Barbecues are a popular way of cooking and gathering around the grill to enjoy a meal with family and friends. From the classic charcoal grill to the modern propane-powered models, barbecues have been enjoyed for centuries. From the history of barbecues to how to stay safe, here are 10 interesting facts about barbecues.
1. The word Barbecue come from the Taino tribe’s word for grilling on wood!
The word barbecue comes from the language of a Caribbean Indian tribe called the Taino. Their word for grilling on a raised wooden grate is barbacoa.
We know the word dates back to at least 1526 from a Spanish explorer’s written account of the West Indies. Of course it will have existed long before then however nobody wrote it down.
2. You should never use a barbecue indoors.
Never use a barbecue indoors, this includes places like tents and caravans.
When a BBQ is being used it produces small amounts of a gas called carbon monoxide – this gas is dangerous in large amounts. When the gas is released outside, there is enough air to stop it being harmful to people, however if a BBQ is used indoors then this carbon monoxide gets trapped and can make people really ill and even lead to death.
Even a cooling barbecue gives off plenty of poisonous carbon monoxide so make sure you never put a BBQ indoors unless it is completely cool.
3. The World’s biggest barbecue was in Uruguay in 2017.
The small city of Minas in Uruguay set the Guinness world record by hosting the largest barbecue ever.
Almost 200 cooks used 60 tonnes of wood to fire up their gigantic barbecue on which they grilled 16.5 tonnes of food for a total of 14 hours.
4. Lockdown meant more people bought a BBQ last year.
As a result of the Lockdown, having a BBQ became UK’s No1 summer home leisure activity, with three out of four households now owning some type of BBQ grill!
That makes it even more popular than getting out the paddling pool.
Check out some of our favourite BBQ Recipes here.
5. The U.K. has 150 Million BBQs a year.
British people love a barbecue so much that in an average year the U.K. has 150 million BBQs.
Bank holidays are a particularly popular time to have them.
6. A BBQ can reach 260 degrees!
A barbecue can reach temperatures of 260 degrees – this makes them very hot and potentially dangerous. You should always stay 2 meters away from a barbacue and they should always been supervised by a responsible adult.
7. The US has more BBQs than any other country.
People in the United States love barbecues more than any other country!
8. You should always make sure a BBQ is far away from trees and bushes.
Trees and bushes are at risk of catching on fire if they are too close to a BBQ.
Make sure your BBQ is away from anything that might catch on fire and is also on a stable flat surface.
9. The first modern BBQ was invented in 1952!
George Stephen created the first modern BBQ grill in 1952, he was a welder at Weber Brothers Metal Works in Illinois in America.
He cut a metal buoy in half to make a grill that was dome-shaped and added three steel legs onto the dome and then he used the top half of the buoy as a lid to the grill.
10. The longest barbecue was 8,000m long.
The longest barbecue measured 8,000 meters and was created by the people of Bayambang in the Philippines, on 4th April 2014.
The record attempt took place during the Malangsi Fish-tival in order to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the city Bayambang.
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