All About Charcoal Barbecues

Gas Barbecues & Electric Grills

Barbecue and grills are synonymous with summer, but grilling should be considered a year around cooking option. Heating up the kitchen, or the whole house for that matter is not economical plus getting outside into the clean air is much healthier after being cooped up all day.  Everyone loves to spend the balmy nights around the backyard pool, or by the lake,  and as nature would have it summer fades into fall. Lucky for us that  football season starts and barbecue season really pulls into full gear. Everyone loves to pull out the barbecue grill for a tailgate party, as the two go well together. Hot food, chilly nights, and good friends create a wonderful  fall tradition.
There is no one size fits all size grill. Grilling is highly personal, and that is why grills come in many different shapes and sizes. If finding your personal grill is challenging, you then have to turn your attention to the many different types of fuel options available today.  There are many different types of barbecues, and a gas grill operates mainly on propane cylinders which are easily obtainable from local retailers in your area.
However some people just don’t like the taste of food grilled over propane gas. The chief  complaint when it comes to a gas bbq is the  lack of ‘wood smoke.’  Bbq enthusiasts believe that wood smoke is essential for getting great barbecue flavor. Many bbq grill manufacturers have wood boxes added  to their gas grills, so that even a gas grill can get an “‘authentic wood smoked barbeque flavor’.
My personal favorite is the tried and true traditional charcoal grilling method. It is very popular because it does lend itself to natural cooking, and maybe even subconsciously is a throwback to our ancestors. Charcoal grills come in ever conceivable shape or size that you could want, and building your own out of a 55 gallon drum is fun and rewarding too.

A traditional  charcoal barbeque grill basically contains only three cooking elements

1. The firebox- Charcoal is placed into the firebox in order to produce both direct and indirect heat.
2. The Grill grates- This is where the food sits. The grates are chiefly responsible for keeping your food out of the fire, and rendering those lovely grill marks that grace the food that is being cooked.
3. Vent-Charcoal grills must have a vent. The vent helps control the amount of air that mixes with the charcoal, thereby aiding you in controlling how much or  the amount of heat that reaches the food you are grilling.

Electric grills are have been popping up more frequently, and are more popular with people who live in confined quarters such apartments and condos where grilling with a flame may be prohibited. By in large they are  comprised of a non-stick grill plates that is heated by plugging the unit into an electric outlet, they work very similarly to cooking on your stove top, but offer a larger cooking surface and easier access to the food.

Grilling food is an enjoyable experience, but whether you are using an electric grill in an apartment complex, or savoring the flavor of grilling over charcoal, it is important to remember that safety is always important when cooking outside, or around small children and animals. It only takes a moment for accidents to happen, and burns cannot only scar, they can take your life as well. Learn grill safety tips here, and keep everyone safe.

• Learn The Art of Grilling Delicious Food
• Finding The Right Barbecue Grill For You
  
• Grilling Cookbook Easy Grilling Recipes

• Easy Grilled Roquefort Pork Chop With Stuffing
• Charcoal Grilling Techniques

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