Hi, I’m Mark
I’ve been cooking BBQ in the garden for family and friends for around 25 years. For the last five, I’ve also been doing it professionally, mostly at summer music festivals and in smokehouses, cooking for crowds who don’t care how hard it’s raining. They just want their brisket.
Smoke & Drizzle is where I share what I’ve learned along the way: what actually works when you’re cooking outdoors in Britain, what kit is worth your money, and what isn’t.
What got me hooked
Two things: fire and smoke. Learning to control a fire, and hold a steady temperature for twelve hours through wind, drizzle and a cold snap, is a challenge that never really gets old. And nothing else gives food the flavour that real wood smoke does.
The cooks I enjoy most are the long ones: brisket, whole birds and big joints. The kind where you start before breakfast and slice after dark.
What I cook on at home
Everything on this site is cooked on my own kit:
- Weber kettle: the all-rounder, for everyday grilling and more low-and-slow than most people expect
- ProQ barrel smoker: for brisket, pulled pork and proper long smokes
- Kasai konro: a Japanese-style charcoal grill for yakitori and high-heat cooking
It’s the same sort of setup a lot of keen home cooks have. No competition rig, no sponsored trailer.
How I review things
- I only review kit I own and have actually cooked on.
- Every photo on this site comes from my own cooks.
- I write about British conditions: British weather, British suppliers, British prices.
- Some links on this site are affiliate links. If you buy through them I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never decides what I recommend. If something’s not worth buying, I’ll say so.
Get in touch
Questions, a cook that went wrong, or kit you’d like me to test? Email me at [email protected].