Foods & cuts · Leek
Halved leeks
Split lengthways, washed between the layers, and laid cut-face down. The washing is not optional — a leek grows grit into its sleeves.
What it is
- Form
- Cut vegetable
- Typical weight
- 80–150 g
- Typical thickness
- 15–30 mm
- Cut
- Not a cut of anything
Why it behaves as it does
The preparation matters more here than the cooking. A leek is built as concentric sleeves growing up out of soil, and grit gets down between them where rinsing the outside does nothing; halving lengthways is what opens the layers so they can be washed, and it happens to also produce the flat face the grill wants. After that it behaves predictably: the cut face takes colour, the outer layers dry and can go papery over a long cook, and the inner layers steam inside their own sleeve. The failure worth naming is layer separation — a half-leek turned carelessly comes apart into rings that fall through the bars, so it is turned once, with a spatula, rather than nudged. No time is published: neither source BBQHQ holds covers leeks.
When is it done?
Food-safety endpoint
BBQHQ holds no food-safety rule for this food. We are not showing you another jurisdiction’s figure in its place — check your national food-safety authority.
When it goes wrong
- It fell apart
- Layered vegetables falling apart on the grate — 2 distinguishable causes.
Afterwards
Cooling, keeping and reheating what is left is general guidance for barbecue leftovers. Neither UK authority publishes anything specific to halved leeks, and BBQHQ does not invent a distinction they do not make.
What we don't know about this
No institutional source has been found that publishes a grilling time for this one. The two extension services behind BBQHQ's other produce timings do not cover it.
What we know we’re missing records what was searched for each of these, and what would settle it.