Barbecue & Grilling

Barbecue! Grilling!

I love to barbecue. There's something about cooking over a flame that makes meat taste delicious.

Whether you use a gas grill, a charcoal grill or barbecue directly over a wood fire pit, cooking in the outdoors is enjoyed by more and more people every year.

Now if you go on the internet, you will see barbecuing and grilling actually mean different things - if you want to get into definitions - barbecue is a process of preparing food that requires smoke, low temperatures and long periods of time. Grilling would be placing your meats directly on an open flame and cooking them in a short period of time. Barbecue also refers to a social gathering.

Whoopie Doo! C'mon. Let's don't get hung up on words here. You want to call it a barbecue grill - call it that. Some purists are going to shiver. How big of a deal is it to ask your friends over for a barbecue - and then throw hamburgers on the grill? Are you're friends gonna say "Hey Bob. You said you was gonna barbecue - but you're grilling. If I'd known that - I wouldn't have come."

Anyone says that at my barbecue is gonna get the royal boot up the you know where and sent home with no food. :-) So let's get going.

But really, here is one of the main differences between barbecue and grilling. Use this basically so you know the best way to make your meat tender and juicy . . . . .

Grilling in concept is the opposite of barbecuing because of heat. Much of the time you want the highest temperature achievable in grilling, because the purpose is to sear meat on the outside to make it crispy and brown on the surface. This method is best when used with tender cuts, such as a good steak or chop, which are pretty much free of connective tissue. Usually, meat used to barbecue is really tough. Spareribs, beef brisket, as well as other cuts require slow cooking at low temperatures to break down their stubborn tissues. This is the exact reason why they are ideal for barbecuing in the first place. When you barbecue steaks, fish, or vegetables, you do it to add smoky flavor and not because the slow cooking is needed for tenderness.

I prefer a gas grill now simply because I can put it on my deck and cook throughout the year. Quickly. Walk out and fire it up. There's no waiting for charcoal to heat up and no charcoal cleanup after. Of course it's a bummer when the gas runs out (happens to me a lot) so I keep a grill pan handy and just transfere to the stove if that happens.

Now cooking over charcoal does add a little bit more flavor and I like to occassionally do so, but the gas grill is my preference overall. We also get together once in awhile and sit around a fire and sometimes will get the coals hot and cook directly over the wood, but mostly we use a fire to sit around and roast hotdogs and marshmellos or make some smores. I'm wandering . . . . .

To barbecue, you need a grill and some utensils. That's about it.

Sure - we need meat! Steaks, burgers, hot dogs, chicken, ribs, pork chops.

Here's a temperature recommendation for different meats:

I'll bring you a lot of different grilling tips from time to time so check this page often.

Hey - You ready for some barbeque?!