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Best barbecue – grilling techniques, methods, tips and tricks
Though the farms grilling and barbecuing are often used synonymously, the two techniques are actually quite distinct. Grilling refers to cooking relatively tender foods quickly over high heat. Barbecuing is just the opposite. Cooking relatively tough foods for a long period of time with the gentle heat and smoke of a very low fire. Barbecuing is really a form of braising. In which large cuts of tough meat are basted with sauce and slowly cooked until their fibers soften to the point of meltdown.
Methods to get the most flavorful barbecue use a combination of hardwood charcoal and wood, such as apple or hickory. To sustain the low temperatures required for proper charcoal barbecuing use the indirect method. Push the hot coals into parallel rows out on the sides of the grill and set your food in the center of the grill grate so that it's not directly over the coals.
If using a gas grill with separate heat controls, heat only one side of the grill and place the food on the other side. Rotate the food occasionally so that all sides are heated. If your grill has vents, close them partially.
To prevent flare ups from dripping fat place a disposable aluminum pan between the coals directly underneath the food. This drip pan makes cleanup a snap. To lest barbecued meats for doneness. Stick a large fork directly down into the meat and try to pick it up. If it's impossible to pick up because the meat is 10 tender that it won't hold the fork, the meat is done.
When food is cooked by dry heat, marinating and basting help keep it moist. Although the smoky taste of grilled food is naturally delicious, marinades and dry seasoning rubs can add extra flavor. Marinades are a classic way to flavor food. Delicate foods, such as seafood and boneless chicken breasts, benefit from 15 minutes of marinating and should not be marinated for more than 30 minutes unless directed in the recipe. Large cuts of beef and pork and bone inch chicken parts should be marinated for at least 1 hour but no more than 24 hours. A marinade can be brushed onto food as it grills, but stop basting 10 minutes before the food is done, or the marinade will not have sufficient time to cook. Discard any leftover marinade.
Seasoning rubs are combinations of spices, dried herbs, salt, and, sometimes, moist ingredients such as mustard, oil, or pureed fresh herbs. The mixture is rubbed onto the food before grilling. Apply the rub 1 or 2 hours ahead for maximum flavor. Basting sauces, including barbecue sauce, should be thick enough to adhere to food. Sauces containing honey, molasses, or sugar, are likely to burn, so wait until the last 15 minutes of cooking time before brushing them on.
