Table of contents
Introduction to Barbecue
Fuels
Tips on buying a grill
Grill safety
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.
Wood
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
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. Charcoal cooking typically does not infuse the same rich flavour
of cooking over hardwoods. However, charcoal briquettes are cheap, easy to purchase and store for long term usage.
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 300-400 degrees hotter. 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) .
Pellets
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. A pellet grill will grill, roast, and smoke. Adds savory flavor to fish, beef, pork and everything you cook.
When buying
pellets, make sure that no fillers or binding agents are used in preparation.
Read more about pellets
Grilling slowly over indirect heat in a closed charcoal, wood, or pellet cooker is called
“smoking.” It is used to add flavor to large cuts of meat and keep them tender. It can require up to 8 hours,depending on the meat’s size and the
outdoor air temperature.
Gas Grills
Portable barbecues or grills are small, transportable cooking devices typically used to prepare food outdoors.
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.
