The Beefy Boys on fire, flavour and a bit of BBQ freedom

From cooking 1,200 burgers out of a gazebo to redefining British barbecue, The Beefy Boys have built a cult following by keeping things simple, smoky and seriously fun. Co-founder Anthony “Murf” Murphy explains why great BBQ starts with fire, flavour and refusing to overcomplicate things.

There are plenty of burger brands in Britain now, but few carry the same grassroots credibility as The Beefy Boys. Before the awards, restaurant openings and bestselling cookbook, they were simply four mates cooking burgers at pop-ups and festivals, trying to survive the chaos of feeding huge crowds from tiny setups.

That scrappy beginning still defines the brand today. Anthony “Murf” Murphy, one of the co-founders and driving forces behind the business, laughs when he remembers the early days. “The pop-up days were a real trial by fire for us,” he says. “We had to figure out how to do a thousand burgers in a day, and that’s where we created the sort of conveyor belt system we still use now.” Those relentless events shaped everything: how they smash burgers, steam buns, organise service and manage pressure. 

“There’s a massive difference between cooking five burgers and cooking 500 or 1,000 in a day,” says Murphy. “Those early events taught us a huge amount about consistency, speed, teamwork and staying calm under pressure.”

What made The Beefy Boys stand out early on was their refusal to overcomplicate burgers. Long before smash burgers became a mainstream obsession, they were looking backwards rather than forwards, drawing inspiration from classic American diners of the 1940s and 50s.

“We weren’t trying to reinvent the wheel,” Murphy explains. “We’d take a handful of mince, throw it onto the grill, smash it down, sear the meat, season it and steam the buns. Really simple stuff.” That simplicity remains central to their philosophy, and it carries a useful lesson for anyone serious about improving their own barbecue game: stop chasing gimmicks and focus on technique. 

Murphy believes many home cooks get distracted by gadgets, toppings and trends when the fundamentals matter far more. Great burgers start with great beef, high heat and confidence. “Fat is flavour,” he adds. “Ideally you want around a 20 to 25 per cent fat ratio. The fresher the mince, the better.” One of his biggest non-negotiables is seasoning. “Never season the inside of the burger,” he says. “Treat it like a steak and season the outside only. If you mix salt through the meat it can make the texture tight and tough.”

Great burgers start with great beef, high heat and CONFIDENCE

Why smash burgers work

The smash burger craze has exploded across Britain in recent years, but Murphy says most people still get the process wrong. “The difference between an incredible smash burger and a dry, overcooked one can literally be about 30 seconds,” he says.The technique itself is brutally simple but demands speed and confidence. The grill needs to be fiercely hot, ideally above 220°C, before the meat even touches it. Once the ball of beef hits the surface, maximum pressure creates the crust that defines a proper smash burger.

“You want a seriously hot grill or hot plate, then maximum pressure when you smash the patty down,” Murphy explains. “As soon as you start seeing little holes forming in the meat and that crust developing underneath, get your spatula under it properly and scrape all that crust up in one go.” Then comes the flip, cheese and steam. Done correctly, the whole process should take about 90 seconds. “It cooks incredibly fast, so you can’t hang around,” he adds.

Britain’s barbecue revival

Their new book, The Beefy Boys Great British BBQ, pushes their food philosophy beyond burgers and into a wider celebration of live-fire cooking in Britain. For Murphy, the timing feels right. British barbecue is finally evolving beyond burnt sausages and disposable petrol station grills. “We really wanted to create a barbecue book from a genuinely British perspective,” he says. “There are hundreds of amazing barbecue books out there, but most naturally lean towards American barbecue.”

Instead, the group wanted to reinterpret classic British dishes and flavours through smoke, fire and charcoal. Murphy argues that Britain already has a rich history of live-fire cooking, from Victorian chop houses to giant medieval kitchens roasting whole animals over open flames. “Live-fire cooking is part of British food history,” he says. “It just hasn’t really been modernised or celebrated in the same way.”

The book embraces humour too, poking fun at Britain’s unpredictable weather and questionable barbecue habits while encouraging readers to cook outdoors all year round. “There’s honestly nothing better in automn or winter than lighting a fire, cooking outside and eating food that’s been cooked over wood and smoke,” Murphy says.

Of course, few barbecue debates create stronger opinions than gas versus charcoal, and Murphy doesn’t hesitate when asked where he stands. “For us, barbecue means wood and charcoal,” he says. That is not pure snobbery. Murphy accepts gas has practical advantages, especially for quick midweek cooking, but believes something important gets lost without real fire.

“The biggest reason is flavour,” he says. “Food cooked over wood and charcoal just tastes better. You get that smoke, the fire, the char, all the little flavour differences that make barbecue special.” But there is another reason The Beefy Boys remain loyal to charcoal: involvement. “You’ve got to think about airflow, heat management, fuel levels. It’s different every single time you cook, so you have to stay on your toes and work with the fire.” That unpredictability, rather than convenience, is where Murphy believes the joy of barbecue lives.

Food cooked over wood and charcoal just tastes BETTER

Sun’s out, buns out

‘Murf’ also advises budding BBQ chefs to pay attention to the smaller details – and don’t skimp on the buns. “If you think about it, the bun makes up around 60 per cent of the burger experience,” he says. “Bad bread will ruin even the best beef.”

Toasting the bun is essential. So is structure. Every topping needs to be layered carefully so each bite delivers the full flavour profile. “You shouldn’t take one bite that’s all lettuce and another that’s all sauce,” he says. And finally, perhaps the most important rule of all: “The meat has to be at least the same size as the bun, if not hanging over slightly.”

Such attention to all the ‘trimmings’ helps explain how The Beefy Boys have built such a devoted following and successful brand. Beneath the playful presentation and towering burgers there’s a devotion to consistency and getting the basics right before exploring new tastes, recipes and techniques. That philosophy – forged in food trucks in festival fields under cramped gazebos – remains unchanged in their restaurant offer too. “We started as a barbecue in a back garden between mates,” he says. “We’ve always tried to hold onto that fun, family atmosphere while still making amazing burgers and great food at the highest standard.”