of our best tips to enjoy a successful camping barbecue:

• Barbecuing can be a great opportunity for family and friends to gather around and enjoy a meal and more… but do spare a thought for your neighbours. Not everyone appreciates the smoke
• Always check your chosen campsite is OK with barbecues and the particular type you intend to bring along. Some operators are wary of fire pit-type designs that end up being used for keeping people warm rather than cooking
• Keep an antibacterial hand cleanser or a bowl of water and supply of towels (paper or otherwise) handy when outdoor cooking so you can wash your hands after handling raw meat
• A small plant sprayer filled with water can be used to prevent a bbq getting too hot
• Never spray lighting fuel on warm coals to revive the bbq
• Never be tempted to drag a bbq into your tent for warmth, post-cooking. The carbon monoxide gas that is generated by smouldering coals is a killer
• It’s always worth considering a fire extinguisher and/or blanket to accompany your first aid kit
• Keep your bbq off the grass to prevent it from scorching
• Make sure your bbq is stable at the start of your preparations