Your Dutch partner has invited you to join his family for a barbecue, how exciting! You dress up in your summer clothes, expecting to join everyone outside in the garden and see food being grilled on a large charcoal grill, only for your partner to drag you inside the house.
How odd, you think to yourself. Aren’t barbecues usually done outside? Well, the Dutch do it in a slightly different way.Â
Instead of grilling outside, they use tiny table-top barbecues that can be set on the dinner table inside the house.
And yes, food takes longer to grill. Or at least, it feels like it does.
What is it?
A table-top barbecue is a small barbecue with a compact design and without a bulky base so that you can easily place it on your dining table.
The Dutch take these tiny barbecues anywhere with them, from camping trips to a day at the beach in The Hague, or even in the comfort of their own home.
What do they cook on them? A lot of traditional Dutch meat, such as rookworst, speklapjes, slavink, pre-made kebabs and don’t forget the crucial ingredient — satésaus (meat with peanut butter sauce, a true Dutch barbecue staple.)
READ MORE | Barbecuing in the Netherlands: how do the Dutch do BBQs?
These tiny table-top barbecues only allow minimal grilling space. Your Dutch hosts will grill one meat at a time, serve, and then move on to grilling the next thing.
since most of my followers are not from the Netherlands, I’d like to tell you something about our culture. today : Gourmetten! pic.twitter.com/RWXhWZvTJB
— Isabel (@IsabelSetFree) December 4, 2016
Time to drink some beer or wine in between servings!
Why do they do it?
Practicality, of course! Dutch people are known to be very practical — from sending Tikkies for almost everything, splitting bills, and planning any meet-up or appointment.
READ MORE | 19 damn freakin’ annoying things Dutch people do
And what is more practical than a barbecue that you can take anywhere with you? No one has to leave the table to check up on the meat, plus it’s easy to clean and maintain.Â
Now that is Dutch functionality!
Why is it quirky?
Barbecuing is common anywhere — gathering with friends or family, grilling meats and vegetable skewers on charcoal barbecues, and enjoying each other’s company (usually on hot summer days).
READ MORE | Gourmetten: A ‘gezellige’ evening of classic Dutch dining
Teeny tiny tabletop barbecues, on the other hand, are not so ordinary. At least not outside of the Netherlands. They might be cute, but they’re also definitely a little bizarre.Â
Should you join in?
That depends! If you like to take breaks in between meals and like to carry a barbecue with you when you go to a park or the beach, then why not? Barbecue on the go, anyone?
But if you prefer to sit out in the garden and eat your grilled meats and vegetables in one serve, maybe opt out of this one.
What do you think of this Dutch quirk? Have you experienced it? Tell us in the comments below!
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in December 2022, and was fully updated in December 2023 for your reading pleasure.
Not sure why my Dutch relatives think this is exclusively Dutch. They have this in Asia as well. I think it’s called Korean bbq – it’s indoor and there are casual restaurants that have this. Only thing different is that the Dutch supermarkets sell the raw gourmet ingredients readily. Very convenient indeed.