Winter is cold but entertaining is hot – not only punch and mulled wine ensure this, but also a special kind of barbecue pleasure: While grilling is everywhere in summer, the winter grills are passionate grill fans who cannot be dissuaded from their passion even in cold weather. You know: It depends on suitable recipes – and on the right equipment! Our guide outlines how to have a winter barbecue.
Would you like a winter menu from the grill? Let yourself be inspired!
Cold temperatures and hearty, hot food: more and more people are enthusiastic about winter barbecues . Grill masters are faced with completely new challenges: Not only do the cooking temperatures and times change when the temperature is below zero , the finished dishes also cool down much faster! For a wintry barbecue to be a success, recipes, fuel and accessories are also important .
The right grill for a winter barbecue
The right grill is crucial for winter barbecuing to be really fun. There is also a lot to consider with fuel in winter.
- Charcoal grills are best suited for winter barbecues . The classic among grill types offers high radiant heat and the smoke the typical barbecue flavor . Important: You need a little more fuel in winter than in summer. So stock up on time! The Master-Touch GBS Premium from Weber, for example, stores the heat and ensures an authentic winter barbecue experience.
- Barbecue fans particularly appreciate the fast and easily adjustable heat on the gas grill . In winter, however, the success of the grill depends on the choice of gas : in winter, use propane gas that only becomes liquid at -42 ° Celsius. Butane gas liquefies even at low minus temperatures. Tip: Gas grills like the Genesis II from Weber are ideal for large groups.
- Electric grills score particularly well with the possibility of precisely determining the grill temperature. In addition, there is no carbon monoxide , which makes grilling in closed rooms safe. Although the electricity consumption of the grill is visible on the electricity bill, electric grills like the Weber Pulse are true all-rounders and also suitable for spontaneous barbecue sessions. However, electric grills lack the special feeling of cooking on an open flame, especially in winter.
Tip: When the temperature is below zero, grilling with a lid is mandatory. This keeps the heat in the grill and the food does not cool down on the top.
Winter grill menu: hearty or sweet? Both!
In cold temperatures, you long for hot, aromatic dishes that warm from the inside . However, barbecuing is not a race – this is especially true for winter barbecuing. The cold extends the cooking times , but excessive heat would burn the food on the outside while it was still not cooked on the inside. That is why we prepare our winter grill menu in the indirect zone of the grill . So when it comes to winter barbecuing, the focus is not on speed, but above all on core temperature . In order to keep an eye on them, there have long been a large number of suitable thermometers. The Weber Grill iGrill 2 Themometer, for example, can be controlled via the app and thus also allows a lively conversation at the grill.
To ensure that the guests are not hungry for the grill, our winter grill menu provides a hearty starter , followed by a dream of entrecôte and malt beer and a sweet classic at the end. The recipes come from the Weber Grill Academy , where grill fans can learn everything, including winter barbecues .
Weber Grill Academy tip : For grills without an indirect zone, place an upturned aluminum drip tray between the grill and the food to be grilled or use a pizza stone for the grill . This distributes the heat evenly and nothing burns.
Appetizer: saddle of wild boar with cranberry butter
© WEBER®
Strong meat, dark bread and the fruity acidity of the berries: with this rustic finger food you will delight your guests and make you want to go further.
For the cranberry butter:
- Beat 100 grams of butter until fluffy, add 60 grams of cranberries (canned), 10 grams of finely chopped parsley and 2 grams of ground thyme.
- Season with salt, pepper and chayenne pepper.
- Form into a roll with cling film and let it set in the fridge.
For the back of the boar:
- Remove all tendons and cuticles from the back of 200 grams of boar.
- Sprinkle with 25 milliliters of gin and rub in and season with salt, pepper and Chayenne pepper.
- Leave for at least 30 minutes, better overnight.
- To grill, place the meat on the indirect zone of the clean, oiled grillage, close the lid and grill at 160 to 180 ° C for 5 to 8 minutes.
- Then turn the meat, close the lid immediately and grill for another 5 to 8 minutes. Then let the meat rest on a warm wooden board.
To serve, spread 100 grams of pumpernickel in bite-size slices with cranberry butter. Cut the meat into thin slices and arrange on the bread.
Main course: Entrecôte Double in malt beer marinade
Slowly cooked and in a strong marinade, our main course is the undisputed star on the grill and on the plates.
Preparation of the malt beer marinade:
- Roast 10 grams of espresso or coffee beans in a pan over a low heat, add 25 grams of sugar and let them caramelize.
- Deglaze with 100 ml of malt beer, reduce to a third and then set aside.
- Add another 400 milliliters of malt beer, 30 milliliters of lemon juice, a pinch of chilli flakes, sea salt, grated zest of a lemon and a pinch of ground cinnamon, mix thoroughly.
Tip: you are not a beef fan? The marinade also goes well with pork and game.
Preparation of the steaks:
The day before:
- Halve 1 kilogram of roast beef, cut the fat edge with a knife.
- Put the two steaks in the malt beer marinade, cover and leave to rest in the fridge overnight.
On the grill day itself:
- Prepare grill for indirect heat at 140-160 ° C.
- Remove the steaks from the marinade. Reduce the remaining marinade to a third and have it ready as a mop glaze.
- Oil the grill rack and place the steaks on the indirect area of the grill.
- Place the core temperature probe in the middle of the meat. Then close the lid.
- After about 15 minutes, brush the steaks with the glaze and repeat until the glaze is used up.
- The steaks turn as soon as a core temperature of 50 ° C is reached. Overall, the grilling time at a temperature of 140 – 160 ° C and a core temperature of 52 – 63 ° C is about 70 – 90 minutes .
- Take the finished steaks off the grill, place them on a preheated board and let them rest for 5 minutes. Serve in thin slices on preheated plates or on a plate.
Grilled potatoes and dark leafy salads go with it.
Dessert: Baked apples with a kick
“Children, come and guess …” This seductive baked apple is roasting not on the grill, but on the grill rack. Calvados and chilli provide a special whistle.
- Wash 2 apples (Braeburn) and halve lengthways, then hollow out the apple halves and drizzle with lemon juice.
- Whisk 20 grams of butter and 1 packet of vanilla sugar. Fold in 30 grams of grated chocolate (dark chocolate), 10 grams of ground hazelnuts or almonds and 15 grams of crumbled cornflakes.
- Season with the grated zest of 1 lemon and a pinch of cinnamon and season with calvados and chilli flakes.
- Grill on the indirect zone of the grill at 160 to 180 ° C for about 25-35 minutes.
Winter barbecue: tips and tricks
The big challenge with winter barbecuing : the food gets cold much faster. You should therefore leave the thin porcelain plates in the cupboard if you want to grill outside: thick-walled plates, plates and bowls store the heat of the food and slowly release it into the food. Barbecue professionals use specially developed barbecue dishes for winter barbecuing – for example from Weber. The five-part porcelain series has particularly thick floors that store the heat. The dishes are also very resistant – ideal for outdoors!
Tip: Preheat the dishes! This way, guests can warm their hands and at the same time the food does not lose any warmth.
In order for the food to be cooked evenly in winter temperatures, the correct heat distribution is crucial. Special baking and casserole dishes for the grill, are Wintergrillers’ best friends here. They are particularly suitable for side dishes and desserts – simply all the things that can easily fall through the grill grate. The ceramic grill plate, baking pan, grill pan and saucepan bring everything in shape that would otherwise end up between the grill grate.
These shapes conduct heat particularly well, so that the heat is evenly distributed. The food to be grilled cooks slowly, without burning, and with fewer cooking spots. This makes winter barbecuing a pleasure. The shapes also open up special opportunities for creative winter barbecues: how about a cake from the grill?
With the right recipes and the right accessories, there is (almost) nothing standing in the way of winter barbecuing. Don’t forget: You cool yourself down more easily in winter . Sturdy, warm shoes and winter clothing are therefore a must! After all, you don’t want to pay for the barbecue fun with a big cold or flu!.
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