The Joy Of A Vegetarian BBQ

We are currently quite into having Vegetarian BBQs - No Meat allowed. No we are not vegetarians or vegans  we have just found we quite enjoy going meat free at BBQs.

Our BBQs tend to be the type where we slowly cook for an hour or two and eat as it is cooked, We just keep on cooking until everyone is full. It is really a lazy Sunday afternoon family social thing. I mention this as I have been to BBQs where I have watched the hosts run around like maniacs trying to cook everything as fast as possible. Only once everything was cooked did they decide that is was time to eat. For us this seemed odd we think of BBQs more in line with relaxing in the garden with friends while we cook something up. I only mention this so you can better understand out reasons. Lets get to those.

First is it is simple, The children help to make some kebabs, tomato, haluomi cheese, mushrooms and so on, we also cook some freezer based vegetarian sausages or burgers.  Why is this simple well we are not handling raw meat at any time so the children can help make the kebabs with having to wash their hands afterwards and us having to constantly wipe surfaces.

At cooking time, because the is no raw meat, I don’t have to constantly wash my hands when I suddenly have to deal with a child also I do no have to mentally keep track of whether each item has had raw meat on it or not. Having three children the distractions are common and keeping track of contaminated things can be taxing on my brain.

I am also much less likely to poison everyone! While you should be careful and properly cook and food that needs it I am pretty sure under cooked Quorn sausages are less likely to make someone ill than an under cooked chicken leg. I should add, just in case I ever invite you to a BBQ and start cooking meat, you don’t have to worry I have never given anyone food poisoning.

Hygiene aside because vegetables contain less fat you don’t constantly drip fat on the burning charcoals and thus there are not any flair ups that require a water sprayer to douse. As such charcoal has a more even heat which makes it a joy to cook on. To me it makes the whole experience calmer as 10% of me is not being a fireman.

Finally, my other half first noticed this, after a BBQ consisting of only vegetarian we don’t feel so bloated out. It feels almost healthy having consumed so many vegetables. Usually after a meat BBQ we feel bloated and don’t want another one for a month or so. Now we find ourselves getting a BBQ out on any weekend afternoon that we have spare, weather permitting of course.

I don’t imagine we will always do no meat BBQs, particularly as visitors may expect some meat or we may just feel like some but we do enjoy meat free BBQ’s and intend to have lots more.