Barbeque Techniques: Two Methods to Consider

When it comes to barbequing, there are two main schools of thought for the techniques that you can use. 

The first of these techniques – and the most popular method for those who grill in their back yards – is the style where the food is cooked directly over the source of heat.  This way, the food is rapidly cooked on a hot grill suspended directly over the charcoals, the wood, or the gas burners.  Rarely is the lid ever closed. Any foods, including the most tender cuts, hamburgers, steaks, kabobs of all kinds, chicken, and even vegetables are quickly seared and cooked to perfection using this technique.  If sauces are desired, they can be added before hand, during the cooking process, or even after the food comes off the grill.  These choices will all create different and enjoyable tastes and flavors.

The second barbeque cooking technique uses heat indirectly.  This is more appropriate when you’re cooking much larger or whole cuts of meat, such as especially thick steaks, roasts, a whole hog, or a pork shoulder.  When you’re cooking using this method, the food is cooked away from the actual source of heat.  This usually requires a water pan of some kind in order to maintain the moisture level of the food.  The temperatures generally sit in around 250ºF.  During this cooking method, the lid of the barbeque remains closed most of the time, and the length of the cooking is much longer than in the first method.  When you’re using an indirect barbeque cooker, there is usually an additional fire box that allows you to combine charcoal and wooden logs for burning.  This allows the heat and the smoke to rise through the cooking chamber where the meat is, so that it is heated perfectly.  The rule of thumb of this technique is a low temperature for a long time.

No matter which method you use, it’s important not to cook your meat too quickly.  If the internal temperature of your meat rises too quickly as you cook it, the water and the fat within it will be expelled before the collagen is able to melt.  This means that your cut will be dry and tough.  However, you cannot cook too slowly or you will risk a bacterial contamination.  Though there is a fine line for barbequing properly, it’s important to find that line and stick to it.

If you’re already dealing with a cut of meat that is tough, such as a brisket or a pork roast, consider cooking slowly as the collagen adds flavor to the meat.  If you buy a less tough, more expensive cut, you can cook at a higher temperature for a shorter period of time. This is why ribs and steaks take such a short time to cook, while pork shoulders or beef brisket can run up to 20 hours.

As a final note, it’s important to have fun while you barbeque! Your pleasure will come through in your cooking as it will leave you motivated, and willing to try new and interesting things.