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Grilling Advice for Absolute Beginners

Grilling and barbecuing-what's the difference?

It is important to make the distinction between grilling and barbecuing. Most people use these terms interchangeably, but they actually have a number of important differences. The traditional method of barbecuing involves cooking the food over relatively low temperature, with smoke often utilized in order to impart a characteristic taste and smell to the food. Grilling on the other hand uses high temperatures, which is essential for searing the outer portion of the food and locking in moisture and flavor.

Grilling actually shares more similarities with broiling than with traditional barbecuing. The main difference is that broiling involves cooking the food with heat from above, while grilling involves cooking the food with the heat source under it.

Using charcoal and gas

The traditional method of grilling involves the use of charcoal, which effectively cooks food while imparting its own unique flavor and aroma. Some people opt for commercially available charcoal briquettes that are easy to light, although most of these will give an unpleasant taste to the food. Alternately, a gas grill may also be used, which trades off the characteristic "smoky" flavor of charcoal grilling with more convenience and better control over the heat. Chips from aromatic woods such as hickory may also be added to the heat source to give an added layer of flavor and aroma.

The importance of keeping your grill clean

The first thing you should do is to make sure that the grill is clean. This is very important as the flavor of any food debris or oil left on the grill may be transferred to the food being grilled. Any bits of food left on the grill may also fall into the heat source, causing flare-ups that can burn the food. Furthermore, an unclean grill will cause food to stick to the grate, which can cause fish or poultry to fall apart when turned or lifted.

The best time to clean the grill is right after you use it, before the grill has had a chance to cool down. At this time, the bits of food and oil left on the grill are still fairly easy to remove, and you may be able to perform this task with nothing more than a stiff wire brush. If you wait until the next time you need your grill before cleaning it, any food that remains on the grill from your previous cookout will have already cooled, and may be too difficult to remove.

You can help prevent food from sticking to the grill by making sure that the grill is clean. Many people also spray the grill with vegetable oil, which is especially useful for preventing foods with high sugar content from sticking to the grill.

Why you should heat your grill thoroughly

A common mistake most beginners make is placing the food on the grill before it has heated up sufficiently. It is absolutely important to make sure that the grill is very hot before you begin, as this will prevent the food from sticking. More importantly, making sure that the grill is sufficiently hot will allow you to sear the outside of the food, which locks in flavor and moisture, and retains the tenderness of meat.

Grilling is as much a science as it is an art. Although you will likely go through a few burned chops or steaks that are as tough as an old rubber boot, a bit of practice and the tips outlined here will soon have you grilling like a pro!

You should look into the great possibilities of the education and training from culinary art schools.


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