Baking puff pastry on the BBQ
Bake puff pastry, mini Wellington and filled pastry snacks over indirect heat without a soggy base.
Pastry bakes well on a BBQ configured like an oven: indirect heat, stable temperature and heat from below and above. Cold pastry and dry, cooled filling prevent a soggy base.
The BBQ as an oven
Use a heat deflector or indirect zone and preheat the stone, tray or grate. Most small pastries suit 180-200°C.
Cold pastry and filling
Warm pastry loses its layers and warm wet filling melts the fat too early. Chill before assembly.
Control moisture
Cook mushrooms dry, reduce sauces and drain vegetables.
Colour and doneness
Check the underside as well as the top, and confirm meat fillings are safely cooked.
Recipes that put this into practice
Crunchy Chicken Bites
Ground chicken with gochujang, sesame oil, garlic, spring onion and cheddar creates a juicy savory filling. Puff pastry supplies the crisp shell and cooks evenly on the BBQ, in the oven or air fryer.
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Mini Beef Wellington
Bite-size beef is paired with a dry mushroom duxelles and wrapped tightly in puff pastry. Cooking the moisture out of the duxelles keeps the pastry crisp while the beef cooks quickly and stays tender.
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Mini Turkish Pide
These mini Turkish pides combine seasoned ground beef with thin pizza dough and crisp edges. Indirect cooking at 200°C cooks the filling while the boat-shaped crust turns firm and golden.
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Smoked Stuffed Mushrooms
Large mushrooms form a juicy shell for cream cheese, crisp bacon, onion, spring onion and grated cheese. Indirect heat melts the filling gently without burning the mushroom bases.
View recipeFAQ
Can I use baking paper?
Yes over indirect heat, kept away from open flames.
Preheat a pizza stone?
Yes, a cold stone can cause a soft base.
Can pastry go in an air fryer?
Yes, in small batches with close attention to browning.