The barbecue grill is a standard part of many people’s gardens, but due to what British summers can be like, it often lies unused as plans to enjoy a sunny day with an outdoor BBQ picnic are spoiled when an unexpected rainstorm scuppers these plans.
Part of the problem is that in the UK, most people tend to buy BBQ grills which were designed with Australia or the United States in mind, both of which are often exceptionally warm countries with less changeable weather.
A lot of people take the wrong approach to BBQ, and instead of thinking of it as something purely to enjoy during rare occasions they enjoy an uninterrupted stretch of sun and opt instead for a BBQ that can be used in all seasons.
Enter the Scandinavian BBQ, which is a number of different traditional Nordic timber buildings designed to provide shelter, heat and wonderful barbecue-cooked food at the same time.
Given that Scandinavian weather tends to be far closer to the UK than the United States, with relatively mild summers and very cold winters, it makes more sense to have an indoor BBQ that you can use to serve food to an outdoor garden party or you can socialise in during cold winter nights.
Whilst often considered as one collective group of buildings, there are actually several types of traditional Nordic BBQ hut, each of which provides a special type of traditional social charm.
These include the Swedish Grillkata, a wooden BBQ hut that features seats around a central fire pit, which provides warmth and allows Sami reindeer herders to cook their food on an open fire.
As well as this, there is the slightly larger Lappish Grillikota or Finnish grill house, which can accommodate as many as 15 people and traditionally cover the structure with reindeer hide.
Finally, there is the Grillhytte, a Norwegian grilling cabin made using wood and designed for families to keep warm during particularly brutal winters as the open flame can keep the whole family warm whilst the food is being cooked.
