The Art of the Winter Barbecue: Why Rain and Ice Won't Stop the Perfect Roast
- Martin Hesp
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
The wind was howling and the rain was falling in icy sheets as I lit the barbecue one afternoon this week. Was it bloody-mindedness on my part? Am I so stubborn that I’ll do daft things despite all odds? Did I feel like King Canute, defying nature to do its worst?
Not really. Our humble cottage has an area for outdoor cooking which, although open to the elements, has a large and waterproof roof. And because my wonderful Kamado Joe barbecue has a closable domed lid, no weather can actually reach the flames or the food inside.
Defying the English Weather
Having said that, I admit to having a degree of bloody-mindedness. Why should the awful English weather throw a bucket of cold water over everything we want to do? Yes, wall-to-wall rain can ruin just about every pursuit outdoors. Even the best-equipped hiker can have a miserable time if they can’t see anything but stair-rods. However, the real joy of barbecuing is in the eating, and you can do that indoors.
But why bother going through all the faff? It’s a lot of fuss when you have a perfectly serviceable oven and a hob right there in the comfort of your kitchen.
The Secret to Better Flavour: The Maillard Reaction
The answer is simple: flavour. Cooking over a live flame—as I’ve said many times before in these pages—is far superior to anything heated on a hob or in a fan-assisted oven. Not only does smoke from wood or charcoal impart extra flavour, but the dripping fats play their part too.
As they sizzle, they help drive that all-important Maillard reaction—the magical point where proteins and sugars are superheated to create a savoury, browned crust. It’s this explosion of umami that elevates something simple into something fabulous.
Cooking the Perfect Pork Loin
Cooking outdoors over charcoal in a device like a kamado also has another upside: texture and succulence. The reason I was so determined to light up this weekend, despite the terrible weather, was that the family were coming around and I had purchased a large pork-loin joint.
It’s a good and generous cut of meat BUT it is one that can easily dry out. Even though it has a thin layer of fat, that is often not enough to give the meat the unctuousness you want. You can end up with a rather flavourless texture that seems to suck at your teeth as you chew.
That does not tend to happen if pork-loin is slow-cooked in a kamado. The device’s “stone walls” lock in the moisture; indeed, the domed lid pushes the smoky steam back down onto the meat. The consistent results even an idiot like me can achieve force me to believe the theory.
Pro Tip: My pork loin was aided and abetted by layers of sliced apple and onion which the joint sat on while it cooked. This “edible trivet” broke down after an hour or two but didn’t burn thanks to a stone heat-deflector. This created the base for a thick, rich, and delicious sauce.
Memories of Greece: Lamb and Tzatziki
A couple of weeks ago I used the same system to cook a leg of English lamb, which I’d de-boned. In the kamado, I splay out the meat on a large cast iron skillet, rub it generously with sea salt, garlic, grated lemon rind, and rosemary and sage from the garden.
After a couple of hours of charcoal-induced heat conversion, it is transformed into one of my favourite meat dishes in the world. It takes me right back to my days of living on a Greek mountainside almost 50 years ago. I always make a garlicky tzatziki (Greek yoghurt, extra virgin olive oil, mint, sea-salt, and cucumber) to go with it.
Expert Advice: The West Country Barbecue Pros
Sue Stoneman’s Winter Warming Tips
“Cooking outdoors on the BBQ in winter? Of course!” says Devon’s Sue Stoneman. “Wrap up warm, and while you’re lighting up, pop on a pan of your favourite local cider—in my case, Sandford Orchards Devon Red.”
Sue suggests using the barbecue as an outdoor oven to save money and time:
Batch Cooking: Use cheaper cuts like ox cheeks for ragu or chilli.
Multi-tasking: While the meat roasts, put in jacket potatoes, a loaf of bread, or even a cake.
The Experience: "There’s the fun of being outside—star-gazing on clear nights while the smells of delicious food waft around."
Sue’s Rich Ox Cheek Ragu Recipe
Ingredients: 3 large ox cheeks, celery, onions, carrots, garlic, 200g smoked pancetta, 300g chestnut mushrooms, 200ml red wine, 1l beef stock, passata, and tinned tomatoes.
Method: Season cheeks (Sue uses Angus & Oink Black Gold). Fry pancetta and veg in a heavy-based lid pan over direct heat. Add liquids and mushrooms, then slow-cook until the beef is tender.
Follow Sue on Instagram @sue_stoneman.
Marcus Bawdon: Embracing the Cold
Marcus runs the UK BBQ School in Mid-Devon and is the author of four books on outdoor cooking.
“Getting out in the cold—in snow or storm—means I need to be on point with the heat control,” Marcus says. “But it’s my favourite time of year to barbecue! There's something about hugging a warm ceramic kamado, knowing you have a smoky venison chilli or casserole tucked inside.”
Marcus’s Top Winter Tips:
More Fuel: Use more charcoal than usual to combat the ambient cold.
Stay Dry: Ensure charcoal is kept indoors; damp fuel is a nightmare to light.
Lid Down: Use the air vents to control temperature rather than opening the lid.
Tech Help: A wireless temperature probe allows you to monitor the food from the warmth of your kitchen.
Visit Marcus at www.ukbbqschool.com.
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