Cooking Resources

Raine · 03-17-2005, 10:34 AM

This is a term and technique that is way too often misundertood or been diluted.

BBQ no matter how you spell it is a method of long/slow cooking over wood coals.

It is not a device you cook on.

It is not sauce.

Grilling is cooking high heat and fast, no matter what the heat source.

buckytom · 03-17-2005, 11:44 AM

i can't agree enough rainee. i am a griller; food is cooked directly over coals. i would love to learn the art of the 'cue, but i never have enough time. over the years, an old friend and i have done whole pigs and lambs on a spit, low and slow, but it was over coals, so i'm not sure what you would call that.

i have recently started to use all hardwood charcoal for grilling. i think kingsford sells it now in bags. and i use the newspaper chimney method to get them started. you can't beat the taste over real coals, not briquettes or (gasp) propane, and there's no chemical taste from the lighter fluid. propane grilling has it's merits like temp control, but you might as well just move your stove outside. also, i hate when someone starts their charcoal with a whole bottle of lighter fluid. the food cooked on it taste's terrible, even after the coals are all ash.
charcoal briquettes are ok, but all hardwood is the way to go for flavor. the briquettes are especially susceptible to the bad taste of lighter fluid, but do burn longer. a mix of a few briquettes and hardwood charcoal would help the grill burn more evenly.

Raine · 03-17-2005, 12:57 PM

Kingford has a lot of filler these days. Try to find some lump charcoal.

DampCharcoal · 03-17-2005, 01:14 PM

I've used lump hardwood charcoal and it burned incredibly hot. Did I do something wrong? :?

buckytom · 03-17-2005, 01:14 PM

yep, that's what i meant, lump charcoal. it's just chunks of charred hardwood, no fillers, coal, or other combustibles. smells just like a campfire, and the food cooked on it is delicious.

Raine · 03-17-2005, 01:17 PM

No DC, lump burns a little hotter.

buckytom · 03-17-2005, 01:33 PM

and it burns out a lot faster too, so you may have to add some to keep it going. or like i said, mix in a few briquettes to stretch it out.

jennyema · 03-17-2005, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rainee

Grilling is cooking high heat and fast, no matter what the heat source.

Then sauteeing would be grilling. Or microwaving.

Most definitions of "grill" that I have seen either refer to the noun form as a device, a metal grate used to cook food over a direct heat source; or to the verb form, to cook food on a metal grate over a direct heat source. But I'll try to look it up in LG soon.

You're right, BBQ is not a device, but a "BBQ grill" is.

Lump charcoal is the only way to go for me. TJ's sells "Cowboy" brand at good prices.

When the 2 feet of snow melts maybe I'll drag the old girl back out!

marmalady · 03-17-2005, 02:22 PM

Rainee, I think the term 'BBQ' is one of those 'crossover' terms I was talking about in another topic.

Yes, you're absolutely right in your definition of 'low and slow', but I think it's just become common use to say 'let's BBQ some hot dogs Sunday' !