Baltimore Eats Magazine_First Edition

BBQ STORY
A PRIMER
ON GRILLING
& BARBECUE
Gas vs Charcoal
A get deal has been written over the
great debate; Charcoal vs gas. I prefer
charcoal – citing a superior flavor,
messiness and unpredictability.
However, I also own a gas grill for
because of its ease and simplicity.
The fact remains that over 80% of
the household in America own a grill
and 70% of those grills are gas fired.
The convenience of a push button
ignition and consistent heat make it
the choice for most homeowners.
However, they do not produce wood
smoke – which can be a drawback for
the purist.
I do have many types of grills in
my backyard – however if I had to
choose just one it would be a charcoal
kettle grill. I prefer charcoal because
it burns at a higher temperature that
gas so it sears better than gas. I also
believe that charcoal adds a bolder
more meatier flavor than gas. And I
find it easier to smoke on a charcoal
grill. And of course, charcoal gives me
the thrill of playing with fire!!
Which is better for you … charcoal
or gas? The answer boils down
to your temperament and technique.
If you prefer building a fire, waiting for
it to reach the right temperature enjoy
the art of working different temperature
zones, then charcoal is your
choice. If you are less concerned with
the sport of grilling and enjoy the
ease of one button ignition consistent
temperatures and easy clean up,
then gas may be your preferred heat
source. Either way – food seems to
always taste better when it is cooked
outdoors and enjoyed with friends.
Now that you have selected your
grill, you need to light it, If you have
a gas grill then simply purchase a propane
tank, attach it to the grill and
push a button and you will be cooking
in minutes! However if you have a
charcoal grill, a simple game plan will
be needed. When Weber popularized
the charcoal grill in the 50’s and 60’s
– the pit master dumped briquettes
in the kettle grill, doused them with
lighter fluid and tossed in a match. 30
minutes later the briquettes turn grey,
the lighter fluid has burned off and a
picture perfect fire is born.
Now-a-days the purists scorn
lighter fluid saying it imparts a distinct
gassy flavor. If done correctly
– waiting for the coals to burn down
to glowing embers – the lighter fluid
burns off and no petroleum will flavor
your favorite meat. However, you get
a bit impatient and put your food on
the charcoal grill a bit too soon, then
the gases produced from the lighter
fluid will indeed alter the flavor. The
chimney starter fixes all these issues.
The chimney starter needs no lighter
fluid, ignites the briquettes evenly
and does so in a matter of 10 minutes.
Simply place the briquettes in
the starter and use newspaper or a
paraffin starter - which looks like a
small white ice cube. And best of all,
the chimney starter can be purchased
for less than $20 at most hardware
stores.
Grilling Over Wood
A wood fire give you a taste that is
distinct and I think superior to a fire
build using charcoal. Depending on
the wood being used, the flavor can
be a delicate smoke flavor or a pronounced
heavier smoke that is often
associated with the south. Large professional
smokers typically use wood
logs because the amount needed for
a long cook. However, today’s backyard
smokers can use wood chunks.
Simply start your fire with charcoal
and place a few of your favorite wood
chunks on top.
Below a few of the more popular
woods and the different flavor each
provides
Apple: provides a slightly sweeter
more fruity flavor. Goes well with
poultry and pork
Hickory: a more stronger smoke flavor
with a bacon flavor. Used mostly
on beef and poultry
Maple: mild smokey flavor used on
cheeses, turkey and ham
Mesquite: strong earthy flavor. One
of the most popular woods for smoking
used mostly on beef
Oak: most versatile of all the woods
however burns at a slightly higher
temperature. Provides a mild smoke
flavor but produces a beautiful smoke
ring,
Peach: slightly sweet woodsy flavor,
popular in the south used on vegetables
and fish
Smoking
Smoking, what many people typically
think of as true barbecuing, is
a particular form of indirect grilling
done slowly over a low heat using
a lot of wood smoke using a smoker.
Traditional smokers are the long
black tanks seen on most corners in
the south. There is on offset firebox
where the fire is built and next to that
large cooking grated where the meat
is placed.
Smoking typically takes a long time
since cooking temperatures can be as
low as 200 degree. Depending on the
size and cuts of the meat, pitmasters
will take as long as 20 hours to cook a
pork shoulder or beef brisket.
As smoking has gained in popularity,
companies are beginning to make
backyard smokers for the casual user.
Although not as large, many of the
smaller smokers impart a great smoke
flavor, just as good if not better than
the commercial smokers. The only
real difference is the amount of mean
that can be cooking at one time.
Seasoning Meat
You have chosen your grill, now it is
time to prepare your favorite cuts of
meat prior to cooking. It all starts with
seasoning. Although different grilling
methods impart different flavors,
seasoning is the best way to add your
favorite flavors. Below is a primer on
different pre-cook seasoning that can
be applied to most backyard foods.
Rubs: Typically a dry mixture of
herbs and spices that is sprinkled on
meat prior to cooking. And of course
the basis for all rubs include salt and
pepper. Simple in nature but often
overlooked, salt and pepper should
be the starting point for all rubs. A
equal part salt to pepper is the perfect
compliment to beef brisket. Go
down to Texas and this is what you
will taste at most BBQ Joints.
Want to add a bit a bit more flavor,
try adding paprika and brown sugar.
Paprika will add that reddish hue
that is so eye appealing to pork while
brown sugar add the sweetness associated
with a lot of red BBQ sauces.
Marinades: Although I am not a
huge marinade fan, I would be remiss
if I did not include them is a Primer
to Grilling”. Marinades are wet seasoning
and goes well with poultry and
fish. Most marinades contain some
sort of fat, acid and aromatic flavors.
Because of the acidity, be careful how
long you marinade your meats because
the acidity will begin the cooking
process. Typical marinade seasoning
includes onions, ginger, peppers
and garlic. In fact any fresh herbs you
enjoy will make a good marinade.
Bastes and Mops: These are
applied during the cooking process
and has a 2 fold benefit. The first
and most obvious is that basting and
mopping add flavors. However they
also add a moisture component to
cooking that is important to longer
cooking processes such as smoking.
Most mop sauces are thin and are
vinegar based. Try to avoid too much
sugars since the sugar will burn after
15-20 minutes.
Barbeque Sauces: Probably the
most obvious complement to grilling.
Books have been written just on
this subject alone!! Sauces can contain
a pluthera of ingredients, however
the most popular and the ones
on most grocery shelves are vinegar
and ketchup based. Because of this,
any of these type of sauces should
be applied to the last 10-15 minutes
of cooking. To see the most popular
sauces throughout the US, see the
editorial written by XXX (whatever
her name is). XXX does a superb job
of taking you on a tour of popular
sauces in the U.S.
Next months publication will feature
a Texas Beef Brisket, including
the rub, smoking process and post
cook methods to enhance the flavor.
As always … HAPPY BBQ’ing!!!
28 Baltimore Eats Magazine September 2017
September 2017 Baltimore Eats Magazine 29