Summer might be over, but barbecue season certainly isn't.
In fact, autumn can be one of the best times of year to cook outdoors. Cooler evenings, seasonal ingredients and hearty recipes make firing up the barbecue particularly inviting. The only difference? As the temperature outside drops, the way you cook needs to adapt slightly.
From longer preheating times to keeping the lid closed, a few simple adjustments can help you get excellent results throughout autumn and well into winter.
Here’s how to keep your barbecue going when the temperature drops.
1. Give Your Barbecue More Time to Preheat
Your barbecue has to work harder when the air around it is colder, so don't expect it to reach cooking temperature as quickly as it does on a warm summer afternoon.
Preheat your barbecue with the lid closed and allow a little extra time before adding your food.
The cooking grates need to be properly heated too. Putting food onto cold grates can affect searing, increase sticking and make it harder to achieve that beautiful caramelised finish.
Autumn tip: Don't rely only on time. Use the thermometer on your barbecue to check that you've reached the temperature you need before you start cooking.
2. Keep the Lid Closed
We know it's tempting to check what's happening every few minutes.
But every time you open the lid, heat escapes.
During cooler weather, your barbecue then needs to work harder to return to the correct cooking temperature. This is particularly important when roasting or cooking low and slow.
Think of your barbecue like an outdoor oven: if you're looking, you're not cooking.
Open the lid when you actually need to turn, check or remove the food, then close it again.
3. Learn to Use Direct and Indirect Heat
Autumn is the perfect time to move beyond quick summer burgers and start experimenting with larger cuts, roasts and slower cooks.
That's where indirect heat becomes particularly useful.
With direct heat, food sits directly over the heat source, making it ideal for steaks, burgers, vegetables and anything that needs fast cooking and caramelisation.
With indirect heat, the food cooks away from the main heat source with the lid closed. This creates an oven-like environment that's ideal for whole chickens, larger joints of meat and slower recipes.
Learning how to combine both methods gives you far more control over your barbecue.
4. Use a Meat Thermometer
Cooking times are useful guidelines, but they're never completely reliable.
The size and thickness of the meat, starting temperature, outside temperature and barbecue temperature can all affect how quickly food cooks.
A meat thermometer removes the guesswork.
Instead of repeatedly cutting into your food or relying entirely on cooking times, you can check the internal temperature and know exactly what's happening inside.
It's particularly useful during autumn when cooler outdoor temperatures can make cooking times less predictable.
5. Choose Ingredients That Suit the Season
Autumn barbecue cooking doesn't have to look like summer barbecue cooking.
This is the perfect opportunity to use seasonal ingredients and richer flavours.
Think:
- Pumpkin and squash
- Chestnuts
- Mushrooms
- Sweet potatoes
- Corn
- Apples and pears
- Whole chicken
- Pork
- Lamb
- Slow-cooked beef
Even desserts can move outdoors. Grilled apples, pears or stone fruit served warm are brilliant when the evenings start getting cooler.
And, of course, October is the perfect excuse to put pumpkin on the barbecue.
6. Try More Low & Slow Cooking
Cooler weekends are made for longer cooks.
Brisket, pulled pork, ribs and larger roasting joints don't need to be rushed. Set up the barbecue, control your temperature and let time do the work.
Kamados, pellet barbecues and charcoal barbecues are particularly popular for this style of cooking, but you can also achieve excellent indirect cooking on a gas barbecue with the right set-up.
The key is maintaining a consistent cooking temperature rather than constantly adjusting the heat.
7. Don't Forget Your Fuel
If you're cooking with charcoal or pellets, make sure you have enough fuel before you start.
Longer cooks naturally require more, and colder conditions can increase fuel consumption as your barbecue works to maintain temperature.
The last thing you want is to run out halfway through a four-hour cook.
For gas barbecues, it's also worth checking your gas bottle before starting a long session.
A little preparation can save dinner.
8. Protect Your Barbecue Between Cooks
Autumn doesn't only bring lower temperatures. Depending on where you live, it can also mean more rain, humidity, wind and falling leaves.
Once your barbecue is completely cool, keep it covered with a properly fitted barbecue cover.
It's also worth regularly checking grease trays, cooking grates and the interior of your barbecue rather than waiting until spring for one huge clean.
A few minutes of maintenance throughout the season can make a big difference to the condition of your barbecue.
9. Make Your Outdoor Space More Comfortable
Sometimes the biggest obstacle to autumn barbecuing isn't the barbecue. It's the person standing next to it.
A comfortable outdoor cooking space can completely change how often you use your barbecue once summer ends.
Good lighting, a sheltered cooking area and somewhere comfortable for guests to sit can help turn your terrace or garden into a space you'll actually want to use throughout autumn.
If outdoor cooking is a big part of your lifestyle, this is also where a dedicated outdoor kitchen starts to make sense.
Autumn Doesn't Mean the End of Barbecue Season
There is something particularly satisfying about cooking outdoors on a crisp autumn evening.
The food gets richer, the recipes get slower and the barbecue becomes less about quick summer meals and more about taking your time.
Give your barbecue a little longer to heat up, keep the lid closed, control your temperatures and embrace the ingredients that autumn brings.
Because barbecue season doesn't have to end when summer does.
Ready for Autumn Cooking?
From thermometers and barbecue covers to cookware, accessories and complete outdoor cooking set-ups, having the right equipment makes cooking outdoors throughout the cooler months much easier.
Explore everything you need for autumn barbecuing at The Barbeque Shop online, or visit us in store for expert advice. 🔥