WoW! Take a Look at Some Great Barbecuing
- I've been asked to add a link to my 'How to produce the best food on a charcoal BBQ Safely' article. Here is the article (At the bottom of this page)
Barbequing with wood is almost as old as
man's discovery of how to use fire. All of those thousands of
generations ago the earliest fuel would have been wood and grass. It
would not have taken long for raw meat to find its way onto the fire
in the cave, and the delicious aromas to start a riot of cooking
when an animal was caught and killed.
BBQ must be the oldest form of intentional cooking. It's easy to
imagine the cave providing shelter to an ancient family. They've
figured out how to keep a fire lit and dragged a dead animal inside
to eat. Knowing that waste meat on the fire makes them drool, it
isn't difficult to visualise them putting slices onto a stick and
intentionally scorching it. Later of course BBQ developed. Ancient
American Indians developed underground ovens, still used today in
places. In South Africa the BBQ pit is still a part of rural life,
and urban life too where a garden is big enough!
For the rest of us 'moderns', we have a huge choice of different
types of BBQ. City dwellers without a garden may well choose to use
an electric barbeque, particularly where 'live' fire is not allowed.
Gas BBQ's are another option too. Less mess than charcoal, but
somehow missing the romance of the smell of charcoal. Electric and
gas BBQ's are quick and clean - but lack drama!
Here's something for you to have a look at. I must admit it is something I'd missed, and it does look very interesting. It is called the 'Lotusgrill Barbecue'. It is similar to the Cobb, but as you'll see from the video it is much more orientated to 'barbecue' rather than 'oven'. German made. stainless steel and a cool exterior while cooking. The unit is ready to cook inside 5 minutes and is heat adjustable. Take particular notice of the steak shown cooking to confirm its barbecuing potential.
UK Amazon Link to Lotus Grill BBQ
USA Amazon Link to Lotus Grill BBQ
Link to Amazon.co.uk for Charcoal Barbecues
Link to Amazon.com for Charcoal Barbecue
How to Successfully BBQ with Charcoal (Back to the top)
Setting Up and Cooking With Your Charcoal Barbecue
Instructions
1. Take the grill out into the open air, because all solid fuels
including wood and charcoal give off dangerous fumes. Always grill
where there is plenty of ventilation.
2. You can use paper, fire lighters or BBQ lighter fluid to start
your barbeque. It is not that important. We’re not going to start
cooking until the coals are ready and any residue from firelighters
or lighter fluid have gone. If your BBQ allows the fuel to sit on a
small platform (for air flow) and you choose to use paper, the paper
should be scrunched up at the bottom. Tip! A little squirt of
lighter fluid will help get the paper going
3. Cover the grate area with a single layer of charcoal (if
briquettes) or a modest amount (not too much) of lump-wood charcoal.
You do not need to cover the whole of the BBQ if you’re only cooking
for one or two people. Make sure that the area you do cover is
larger than the area the food will take.
4. When you’re happy that you have adequately covered the base, draw
all the charcoal into a mound. If you are using just lighter fluid,
put it on now. If using standard firelighters, break them in half
and place a few under briquettes around the edge.
Back to the top
5. If there is a manual vent in the bottom of your barbeque open it
now, use a long match to light the paper, firelighters or lighter
fluid.
6. Leave the lid off the BBQ and allow all the flames to die out.
This may take 10 minutes or so. Each piece of charcoal should be at
least partially smouldering, if not, leave another 5 minutes or so
and then use tongs or a hand trowel to spread out the charcoal.
Tip. I always put more charcoal
on one end of the barbecue, tapering it off to nothing at the other
end. This allows for an area to sear meat, a central area to cook at
a lower temperature and an area for indirect cooking and keeping
food warm. Open the lid vent and cover the BBQ. Wait 20 minutes or
so. At this point open the BBQ. All of the coals should by now be
covered in a white / grey ash. If not, give it another 5 minutes or
so.
The waiting time I describe is not wasted time, it is part of the
charm of the BBQ, almost a ritual. It is also the perfect time to
chat with family and friends and have a beer!
Tip. You’re ready to start cooking.
Put part of your meat at the hot end of the barbeque and sear it all
round. If it starts to drip fat and flare, move the meat towards the
middle (cooler) area of the BBQ and reload the hot end with new
meat. Working this way you can manipulate the meat to cook it as you
like it, without setting fire to it in the process.
Practice the above a couple of times and you’ll be an expert before
you know it!