Heston Blumenthal launches Everdure barbecue range

The latest innovation to join the world of barbecue comes from none other than Heston Blumenthal. We went down to the launch.

If you're a fan of Heston Blumenthal's you'll know he's a chef who doesn't do things by the book, and likes to push the traditional boundaries of the kitchen. And his latest venture into the world of barbecues is no exception.

Heston has collaborated with top Australian barbecue manufacturer Shriro to create a whole new range of barbecues, ‘Everdure by Heston Blumenthal’, and the final products are stunning.

The range of barbecues have been trialled, tested and developed at Heston’s famous development kitchen in Bray, as well as Shiro’s research facilities in a bid to create the perfect modern barbecue.

Heston said: “There is something wonderful about cooking together with friends around a BBQ. The smell, the sound, the flavour of the food filling the air just adds to the whole enjoyment.

“I wanted to bring some of the techniques and methods I have developed in over 20 years in the kitchen and bring them to the great outdoors.”

Whether you prefer cooking with charcoal or gas, the 'Everdure by Heston' range caters to your every need with five different barbecues to choose from.

Let's take a look at the range in more detail, starting with the charcoal models.

HUB and FUSION

Have you ever struggled to get your barbie lit quickly? We’ve all been there but Heston’s new range promises that this will be a thing of the past.

The HUB and FUSION charcoal barbecues feature a unique Fast Flame Ignition System which use a fusion of electricity with an integrated heating element to ignite the charcoal so you can start cooking in as little as 10 minutes.

Fumbling with firelighters will be a distant memory.

And now you’ll be able to cook the suckling pig you’ve always wanted to throw on the barbecue thanks to an integrated rotisserie system and Cliplock Forks which could secure any animal onto your rotisserie.

The HUB is the largest barbecue in the range and comes with a suitably hefty price tag of £1,499.

Whereas the FUSION barbecue is dual-functioning, so you can choose to make it free-standing thanks to a pedestal or place it where you like without. It costs £899.

Image: Everdure by Heston Blumenthal

CUBE

But if you’re looking for something a little more compact, the range also features the CUBE – a portable charcoal barbecue perfect for camping, picnics and beach trips.

The CUBE also comes fully fitted with an integrated food storage area and preparation board, along with cool-to-touch handles so there’ll be no more burnt fingers.  

It's only £149, and we think that's a pretty fair price for what you'll get with this product.

Image: Everdure by Heston Blumenthal

FURNACE and FORCE

But if you prefer cooking with gas, you could choose from the three-burner FURNACE or the two-burner FORCE models.

Both come equipped with high-performance burners, high hood for convection cooking as well as large cooking areas and super-fast heat up.

FURNACE is £699 and FORCE is a little cheaper at £599.

Tasting the products

I went along to the launch of ‘Everdure by Heston Blumenthal’ at his restaurant the Crown in Bray, and try some of the delicious recipes you can prepare at home thanks to the Everdure website.

There was suckling pig that was cooked on the integrated rotisserie system of the HUB barbecue for around four hours to make sure the pig was cooked through, and of course so there was enough crispy crackling to go around. You can find the recipe on the Everdure by Heston website. 

Image: Niamh Ollerton/loveFOOD.com

Once the pig is cooked, you can eat it as it is, with the sides of your choosing, or you could make your very own pulled pork sliders pictured below. The sliders were very moist, and beautifully garnished with BBQ sauce. The Everdure by Heston website has a recipe for these too.

Image: Niamh Ollerton/loveFOOD.com

I may be pretty biased, but this has got to be the best cheeseburger I've ever had in my life! It was cooked just right, the bacon was crispy, the cheese was melted and gooey (with slices of melted cheese on the bottom half of each bun) and it wasn't messy to eat, which is always great in my book. You can get the recipe here.

Image: Niamh Ollerton/loveFOOD.com

More unusual were the Scallops Teppanyaki grilled on the FUSION grill. The interesting addition to the scallops was caviar and white chocolate, a pair I wouldn't usually think to marry together. But the end result had a hint of sweetness, alongside a mixture of seafood. I really enjoyed it!

And it's not all about the savoury mains you can cook. Grilled desserts are also very easy to pull together and you still get the delicious barbecue taste only charcoal grills can deliver. The chefs prepared grilled pineapples on the HUB barbecue and people couldn't get enough!

The new ‘Everdure by Blumenthal’ range is now available in selected garden centres and John Lewis.

For more information visit www.everdurebyheston.co.uk.

Will you be buying one of Heston's new barbecues? What do you prefer to cook on? Let us know in the Comments section below.

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