A more sustainable summer BBQ with Cardiff Farmers Markets
With temperatures set to soar again next week, the air will soon be filled with the smell of hot charcoal and sizzling sausages; but some research suggests that a typical British BBQ can carry a higher carbon footprint than an 80-mile car journey!
Whilst that sounds like a high price to pay for an afternoon cooking on coals, there are lots of ways to make a summer cook-out a bit more sustainable - and plenty of traders at our markets who can help, too.
From ditching disposables, to using cleaner fuel, and sourcing your meat and veggies from sustainable sources, here we take a look at some of the easiest ways to turn your summer BBQ a bit more green.
Ditch disposables
Disposable BBQs create lots of single use waste - and as they’re often taken to wild spaces and parks, they can pose a fire risk too. With the recent hot weather causing dry, drought-like conditions around the UK, the fire service have even called for disposable BBQs to be banned.
Instead, you could invest in a small, portable grill that can be used anywhere, and can be cleaned out and packed away after every use.
Choose quality fuel
Although charcoal is the usual choice for a BBQ, charcoal sources have been linked to deforestation in developing countries and can sometimes be packed with harmful chemicals like paraffin to help them burn better.
Look for restaurant-grade, certified carbon-neutral and sustainably sourced charcoal which is more expensive, but burns far cleaner - and longer. Similarly, use wood-based firelighters rather than resorting to chemical aids.
If you’re buying a new BBQ for the back garden, modern pellet grills are the most eco-friendly as they use biomass fuel made from recycled hardwood sawdust.
Use sustainable ingredients
If you’re going to grill meat or fish, you can opt for lower-impact options such as MSC certified fish, organic, free-range chicken, and grass-fed and pasture-raised beef or lamb. You could also try going for lesser known cuts of meat which are less popular - check out our traders like Penrhiw Organic Farm and Wild & Rare for more tips and advice.
Don’t forget, meat doesn’t have to be the main event. Cooking seasonal veggies on the BBQ can bring out a depth of flavour like nothing else - try grilled sweetcorn or charred pointed cabbage from Paul’s Veg, and check out this Guardian piece on BBQ veg, which features Cardiff’s very own Sam & Shauna, and Caerphilly chef, Leyli Homayoonfar.