The Smoke & Sear HUB

Welcome to the Smoke & Sear HUB – the place for everything BBQ that isn’t a recipe. Whether you’re hunting for the best BBQ spots in the UK, looking for honest gear reviews, checking out upcoming events, or just after some solid grilling advice, this is where it all lives.

Think of the HUB as a growing BBQ knowledge vault – a place to explore, learn, and stay connected with the UK BBQ scene. And since I’m always adding new stuff, there’ll always be something fresh to check out.

Scroll down, have a dig through, and find your next BBQ obsession.

UK BBQ Events – 2026

Discover all the hottest UK BBQ events, demo cooks, and open days in 2026. Find sizzling opportunities to meet the community, learn new skills, and enjoy BBQ at its finest!

Top 100 UK BBQ Instagram Accounts

The most controversial UK BBQ list is back! Here are 100 must-follow BBQ Instagram accounts shaping the UK scene in 2025. Think we missed someone? Let’s hear it!

UK BBQ WhatsApp Community

A no-filter, high-flame WhatsApp community where UK BBQ fans connect, chat, swap recipes, share tips, show off their setups, and talk all things meat, smoke, and fire.

JOIN THE WHATSAPP COMMUNITY

Honest BBQ Reviews

Make informed decisions with my Honest BBQ Reviews. I provide thorough, unbiased reviews of BBQ grills, smokers, and accessories to help you choose the best products.

EXPLORE REVIEWS

Sizzle – Your AI-Powered BBQ Assistant

Meet Sizzle, the AI-powered BBQ assistant for Smoke & Sear! Get recipes, tips, grill manual help, and more – all with a smoky sense of humour. Chat with Sizzle today!

CHAT WITH SIZZLE

Lee Bishop - Smoke & Sear

smoke.sear

1,065 24,094

smoke.sear Jun 1

This. This is exactly why I started the UK BBQ Community WhatsApp group.

What began as a daft little idea to get the regional groups cooking together has already turned into something properly special.

The Southern Region BBQ Crew got together, many of them meeting through the WhatsApp community, and put on an absolute monster of a cook.

We’re talking venison haunch wrapped in nori, reverse-seared smoked lamb, lobster, scallops, shell-on prawns, Sussex mackerel, monkfish, black sea bream, Sussex Smokie, focaccia, fresh green sauce . . . basically lunch went fully feral and turned into a feast.

And honestly? I bloody love it.

This wasn’t just about food. It was about people getting together, lighting fires, sharing ideas, cooking outdoors and making new mates through BBQ.

That’s the whole point.

The Southern Region have now set the bar stupidly high for the UK BBQ Community Regional Cook-Off.

So to the rest of the regions . . .

What have you got?

Entries are open through June. Cook something that represents your region, send me the pics and the story, and we’ll put it to a public vote.

I’ll also try and blag some prizes, because apparently I enjoy emailing BBQ brands and begging like a smoky little goblin.

Big shout out to the Southern crew:

@grillssmaster
@sussexsmokeshack
@firetitsbbq
@westacottanthony

More info on the competition here:

https://www.smokeandsear.world/uk-bbq-community-regional-cook-off/

108 19

This. This is exactly why I started the UK BBQ Community WhatsApp group.

What began as a daft little idea to get the regional groups cooking together has already turned into something properly special.

The Southern Region BBQ Crew got together, many of them meeting through the WhatsApp community, and put on an absolute monster of a cook.

We’re talking venison haunch wrapped in nori, reverse-seared smoked lamb, lobster, scallops, shell-on prawns, Sussex mackerel, monkfish, black sea bream, Sussex Smokie, focaccia, fresh green sauce . . . basically lunch went fully feral and turned into a feast.

And honestly? I bloody love it.

This wasn’t just about food. It was about people getting together, lighting fires, sharing ideas, cooking outdoors and making new mates through BBQ.

That’s the whole point.

The Southern Region have now set the bar stupidly high for the UK BBQ Community Regional Cook-Off.

So to the rest of the regions . . .

What have you got?

Entries are open through June. Cook something that represents your region, send me the pics and the story, and we’ll put it to a public vote.

I’ll also try and blag some prizes, because apparently I enjoy emailing BBQ brands and begging like a smoky little goblin.

Big shout out to the Southern crew:

@grillssmaster
@sussexsmokeshack
@firetitsbbq
@westacottanthony

More info on the competition here:

https://www.smokeandsear.world/uk-bbq-community-regional-cook-off/

smoke.sear May 31

24,000+ on Instagram.
11,000+ on Facebook.
66,000 website users this year.
130,000 page views.

And somehow, the Ninja Woodfire UK Facebook group has now passed 27,000 members, while the UK BBQ Community on WhatsApp has gone past 450 members.

That’s honestly mad.

Smoke & Sear has always just been me cooking outside, filming what I’m doing, sharing the wins, the mistakes, the gear, the fire, the smoke and all the no-bollocks bits in between.

But this year feels like things are starting to properly move.

The big goals are simple.

Keep pushing @fourge.bbq with three good mates and see how far we can take a proper UK BBQ business built around flavour, fire and graft.

Keep supporting the UK BBQ community, helping it grow, connecting more people, and doing what I can to push it forward.

And hopefully find a couple of brands to work with properly long-term. Real content, proper use, honest feedback, recipes, and maybe even stepping into demos a bit more.

To everyone who follows, comments, shares, reads the website, joins the groups, tries a recipe, buys from FOURGE, or just sticks around for the madness — genuinely, thank you.

It’s all a bit ridiculous.

But we’re only getting started 🔥

#SmokeAndSear #FOURGE #UKBBQ #BBQCommunity #OutdoorCooking

89 13

24,000+ on Instagram.
11,000+ on Facebook.
66,000 website users this year.
130,000 page views.

And somehow, the Ninja Woodfire UK Facebook group has now passed 27,000 members, while the UK BBQ Community on WhatsApp has gone past 450 members.

That’s honestly mad.

Smoke & Sear has always just been me cooking outside, filming what I’m doing, sharing the wins, the mistakes, the gear, the fire, the smoke and all the no-bollocks bits in between.

But this year feels like things are starting to properly move.

The big goals are simple.

Keep pushing @fourge.bbq with three good mates and see how far we can take a proper UK BBQ business built around flavour, fire and graft.

Keep supporting the UK BBQ community, helping it grow, connecting more people, and doing what I can to push it forward.

And hopefully find a couple of brands to work with properly long-term. Real content, proper use, honest feedback, recipes, and maybe even stepping into demos a bit more.

To everyone who follows, comments, shares, reads the website, joins the groups, tries a recipe, buys from FOURGE, or just sticks around for the madness — genuinely, thank you.

It’s all a bit ridiculous.

But we’re only getting started 🔥

#SmokeAndSear #FOURGE #UKBBQ #BBQCommunity #OutdoorCooking

smoke.sear May 31

What an afternoon 🔥

Yesterday I headed over to @jons.bbq x @thebbqcommunitycookbook event at @alfresco_chapel_bbq , celebrating the release of the original BBQ Community Cookbook put together by the brilliant Jon Wilson.

And honestly, this is why I absolutely love the UK BBQ community.

Yes, the food was banging — every dish had fire, flavour and proper graft behind it — but it wasn’t just about the food. It felt like a proper family event. That big BBQ table energy where everyone’s chatting, laughing, sharing stories, catching up with old mates and meeting new ones.

The UK BBQ family is HUGE, and afternoons like this remind you just how special it is.

A massive thank you to Steve and Nat at Alfresco Chapel for putting on such a brilliant event at their absolutely STUNNING home. I’m not even joking — when we walked through the gated fortress, all our jaws hit the floor 😂

Huge credit to Jon Wilson for pulling the cookbook together and giving so many backyard cooks, pitmasters and BBQ obsessives a platform to show what they do. Seeing recipes from the cookbook cooked and served like that was proper class.

Massive shoutout to everyone involved, the cooks, contributors, hosts and everyone who turned up. Proper community, proper people, proper BBQ.

110 6

What an afternoon 🔥

Yesterday I headed over to @jons.bbq x @thebbqcommunitycookbook event at @alfresco_chapel_bbq , celebrating the release of the original BBQ Community Cookbook put together by the brilliant Jon Wilson.

And honestly, this is why I absolutely love the UK BBQ community.

Yes, the food was banging — every dish had fire, flavour and proper graft behind it — but it wasn’t just about the food. It felt like a proper family event. That big BBQ table energy where everyone’s chatting, laughing, sharing stories, catching up with old mates and meeting new ones.

The UK BBQ family is HUGE, and afternoons like this remind you just how special it is.

A massive thank you to Steve and Nat at Alfresco Chapel for putting on such a brilliant event at their absolutely STUNNING home. I’m not even joking — when we walked through the gated fortress, all our jaws hit the floor 😂

Huge credit to Jon Wilson for pulling the cookbook together and giving so many backyard cooks, pitmasters and BBQ obsessives a platform to show what they do. Seeing recipes from the cookbook cooked and served like that was proper class.

Massive shoutout to everyone involved, the cooks, contributors, hosts and everyone who turned up. Proper community, proper people, proper BBQ.

smoke.sear May 30

Big BBQ news . . . I’ve been working on my recipe for BBQ Without Borders, the next cookbook from @thebbqcommunitycookbook , put together by the legend @jons.bbq .

I was lucky enough to be involved in the original BBQ Community Cookbook, where my ULTIMATE roast potatoes made an appearance. This time I wanted to bring something with proper colour, proper flavour, and just enough fire to keep things interesting — so I went for Firestarter Piri Piri Chicken.

This one took four attempts to get right. I didn’t want pointless heat for the sake of it. I wanted balance — smoky charred veg, citrus punch, sticky hot honey, a bit of a kick, and something the whole family would still happily demolish.

Cooked on the @ninjakitchenuk FlexFlame, loaded with pellets, and finished with that glossy hot honey glaze.

The full detailed step-by-step recipe is now live on my website here:

https://www.smokeandsear.world/BBQ-recipes/firestarter-piri-piri-chicken-ninja-flexflame-sticky-hot-honey-bbq-chicken/

Big love to Jon Wilson and everyone involved in BBQ Without Borders — can’t wait to see this project come together 🔥

#SmokeAndSear #BBQWithoutBorders #TheBBQCommunityCookbook #JonWilson

140 13

Big BBQ news . . . I’ve been working on my recipe for BBQ Without Borders, the next cookbook from @thebbqcommunitycookbook , put together by the legend @jons.bbq .

I was lucky enough to be involved in the original BBQ Community Cookbook, where my ULTIMATE roast potatoes made an appearance. This time I wanted to bring something with proper colour, proper flavour, and just enough fire to keep things interesting — so I went for Firestarter Piri Piri Chicken.

This one took four attempts to get right. I didn’t want pointless heat for the sake of it. I wanted balance — smoky charred veg, citrus punch, sticky hot honey, a bit of a kick, and something the whole family would still happily demolish.

Cooked on the @ninjakitchenuk FlexFlame, loaded with pellets, and finished with that glossy hot honey glaze.

The full detailed step-by-step recipe is now live on my website here:

https://www.smokeandsear.world/BBQ-recipes/firestarter-piri-piri-chicken-ninja-flexflame-sticky-hot-honey-bbq-chicken/

Big love to Jon Wilson and everyone involved in BBQ Without Borders — can’t wait to see this project come together 🔥

#SmokeAndSear #BBQWithoutBorders #TheBBQCommunityCookbook #JonWilson

smoke.sear May 27

Bit of a special one today ❤️🔥

Olivia and Oakley wanted to take over the Kamado Joe and make their own cooking video . . . so we made smoked & tallow-confit beef cheeks together.

And honestly, this is what it’s all about for me.

Getting kids outside. Around fire. Around food. Learning patience, confidence and where proper food actually comes from.

There is absolutely NO chance I’d have eaten beef cheeks at their age 😅

But when kids get involved in cooking outdoors, they become curious. They want to try things. Learn things. Experience things.

And somewhere between the smoke, the laughs and the chaos . . . core memories get made ❤️

89 15

Bit of a special one today ❤️🔥

Olivia and Oakley wanted to take over the Kamado Joe and make their own cooking video . . . so we made smoked & tallow-confit beef cheeks together.

And honestly, this is what it’s all about for me.

Getting kids outside. Around fire. Around food. Learning patience, confidence and where proper food actually comes from.

There is absolutely NO chance I’d have eaten beef cheeks at their age 😅

But when kids get involved in cooking outdoors, they become curious. They want to try things. Learn things. Experience things.

And somewhere between the smoke, the laughs and the chaos . . . core memories get made ❤️

smoke.sear May 23

First proper hike completed ✅

Big shoutout to @lads_project25 for a cracking day out in the Peak District.

This was my first real hike and my first ever visit to the Peak District — and what a place to start.

📍 Higger Tor, Burbage Edge & Padley Gorge Circular
🥾 7.2 miles
⛰️ 1,378ft elevation gain
⏱️ 4 hours 6 minutes
🐾 One very happy, very tired Labrador

12 lads turned up, most of us strangers at the start, but it didn’t feel like that for long. Non-stop chats, proper laughs, some deep conversations, a bit of scrambling, a few boggy moments, and views that made every climb worth it.

Groups like Lads Project matter.

No judgement. No pressure. Just good lads getting outside, keeping active, sharing stories, having a laugh, and supporting each other in a way that feels natural.

If you’re a bloke who’s been thinking about doing something like this, reach out to @lads_project25 and get involved.

Fresh air, good people, and a reminder that sometimes the best conversations happen while walking side by side.

I’ll definitely be joining them again soon.

#LadsProject #PeakDistrict #MensMentalHealth #HikingUK #MensCommunity

60 9

First proper hike completed ✅

Big shoutout to @lads_project25 for a cracking day out in the Peak District.

This was my first real hike and my first ever visit to the Peak District — and what a place to start.

📍 Higger Tor, Burbage Edge & Padley Gorge Circular
🥾 7.2 miles
⛰️ 1,378ft elevation gain
⏱️ 4 hours 6 minutes
🐾 One very happy, very tired Labrador

12 lads turned up, most of us strangers at the start, but it didn’t feel like that for long. Non-stop chats, proper laughs, some deep conversations, a bit of scrambling, a few boggy moments, and views that made every climb worth it.

Groups like Lads Project matter.

No judgement. No pressure. Just good lads getting outside, keeping active, sharing stories, having a laugh, and supporting each other in a way that feels natural.

If you’re a bloke who’s been thinking about doing something like this, reach out to @lads_project25 and get involved.

Fresh air, good people, and a reminder that sometimes the best conversations happen while walking side by side.

I’ll definitely be joining them again soon.

#LadsProject #PeakDistrict #MensMentalHealth #HikingUK #MensCommunity

smoke.sear May 16

TEMPER Smoked Pulled Lamb Flatbreads 🔥

2.6kg bone-in lamb shoulder from @thecateringbutcher , hit with TEMPER from @fourge.bbq , smoked low and slow, then pulled into fresh flatbreads with garlic yoghurt, pickled onions, herbs and charred lemon.

Bit more of an involved cook this one, but absolutely worth it.

I also used the @typhur_uk Sync Gold Dual for temps throughout the cook and, to be fair, the Sub-1G connection was solid. No problem getting through the lamb, wrapped in foil, inside the Kamado Joe, through a few walls, while I cracked on writing the full recipe for the website like the BBQ geek I apparently am.

Full recipe is here:

https://www.smokeandsear.world/BBQ-recipes/temper-smoked-pulled-lamb-flatbreads/

Enjoy!

104 25

TEMPER Smoked Pulled Lamb Flatbreads 🔥

2.6kg bone-in lamb shoulder from @thecateringbutcher , hit with TEMPER from @fourge.bbq , smoked low and slow, then pulled into fresh flatbreads with garlic yoghurt, pickled onions, herbs and charred lemon.

Bit more of an involved cook this one, but absolutely worth it.

I also used the @typhur_uk Sync Gold Dual for temps throughout the cook and, to be fair, the Sub-1G connection was solid. No problem getting through the lamb, wrapped in foil, inside the Kamado Joe, through a few walls, while I cracked on writing the full recipe for the website like the BBQ geek I apparently am.

Full recipe is here:

https://www.smokeandsear.world/BBQ-recipes/temper-smoked-pulled-lamb-flatbreads/

Enjoy!

smoke.sear May 14

DRAGON, edge of the sky.

Flt Lt Tom Nation, the 2026 RAF Typhoon Display Pilot, putting the Typhoon through its paces over Coningsby.

Tom’s name is now on the jet, the black flying suit is on, the helmet has been unveiled, and the 2026 display season is starting to feel very real.

The aircraft, the pilot, the team behind it — all coming together for what looks like it’s going to be an unbelievable season.

Fast, precise, aggressive, controlled . . . and absolutely breathtaking to watch.

@raf_typhoondisplayteam
@eurofighter.typhoon

#RAFTyphoon #TyphoonDisplayTeam #EurofighterTyphoon #RAFConingsby

125 6

DRAGON, edge of the sky.

Flt Lt Tom Nation, the 2026 RAF Typhoon Display Pilot, putting the Typhoon through its paces over Coningsby.

Tom’s name is now on the jet, the black flying suit is on, the helmet has been unveiled, and the 2026 display season is starting to feel very real.

The aircraft, the pilot, the team behind it — all coming together for what looks like it’s going to be an unbelievable season.

Fast, precise, aggressive, controlled . . . and absolutely breathtaking to watch.

@raf_typhoondisplayteam
@eurofighter.typhoon

#RAFTyphoon #TyphoonDisplayTeam #EurofighterTyphoon #RAFConingsby

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