BBQ Cooking Methods
There are a thousand ways to BBQ or cook meat, depending on region, style, taste, and local resources, so we will touch on a few of the most popular ones.
Grilling - what is often commonly thought of when someone says “I’m having a BBQ”. This is our classic American burgers, dogs, brats, steaks, chicken, etc. generally directly over or under high heat provided by a charcoal fire or gas grill. The food may be covered by a lid to provide wrap around heat, and is often exposed to temperatures above 300 degrees and even as high as 1200 degrees Fahrenheit such as a very quick and hot sear on a steak, while finishing off at a lower temperature before resting the meat for several minutes before serving. The purest might call a meal cooked this way a cookout vs. a barbecue, but if it’s good food, good friends and family, and good fun, it doesn’t really matter what you call it!
Spit Roasting - This is the perhaps the oldest method dating back many thousands of years, where a whole animal is impaled on a stick, spear, or sword and rotated, manually or via a motor in modern times, over an open fire.
Open Pit Roasting - the tradition pig roast where a long open put is dug, hot coals and/or rocks are placed in the bottom, the meat (generally a whole hog or other animal) is suspended just about the meat with a wooden or metal grate, and covered with green saplings or leaves that have been soaked in water, and left to smolder for many hours. (the Hawaiian version of a BBQ, the luau) The meat is generally basted with water, vinegar, and spices to keep it from burning. Modern day pits are often above ground and made from stones or bricks and is a tradition in Southern barbecue.
Closed Pit Roasting - this is the traditional smoker and there are many varieties. It involves the long, low, slow, smoky process of rendering down the fat and collagen, often of a tougher cut of meat, yielding a leaner, juicier and more tender morsel that can then be slathered in luscious regional sauce. This is the most common form of cooking barbecue today and is found in restaurants, competitions, and many backyards. Closed pit roasting can be done on most common grills, dedicated smokers, and even conventional home ovens using liquid smoke for that barbecue flavor and actually works remarkably well, though arguably, it is not nearly as fun as outdoor cooking!
Braising - braising involved creating a char by searing the meat over high heat, then lowering the temperature and letting the meat cook for several hours with moisture. The combination of high fast heat, and low wet heat/smoke create a unique tenderness and flavor and is a popular technique commonly used indoors.
