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Men and BBQs – the facts
Men Aren’t the Barbecue Masters They Think They Are
- Two thirds of men burn food on charcoal barbecues
- 108 million sausages and burgers burnt on charcoal barbecues each year
Despite the commonly held belief that men are the kings of the barbecue, nearly two thirds (61 per cent) admit to having burnt food cooking on charcoal barbecues this summer, exclusive research from Calor Gas has revealed. The study also revealed that a staggering amount of food – 108 million sausages and burgers per year – is burnt on charcoal barbecues.
Whilst women may often be regarded as the queens of the kitchen, alfresco cooking on the barbecue is often traditionally regarded as the domain of the alpha-male. Indeed a huge 50 per cent of respondents said that when it comes to barbecues in their household, the women buy the food and the men cook it – giving a complete reversal of the traditional stereotype.
It appears men’s downfall is that they just can’t keep their mind on the job. The survey of 2,000 UK adults revealed that nearly a quarter of men (23 per cent) ended up with a burnt banger thanks to too many beers. A further one in 12 (eight per cent) admitted that too much flirting was the reason for their overcooked cuisine.
Some men’s excuses appeared to be slightly more desperate than others. One gentleman suggested he burnt his food because the smoke from his barbecue was in his eyes and another because his wife was nagging him. One lucky chap even blamed his burnt bangers on having sex.
Difficulty cooking on charcoal barbecues also is leading to a mountain of wasted food each summer. Brits burn a staggering 108 million sausages and burgers on charcoal barbecues each summer. In fact, a string of 108 million sausages would be 20 times the distance from London to Edinburgh or to put it another way, stretch from London to Johannesburg in South Africa – another country which loves its barbecues.
Regionally, those from the South East are the worst barbecue chefs, with over 70 per cent admitting to burning their food to a state where it could no longer be eaten. Those in the North East are the best behind the barbecue with just under half (49 per cent) burning their food to a crisp.
The research backs up the belief that Brits do love a spot of al fresco cooking, with the average household having 3.2 barbecues each summer, grilling an average of ten sausages and burgers each time. Unsurprisingly Scottish households have the fewest barbecues out of all the UK regions, averaging just 2.1 a year. This compares to 3.9 in Northern Ireland and East Midlands.
Harjit Sandhu, Head of Marketing at Calor Gas commented:
“It’s ironic that whilst men like to think they are the kings of the barbecue, more have burnt food than women. Of course whilst the burnt banger is a staple of most barbecues, it can actually lead to a lot of wasted food. A tip for great barbecue food is to cook on a gas barbecue. Unlike charcoal, gas barbecues provide controllable heat and you don’t have to wait ages for the coals to heat up. ”