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The quick answer
- Small charcoal BBQ: cheap, simple and the best flavour. Ideal for camping trips.
- Portable gas BBQ: cleaner and quicker, and often the better choice on boats and at campsites with rules about charcoal.
- Disposable BBQs: handy, but use a stand to protect the ground and check they're allowed.
- Never cook inside a tent, awning, boat cabin or car. BBQs give off carbon monoxide.
- Always check the rules for the beach, park, campsite or mooring before you light up.
I take a small portable BBQ camping, and I've cooked for my parents on the towpath next to their narrowboat and on the beach at Aberystwyth. Cooking outdoors away from home is brilliant, but it needs a bit more planning than the garden. Here's what I've learned, plus some kit worth looking at.
Which type of portable BBQ?
Small charcoal BBQs
A small, folding charcoal BBQ is cheap, has very little to go wrong, and gives you that proper charcoal flavour. The downside is the time to light, the ash, and waiting for it to cool before you can pack it away.
Portable gas BBQs
Gas is quicker, cleaner and easier to control, and there's no hot ash to deal with afterwards. That makes it a good choice for boats and for campsites that don't allow charcoal. Small models run on a gas cartridge rather than a full bottle.
CADAC Safari Chef 30
About 4.5kg, with a carry bag. It comes with a BBQ grid, a flat grill plate and a pot stand, and runs from a gas cartridge. Around £140 at the time of writing.
Disposable BBQs
They're convenient for a one-off, as on our beach trip, but they don't get very hot, they're single-use, and they can scorch grass and damage surfaces. Always raise them up on a stand or on stones, never directly on grass, and check they're allowed where you are. A cheap reusable portable BBQ soon pays for itself.
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Safety rules for BBQs away from home
- Check the rules first. Many beaches, parks and campsites ban open fires or disposable BBQs, or only allow them in certain areas.
- Raise it off the ground. Use legs, a stand or a heatproof surface to protect grass and decking.
- Keep it away from tents, boats and dry grass, and downwind of where people are sitting.
- Have water nearby to put it out.
- Let it cool completely, then take everything home with you, including the ash and any disposable BBQs.
- Gas: check hoses and connections before each trip, and store cartridges somewhere cool and ventilated.
BBQing by a narrowboat
When we visit my parents on their narrowboat, I cook on the bank next to the boat. Cooking off the boat keeps smoke and heat away from it and gives everyone room to sit around.
- Check the rules for the stretch of canal or river you're on. Some areas don't allow BBQs on the bank.
- Never take the BBQ inside the boat, even to shelter it from rain.
- Use a stand to protect the grass, and leave the towpath as you found it.
Easy food for BBQs on the go
Keep it simple: food that's prepped at home and cooks quickly.
- Garlic prawn skewers: ready in minutes. I've also cooked prawns in a foil tray on the towpath.
- Marinated chicken strips: prep them at home in a sealed tub.
- Chicken and veg skewers: make them up before you leave.
- Burgers and sausages: the classics, and quick on a small grill.
Keep raw meat in a cool box with ice packs, separate from ready-to-eat food, and bring separate tongs and plates for cooked food.
Kit worth packing
- Cool box and ice packsKeeps raw meat cold until it's time to cookView on Amazon
- Foldable BBQ standRaises a disposable or small BBQ off the grassView on Amazon
- Long tongs and a spatulaSeparate ones for raw and cooked food are idealView on Amazon
- Heat-resistant glovesFor packing away a hot grill safelyView on Amazon
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Frequently asked questions
Can you have a BBQ on a UK beach?
It depends on the beach. Some allow BBQs, some only in certain areas, and some ban them entirely. Check with the local council before you go, and always take everything home.
Can I use a BBQ at a campsite?
Most campsites allow BBQs that are raised off the ground, but some ban disposables or open fires. Check the campsite's rules when you book.
Is gas or charcoal better for camping?
Charcoal gives better flavour and is cheaper. Gas is quicker, cleaner and allowed in more places. For boats and tight campsites, gas is usually easier.
Why can't I cook in a tent?
BBQs, stoves and heaters produce carbon monoxide, which builds up quickly in enclosed spaces and can kill. Always cook outside, in the open air.
Home cook, keen DIYer and long-time website builder, writing practical outdoor cooking guides for UK gardens. More about me.