Since fire was first discovered many centuries past people have built fires and cooked food over the flames or in the embers. It is a method of cooking to add a more delightful taste to “fried” food and reduce the amount of fat in meat. The word “barbecue” comes from the Spanish barbacoa, which describes the process of grilling meat over an open wood fire on bars of green wood. Today in North America barbecue and grilling can mean different types of outdoor cooking. Barbecuing is considered as slower cooking of meat and grilling is fast cooking of meat and vegetables. 

Charcoal briquettes - A convenient form of charcoal but the quality varies. An artificial resin is used to compact the briquettes and some brands are stronger than others. Do not cook until briquettes are glowing or gray to be sure the binder has burned away.

Natural charcoal requires care in building the fire. Place the smaller pieces on the bottom and larger pieces on top. The fire requires plenty of air circulation to have an even fire and even heat. The right height fire is necessary for grilling and smoking.

How Hot ? - Levels of heat are different for different foods the heat can be determined by holding your hand over the fire. Start at around 6-inches away from the coals –

-         for 4 seconds the heat is low

-         for 3 seconds the heat is medium

-         for 2 seconds the heat is high

-         for 1 second the fire is too hot

Adjust Heat - The heat can be adjusted by raising or lowering the grill. In gas grills the temperature is changed by raising or lowering the gas output and using one or more gas outlets. Electric cookers are more designed for slow cooking and smoking.

Wood – dried-out hardwoods are the best, softwoods tend to impart resin flavors to the food. Fruit woods give a very nice flavor. Hickory and mesquite chips are natural wood products that are used along with other fuels to flavor the food. Chips should be soaked in water for several hours then placed on charcoal fire a few at a time. When used with propane place chips in a disposable foil pan and place over a hot part of the grill.