Fred-in-the-sheds guide to Chimeneas,

BBQs and Outdoor living

Updated 15th May 2008

 

 

This little brazier has a mesh cover to stop sparks flying off.

 
Being a party animal AND a gardener means that I have a keen interest in BBQs and outdoor leisure equipment. I like nothing better than an evening with friends outside cooking prawns, burgers, kebabs and fish, washed down with a glass or five of wine or a few beers.

However, there is nothing cool or clever about inviting your  mates around to spend hours trying to light bricks of coal dust , getting covered in soot and smoke before freezing your butt off whilst eating half cooked salmonella chicken.  Like most of the British public I have been there- done that!

So in the interest of the health and well-being of the nation, I pledge to dedicate my summer evenings to testing BBQs, eating prawns and drinking beer. So far these are my findings.....

 

BBQ or Chimenea ?

 

 

CHIMENEA

Looks good

Burns wood well

Cooks fast

Easy to clean

Expensive for a good one

Needs looking after*

Heavy to move*

*see Superchims and Chim accessories

Click here to see a good range of cast iron Chimeneas

 

BBQ

Available everywhere

Cheap to buy

Long lasting

Easy to Access food

Most are ugly

Rusts and is hard to clean

Need to buy and light charcoal   

Hard to control smoke and flames

See the best Weber BBQs

 

  

Chimeneas are gaining in popularity and beginning to appear at bargain prices everywhere. Many are poor quality and just sold by opportunists jumping on the bandwagon. I have seen Chimeneas falling apart in the shop before even being used.

The appeal of the "Chim" is it's good looks and also that is works more like and oven and patio heater. The fire is more contained and the smoke is channelled up thought the chimney top.

At first I found my Chimenea hard to light and keep burning. Now I only use paper and twigs to get it going followed by small (dry ) logs from my DIY and pruning activities.

After a season of use I love my Chimenea and have written this little guide of tips for using a buying a Chimenea.

 

 

Cooking on a Chimenea

 

There are 2 ways to cook on  a Chimenea, inside and on the top.

To cook on the top you will need a special bowl and rack as shown on the left.

As soon as the fire starts you can put food on the rack on the top of the Chimenea and start cooking. This way you do not waste lots of heat and fuel.

 The top rack is also excellent for cooking soups and casseroles in a pot. My friends at the Complete Chimenea Company sell the most ingenious range of accessories and cooking pots to enable virtually anything to be cooked on or in a Chimenea.

 

 

 

Most people do not own the new and innovative top rack so cook in the lower oven part of the Chimenea.

At first I found that the grill did not balance well here so I made a prop out of some rolled up Aluminium foil to support it.

One nice thing about cooking this way is that you can quickly remove the grill and access all the food, away from the danger of the fire.

Care of your Chimenea

 

 If you have a clay Chimenea it will be vulnerable to frost damage in the winter. Unless you have a cast Iron one or the new Superchim.

If you have a normal clay Chim then you  can seal it with a special liquid called Chimseal and then cover it with a big bag to protect it from frost and bad weather. Alternatively you could buy a special trolley and just pull it into the garage or conservatory over winter.

I prefer to bring mine inside AND use it as an attractive fire thanks to a new material that burns without smoke or fumes.

 

Buying a Chimenea

Dana and Alison Doncaster are the most enthusiastic and knowledgeable Chimenea Mongers I know. They have even written an excellent book called "The Chimenea cook book and users guide"

Their company is based is Bath and supplies the best Chimeneas to individuals and retailers - they are quite simply "Chim mad!"

 This is Dana Doncaster and his piggy BBQ (Pig Oven) . He designed this himself, (I can see a resemblance) and has it built in Mexico. It was the best thing I saw at the Urban Gardens Show in London.

The Piggy BBQ sits on a stand with wheels and ingeniously allows air to circulate through the holes in the nose. For extra airflow you can pull off his ears! Really- why didn't I think of that!

 

 

Piggy BBQ on metal stand

Click here to see a good range of cast iron Chimeneas

New Superchims - Totally weather proof clay Chimenea

The Complete Chimenea Company have developed the ultimate clay Chimenea for people who won't settle for second best.

These beautiful Chimeneas are made in Mexico and have decorative details and are more robust than normal Chimenea.

The other great feature is that the new Superchim can burn any fuel including coal. If you want a superior clay  Chimenea that comes with a 2 year warranty see www.glo-art.co.uk

 

 

My Favorite BBQ

This BBQ has a deep bowl made of cast iron that can is strong and durable and can hold a lot of wood or coal.

It also has a dome shaped mesh that can cover the fire to prevent sparks escaping.

I like this BBQ because when you have finished cooking your food you can use it to burn logs and make a superb garden or patio heater.

If you would like to see a range of fire pits and braziers

Click here to see Firepits and Braziers online 

Burning Garden Waste

If you allow your garden waste to dry sufficiently it is possible to burn almost anything in a well made garden waste incinerator. I like the one that looks like a dustbin with a lid with a chimney in it as this one is great for keeping the heat in and stopping the smoke and ash from blowing everywhere. The trick with burning garden waste is to get the incinerator really hot buy burning the most dry and woody material first.

click to see a range of garden waste incinerators

 

 

Click here to see more , Firepits, Braziers and Chimneas online 

 

   
   

 

Still can't find the tool you are looking for?
 

For free expert advice - on buying tools, (on and off-line) mail me at
fred@fredshed.com 

 

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© Fred Walden 2008

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