British Men in Control and Supremely Confident in Their Barbecuing Skills, According to New Survey

LONDON, May 20, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Barbecuing is a male domain, but not just for Bruce 'Down Under' or cowboys 'Out West', as a new survey has discovered. British men show total confidence in their abilities to cook outdoors, with only a tiny proportion (5%) not trusting their skills in the outdoor cooking arena. In fact, almost one-fifth of those polled claim they are better than their male friends when it comes to flipping steaks and sausages, with a hardy 20% undeterred by bad weather and 11% feeling more connected with their inner caveman as they cook over a fire.

Barbecue experts Broil King, who conducted the online survey among over a thousand UK adults,* have found that UK women are even more proud of their man's cooking skills, with nearly one-third (29%) saying their partner is a better master of the grill than his friends.

As always, equipment is vitally important and men approach buying a gas barbecue in the same way they do a car, with nearly one-third saying performance is most important and durability a close second (22%). As for knowing when the meat is cooked properly, 97% of men believe they can tell, despite the dangers that lurk in charred chicken legs.

Broil King's results also reveal some interesting regional trends, with 80% of London men finding barbecuing relaxing - perhaps a therapeutic break from the bustle of the city, even if it's on a roof terrace. Welshmen seem to be the most boastful about their barbecuing prowess, with nearly 40% believing they are better at it than their friends and the most determined to cook in the rain (29%), which is just as well according to weathermen. In Northern Ireland staging a good barbecue makes 50% of men feel like a good provider by doing their bit on the domestic front.

According to Broil King's survey spokesman, England rugby star Nick Easter: "Men can't resist barbecuing and being outdoors with the fire, the smell of cooking meat - it's sociable and often goes hand in hand with sporting events and if the sun's shining that's just a bonus. At my place there's often a scrum over the last sausage!"

Speaking of meat, the survey confirmed that the inner caveman tendencies also influence favourite barbecue foods, with nearly one-third of men opting for steak as their top choice closely followed by burgers, whereas over one-third of women prefer a combination of chicken pieces and sausages, with a greater liking for barbecued seafood, such as salmon and prawns (10%), than men (5%).

Broil King has also identified four interesting UK male barbecue types:

The Entertainer - loves to feed a big crowd and be the centre of attention while tirelessly manning the barbecue for hours fuelled only by the odd beer. A master of marinades, sticky ribs and spit roast chicken.

The Enthusiast - keen and predictable, happy to slog at it in the rain, never attempts more than chicken legs, sausages and burgers, knows what he's good at but not much flair.

The Last Minute Man - never gets his act together before everyone is starving, barbecues on a whim and starts late so lunch is at 4pm, but he pulls it off to great admiration with perfectly seared steaks, grilled sweetcorn and prawn kebabs.

The Armed and Dangerous Man - has the deluxe multi grill model, all the accessories, even the tacky apron and makes bold food choices, but that salmon steak may be just a little too pink in the middle and the lamb koftas still can't impress as much as a well-done sausage.

So it seems that come rain or shine this summer the guys will be confidently in charge of outdoor cooking, as no one can separate British blokes from their barbecues and beers.

About Broil King

Broil King is proud to be sponsoring the Word Record Attempt for the most rugby fans dressed as superheroes at the Emirates Airline London Sevens at Twickenham Stadium this weekend Saturday 22/Sunday 23 May 2010.

Broil King specialises in manufacturing high-quality gas barbecues that are highly versatile, built to last and designed for performance. From searing steaks, spit roasting a chicken to even cooking a pizza or preparing sauces on a side burner, they can do it all. See http://www.broilkingbbqeu.com for information on UK local stockists.

*The research for Broil King was carried out online by Opinion Matters between 7/5/2010 and 13/05/2010 amongst a panel resulting in 1444 UK Adult respondents. All research conducted adheres to the MRS Codes of Conduct (2010) in the UK and ICC/ESOMAR World Research Guidelines.

SOURCE Broil King