This is the age when you will truly master the art of barbecuing…

Natasha Legge | 12th July 2019

It’s official –  we master the art of barbecuing at the age of 38, a study found.

 

Research revealed at this point we are able to successfully grill a burger without turning it into charcoal, cook a sausage without it being pink in the middle and toast a veggie kebab to perfection.

 

To master the barbecue you must own all the correct utensils, be unflappable under pressure and never let food fall onto the coals.

 

And the type of tools on hand impact our barbecuing abilities as many reckon they could have conquered the grill four years sooner had they had the right kit.

 

The research was commissioned by B&Q in the lead up to ‘super Sunday’ which will see the Cricket World Cup final, Wimbledon men’s final and the F1 British Grand Prix on one day.

 

According to 39 per cent of those polled sporting events and barbecuing go ‘hand in hand’.

 

A spokesperson for B&Q said: “This weekend is set to be one of the biggest of the year for barbecue action and we can see from the research that there will be a mix of confidence levels out there.

 

“Some people already feel like experts and others recognise they need to fine tune their skills and get their hands on some more tools for the best results.

 

“With the right equipment, you can shave off a significant period of time in developing your barbecue mastery.”

 

The study also revealed mastering the BBQ includes taking the lead on the cooking while family and friends sit back and enjoy sporting action on TV.

 

One third who took part said they believe a grill expert should keep calm when cooking and rustle up dishes which aren’t just burgers and hotdogs.

 

Almost half think confidence, experience and general cooking skills have an effect on the success of barbecuing.

 

 

The most sought after pieces of equipment are a vegetable grill basket, a thermometer and an oil brush.

 

It also emerged adults typically take the reins and host their first barbecue when they are 32 years old and three in 10 see this as a logical next step once they have their own home and space to do it.

 

Three quarters can confidently serve up the basics of sausages and burgers, while four in 10 can also cook steak.

 

But the foods that we are least confident cooking on the barbecue are a roast joint, fruit and duck meat.

 

Top 10 signs you are a master of the barbecue:

 

1. Timing all the food perfectly
2. Knowing where to place different meats and vegetables on the grill
3. Keeping calm whilst cooking
4. Cooking dishes which aren’t just burgers and hotdogs
5. Making it look effortless
6. Getting coals and heat ready in perfect time for guests arriving
7. Confidently knowing how to light the barbecue
8. Having a broad range of food types to cook
9. Not making any mistakes
10. Marinating meat overnight