More than half of Britons have had a barbecue during lockdown, survey finds

Some fired up the grill as many as six or seven times a month

Guests can take a piping-hot serving off the fire with their own utensils (Getty)

Barbecues have boomed during lockdown with more than half of people in Britain cooking a meal on their grill outside and one-tenth even braving the rain.

A poll of 2,000 adults found 26 per cent had also experienced a "socially distanced" gathering in the garden with friends or family since March.

Of those who had hosted or attended a lockdown barbecue, 62 per cent had been to two each month since restrictions were introduced – twice as many as they did during the same period last year.

Almost one-quarter (23 per cent) cooked food outside between three and four times each month while nearly one in 10 (7 per cent) had hosted or attended as many as six or seven barbecues a month.

The research, commissioned by Tesco, also found that despite people being home more than ever, Saturdays had been the most popular day to throw a barbecue.

The poll also found that alongside traditional hot dogs and burgers, popular dishes include chicken skewers, roasted vegetables and chicken wings.

But just under half of those surveyed (45 per cent) said they found it difficult to cook anything beyond the traditional staples on the barbecue.

Among those who said they had tried to learn a new barbecue skill or recipe, 19 per cent admitted it had failed – with burning meat being the main reason (44 per cent).

Other reasons for failure included not cooking the meat properly (32 per cent), sauces and marinades not being tasty enough (26 per cent), the meat being too plain (24 per cent) or the food being too spicy (21 per cent).

But for those who had experimented, glazing, smoking and open flame barbecuing were among the popular techniques tested.

Recipes and dishes people are most interested in trying included kebabs (35 per cent), chicken steaks (30 per cent) and lamb racks (21 per cent).

It also emerged the most common barbecue companions during lockdown have been partners, but 43 per cent have also had one with their children and 26 per cent with their parents.

And more than one-quarter of those polled had purchased their grill during the last three months of lockdown.

SWNS