Welcome to Barbecue 101
Table of contents
Introduction to Barbecue
Fuels
Types of Grills
Tips on Buying a Grill
Grill safety
Barbecue Recipes
Becoming a Grill Master
Barbecue otherwise known as or barbeque, BBQ, Bar-B-Q and Bar-B-Que; is a method cooking using indirect heat. Grilling is a cooking technique were direct heat is applied to the food.
A Barbecue is usually cooked (or fueled) by wood,
charcoal (lump or briquettes), propane or natural gas.
There are several fuel sources for barbecues:
Wood,
Charcoal,
Gas (propane or natural),
pellets, and infrared. Each fuel source
has a big impact of the flavor of the food and the cooking process.
Wood fuel
The choice and combination of woods burned result in different flavors imparted to the meat. Woods commonly selected for their
flavor include mesquite, hickory, maple, guava, kiawe, cherry, pecan, apple and oak. Woods to avoid include conifers. These contain resins and
tars, which impart undesirable resinous and chemical flavors. If these woods are used, they should be burned in
a catalytic grill, such as a rocket stove, so that the resins and tars are completely burned before coming into contact with the food.
Different types of wood burn at different rates. The heat also varies by the amount of
wood and controlling the rate of burn through careful venting. Wood and charcoal are sometimes combined to optimize smoke flavor and consistent burning.
Charcoal fuel
Charcoal is the fuel of choice for most grilling and barbecue zealots. Charcoal briquettes and
lump charcoal are the most common types of charcoal.
This fuel method is quite manageable, as additional material can be added or removed to adjust cooking temperature.
The composition of
briquettes can vary vastly around the world and typically consist of readily available and inexpensive, non-toxic
material. They can also be much
better for the enviroment if produced properly. Materials used in briquettes include
coconut-shell, sugar cane, weeds, leaves, sawdust, rice husks. Below is
an image illustrating composition of briquettes produced in different countries.
Read more about the
rural briquette press
An alternative to charcoal briquettes is
lump charcoal. Lump charcoal is a pure form of charcoal derived from wood that has been turned into charcoal,
but unlike briquettes, it has not been ground and shaped. Lump charcoal it is 100% hard wood, and burns very hot, typically ranging between
300-400 degrees hotter. Use care when cooking as temperates can increase very rapidly. It typically burns longer and adds a real wood flavor to food.
Charcoal can only be used
safey outdoors as poisonous carbon monoxide (CO) is a combustion by-product.
Gas
Many barbecue aficionados prefer charcoal over gas (natural gas or propane) but it has some distinct advantages. 1)Ease of use - Gas grill start and are ready to use
typically faster than charcoal grills. 2)Less mess - charcoal can be messy compared to using gas. Ash from charcoal has to be
disposed of regularly. 3)storage - Gas grill do not require additional storage for
fuel. The gas tank is usual considered part of the grill. With charcoal grills, you have to store charcoal separate. 4) Cooking control - It easier to
fine tune cooking heat with gas.
Pellets
Pellets have some nice advantages over some of the other fuels. They are easily stored, non-flamible, and
can be added in a controlled manner such that heat can be closely regulated during cooking. When buying
pellets, make sure that no fillers or binding agents are used in preparation.
Read more about pellets
Charcoal grills are the cornerstone of most american backyards. We cover how to
grill the
best seafood and steak.
Grilling slowly over indirect heat in a closed charcoal, wood, or pellet cooker is called smoking. It is used to
add massive amounts of flavor to large cuts of meat while keeping them tender and moist. It can require up to 8 hours,depending on the meat size and the
outdoor air temperature.
Gas Grills
Portable barbecues or grills are small, transportable cooking devices typically used to prepare food outdoors.
Pellet Grills
In 1985 Joe Traeger started up Traeger Grills and introduced the first pellet grill to the world. Since then the Traeger family has continued to make top of the line pellet grills and smokers that have developed a larger than cult following.
The flavor and the versatility have made them a favorite among serious backyard cooks. Pellets have some nice advantages over
some of the other fuels.
A pellet grill will sear, roast, and smoke while adding lots of savory flavor to fish, beef, pork and everything you cook.
Check out our grill buying guide for tips and suggestions on the
perfect grill for you.
A good recipe for a Bar-B-Q sauce or rub is a treasure and are sometimes even passed down from one generation to the next. When you've found a combination that works, make sure you right eveything
down. However, experimenting with new spices is worthless unless the taste can be reproduced. Always make notes when you are trying something
new.
You should also consider buying a good grilling and barbecue cookbook to help you get started or to get some new ideas for recipes.
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Ok, now you know the basics of barbecues and grills so have you ever wondered what it's like to be a grill master? Watch the
Weber grill master series video: Inspiration where
Steven Raichlen and Jamie Purviance talk about their love of outdoor cooking and provide unique insight.
