TYPES OF BARBECUE

There are several ways to barbecue your food and it depends in your own personal discretion as to which method appeals to you the most. For example, some prefer the ease of using a gas grill whilst most wouldn’t dream of using anything other than a model that burns wood or charcoal. The preference is yours but here’s a simple guide to help you make your choice.

WHAT TO CHOOSE?

Before you begin looking you will need to be aware that the actual practice of barbecuing involves cooking over an indirect heat. What we commonly associate with barbecuing is pieces of meat cooking on a grill over a flame (direct heat), which means that the food doesn’t take too long to cook. In actual fact, this is grilling and not barbecuing! Proper barbecuing is an outdoor cooking method that utilises an indirect heat source, which produces smoke and heat to cook the meat. Consequently, the meat requires much more time to cook because it’s not placed directly over the heat source.

• Wood or Charcoal Burning Grill

  This is the most popular choice for households up and down the country. The meat would be placed on the grill directly over the heat so it cooks quite quickly and needs to be turned frequently. Be very wary of cheap flat-packed grills. Cheap grills are a complete waste of money since they’re only good enough for cooking sausages and burgers because they don’t generate enough heat for prime cuts of meat. They’re also seldom stable due to the wobbly, fold-out legs that is meant to support the grill, which means that your safety would be compromised.
  
  It’s better to spend a little bit more money on a grill that has a deep, bowl-shaped firebox (to hold the wood/charcoal) and has a cover of equal volume with upper and lower ventilation to regulate the temperature. These grills stand firm and, due to the depth of the firebox, generates heat sufficient enough to cook the food of your choice. The types and sizes of wood/charcoal grills do vary but it would be wise to invest in a good-sized and reputable model in case you have to provide for large social occasions!



• Smokers / Barbecue Pits

  These are for the serious barbecue enthusiasts and gourmets only! However, if you fit into this category then this is the model for you! The method of cooking with a smoker/pit is where the fuel is placed in a firebox located on the side. The food is then placed on the rack and the lid is shut. The heat and smoke generated from the firebox seeps through and the food cooks slowly but surely. Sizes range from models suitable for the back garden right up to ones that have to be towed by cars! This type of barbecue is extremely popular all over the Southern USA but they are quite hard to find in the UK. Try this link for free details on how to build your own smoker: www.britishbarbecue.co.uk



• Gas Grills

  Gas grills have become quite popular but many people don’t consider it to be the ‘true’ method of barbecuing. Gas grills obviously light and heat quickly but doesn’t give the food the smoky flavour, which is the essence of cooking outdoors. It is debatable whether gas grills keep a constant temperature because some believe that it’s too tricky to regulate the heat. On the other hand, gas grill users argue that you can cook at low, medium or high temperatures for different results. Whatever the arguments, the real advantages lie in that gas grills are more convenient if you don’t have much time to spare and they are very easy to shut down. In addition, indirect heating can be achieved by lighting a gas burner at one end whilst placing the meat at the other. Gas grills are certainly neat, as they are easier to clean but any ‘barbecue’ flavour needs to be added by various other means because, by definition, barbecued food cannot be cooked by gas.



• Water Smokers

  Water Smokers are relatively new to the world of barbecuing and are mainly suitable for cooking in the back garden. It works by burning wood beneath a large pan of water. The water reaches boiling point and the heat cooks the meat whilst the vapours combine with the wood smoke to coat the meat with a smoky flavour. As the water vapours and smoke condenses onto the meat it also bastes it thus ensuring that it is nice and moist when eaten. The temperature remains constant in a water smoker because the water vapours prevent it from rising above 100ºC, which, of course, is the boiling point of water. Additionally, adding herbs, stock, meat juices or even a touch of beer to the water pan can further enhance the flavour of the meat! Water smokers aren’t as readily available as grills and the average cost for one at present is approximately £200. However, judging by the delicious results when cooking, it could be that the water smoker is one for the future and could eventually usurp the popularity of the common outdoor grills.



• Masonry & Stone Charcoal Barbecues

  A permanent feature for the garden that is only to be recommended for the ardent barbecue aficionado! They work on the same basis as a wood/charcoal burning grill and can range from a modest brick design to a more deluxe continental model. Prices can indeed vary and the most expensive often run into several hundreds of pounds.