10 BBQ Commandments

10 BBQ Commandments


ok........ BBQ fans lets read this http://food.aol.com/grilling/steven-raichlen-ten-grilling-commandments and critique the hell out of it...........lol
what's right, what's wrong

He's talking about grilling, not barbecuing.

That said, I think thats probably a useful, practical list for somebody who is new to grilling. I don' think it will cause any religious wars like an article on the 'right' way to barbecue, but knowing my fellow Roadfood posters, I could be wrong

Hey, guys, since the title of the article that the link leads to is (and I cut and pasted this, so I can't be making it up): Steven Raichlen's 10 Grilling Commandments. The link says the same thing in lower case with dashes between each word, so why comment on it and compare grilling to barbecueing when the point is moot?

The one true commandment for BBQ: LOW and SLOW! Oh, add one more commandment: Don't use Mesquite! Ok, so make that 2 commanments.

quote:

Originally posted by Big Ugly Mich

The link says the same thing in lower case with dashes between each word, so why comment on it and compare grilling to barbecueing when the point is moot?

Actually I think someone who is learning the basics of grilling ought to find out pretty early on that grilling is not barbecuing. I think the subject of barbecue vs. grilling is on-topic in this thread.

I guess this kind of ties in with the sort of fanaticism people have about barbecuing (me included). The fact that people take barbecue so seriously is one of the most fun aspects of the whole thing.

PS - I'm defintely not saying barbecuing is better than grilling, they're just different. I like both and do both as often as I can.

After you grill, do you call it bbq or grilled food ?

Holy-Smoke!. I got a few smart-asses to know the difference between grilling and BBQ-ing.
I'm disappointed Michael H. didn't chime in. He must be out shootings wild gerbils for tomorrows BBQ
The hyperlink that took me here was subject lined "10 BBQ tips" and when I clicked on it I got "10 grilling commandments" ............. I immediately thought, now here's a subject that will stir the pot.
Question........? what's a BBQ Grill? ......every retailer in the country sells "BBQ Grills",
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&as_qdr=all&q=+%22BBQ+Grills%22+&btnG=Search
There are millions and millions of Americans this week-end BBQ-ing in there back yards. Are they smarter then we? or 90% of the populous just don't know the difference?

disclaimer ....the word smart-asses used above is meant as a term of endearment and in no way should be misconstrued as a putdown ........except for "Al da Mayor" who is in a whole intellectual category of his own.

quote:

Originally posted by LuckyLabrador
After you grill, do you call it bbq or grilled food ?

Grilled.

Brad

quote:

Originally posted by Brad_Olson

quote:

Originally posted by LuckyLabrador
After you grill, do you call it bbq or grilled food ?

Grilled.

Brad

Ok, Brad. Let's face it. Most folks using their grill are going to call it BBQ. But, most will also include the term, "grilled" as well.

I was invited over to some dudes hous for "Barbecue" and he was making hot dogs and hamburgs. I think some people use it as a verb. I should have dumped his grill over and left.

quote:

Originally posted by twinwillow

quote:

Originally posted by Brad_Olson

quote:

Originally posted by LuckyLabrador
After you grill, do you call it bbq or grilled food ?

Grilled.

Brad

Ok, Brad. Let's face it. Most folks using their grill are going to call it BBQ. But, most will also include the term, "grilled" as well.

Hmmm...perhaps I shouldn't have been so terse. I was answering in the first person and not absolutes; a better answer would've been "I call it grilled". I see your point, though.

To me the "improper" use of various forms of "barbecue" seems to be more prevalent in places where it's not as deeply rooted in history. Here in the upper Midwest I grew up believing that "barbecue" always indicated the presence of a tomatoey red sauce, although I can't recall my dad ever using a word other than some form of "grill" to describe what he was doing and what he was cooking on.

Brad

Grilling...not BBQ.

quote:

Originally posted by V960

Grilling...not BBQ.

I think it is difficult for some people to comprehend that when people in different parts of the country call "grilling" as BBQ that they mean no offense. Where I was brought up, when someone invited you over for a barbeque, it was food done on the grill and it was delcious and everyone was happy. It is just a general term. For example, I have heard some people say that they are having baked beans for dinner. Then they open a can of "so called baked beans" and heat them. That is not what I call baked beans but so what? To some areas of the country "grens" for dinner means long cooked greens such as collards. In other parts of the country. greens are usually served in the form of a fresh salad.

I do not get hung up on regional differences in what one calls something.

ok, back to the topic.
i noticed one very important piece of info left out of the commandments.........BEER gotta have one, between each step of the grillin

quote:

Originally posted by Greymo

quote:

Originally posted by V960

Grilling...not BBQ.

I think it is difficult for some people to comprehend that when people in different parts of the country call "grilling" as BBQ that they mean no offense. Where I was brought up, when someone invited you over for a barbeque, it was food done on the grill and it was delcious and everyone was happy. It is just a general term. For example, I have heard some people say that they are having baked beans for dinner. Then they open a can of "so called baked beans" and heat them. That is not what I call baked beans but so what? To some areas of the country "grens" for dinner means long cooked greens such as collards. In other parts of the country. greens are usually served in the form of a fresh salad.

I do not get hung up on regional differences in what one calls something.

In NC if you invite someone to a bbq it had better be pork cooked low and slow and not dome California grill fest. "We're grilling steaks" is ok but in the South BBQ is a product not a procedure. Maybe saying " we're bbqing some shoulders (pork of course) is acceptable but I've never heard it. Here we say "BBQ will be ready at three and beer at one"

Where I grew up (Syr., NY), you really have to listen to know what is being served, when it comes to BBQ.

"Come on over, I'm having a barbecue." meant: come over for food I'm cooking on the BBQ grill - probably hot dogs and hambugers, but could include chicken thighs and chicken legs too, most likely basted in BBQ sauce and possibly marinaded.

"Come on over, I'm making barbecue" meant, low and slow. and most likely was ribs. (9 out of 10 times the person is talking about ribs) But it also included BBQ sauce. Because no one used just a rub if at all. Sometimes, this sentence could be replaced with "come on over, I'm doin' ribs." In this case, low and slow rib bbq is infered: as is "you bring the beer."

A "chicken barbecue" meant whole chickens rubbed and rotated on a spit.

"Barbecuing chicken" meant grilling chicken legs and chicken thighs on the BBQ, again, using a sauce. Possibly marinaded. But usually in that case, they'd say "we're grilling some chicken I've been marinading for hours." Or, if you were in the southern tier, they'd say, "we're makin' speedies" cuz that's the only real marinading I ever saw down there.

A "pig roast" meant a whole hog on a spit. Growing up, this simply was as close to southern BBQ as you were going to get. No one in the 'burbs owned a real smoker. So the spit was it.

So, when in the North, you just have to listen closely to know what you're getting into when a friend mentions "barbecue." don't just hear the word "barbecue" - you need to hear the context in which the word barbecue has been used.

When the family gets together they ask if I am gonna bbq, I always ask what's on the menu for the day?

Their reply "burgers, dawgs, ribs (actually riblets), and chicken"

My reply "Nope, but i will be grillin"

I rarely get the sticker burners out for the family, they don't appreciate it as much (bunch of worthless freeloaders)


Score - I really liked your break down of the differant ways of grillin or Qin

For me up to about 15 years ago BBQing meant cooking food over direct fire outside. Almost always done on a BBQ (Weber grill) I started doing real BBQ about 25 years ago but had kept the same term for both.

As I progressed in the world of true Qing my language changed too. Now I either grill or I BBQ and the family has learned the difference.

In Calif. we always invited people over for a BBQ, which could have meant any meat cooked over a grill. Rarely was it true Q.

MikeS.

well HOLY CRAP...if ever there was a time for an epiphany this is it. I grew up in Californina where BBQing is "grilling" and whatever you can cook over an open flame is fair game. When we moved out to Tx our very good friends said "we're having bbq for dinner tonight, join us" and I said "oh good, what are we eating" and the response was "bbq". We ended up eating pulled pork on a bun and I thought, thats not bbq, but now I get it. ALright so grilling is food cooked over and open flame and bbq is slow cooked with sauce right?? Does this finally make me a texan lol?

Cooked with sauce? NO! NO! NO! NO!

For this Texan, sauce, is what's on someone elses plate.

alright well then I'm still confused.... I think maybe Im destined to be confused when it comes to this topic. I'll tell ya though.. I like my steaks naked, if it needs sauce I'm not gonna eat it. I like my ribs messy and tender and I still havent had good pulled pork sandwiches. Also, where does deep pit fit into these categories? Is it considered bbq because its slow?

quote:

Originally posted by MikeS.

For me up to about 15 years ago BBQing meant cooking food over direct fire outside. Almost always done on a BBQ (Weber grill) I started doing real BBQ about 25 years ago but had kept the same term for both.

As I progressed in the world of true Qing my language changed too. Now I either grill or I BBQ and the family has learned the difference.

In Calif. we always invited people over for a BBQ, which could have meant any meat cooked over a grill. Rarely was it true Q.

MikeS.

I am in the same boat as you. I learned that what I did wasn't Southern regional BBQ as my wife was from Memphis. So what? I was doing and thought the same way. I have learned the difference between BBQ and grilling since then.
California BBQ is different. It is reflected in 'Two For The Road', where starting on page 114 is a full description of Santa Maria BBQ. This may be a abomination to some as it isn't cooked forever and is usually served medium-rare.

The smoked for hours procedure is regional and does not reflect how it is done in many cultures. There seems to be a belief that what is done in a very provincial region of America is the only way to do things. I am interested in how the World cooks over an open flame.

Now after having said all this, I do believe that smoking low and slow is the best way. I may still be a cretin as I like my ribs wet with a caramelized glaze produced by the heat.

mark

As far as Raichlen's tips, I have his Raichlen on Ribs, Ribs, Outrageous Ribs. He also has written How to Grill: The Complete Illustrated Book of Barbecue Techniques, so that will show you his bent. He takes the time to explain the differences between grilling and true barbecuing, but understands and admits that the term BBQing has come to mean grilling for millions of Americans.

By and large, I think he makes good sense when it comes to cooking technique. In "Ribs Ribs Ribs" he points out the advantages of using a true smoker or BBQ rig, but also points out that the key is the "low and slow", and "if all you have is an oven, here's how to make BBQ with it." He shows how to adapt a gas or charcoal grill to "low and slow", and if that saves a few million racks of ribs from the indignity of direct grilling, then he has performed a great service to the world, as far as I'm concerned! He prefers ribs that aren't "falling off the bone"; he believes that good ribs have a little bit of bite to them. He describes the technique of parboiling ribs first, and why some people adhere to it (breaks down the connective tissue), but he doesn't recommend it.

His fault, to me, is that his recipes are overly complicated and use too many strange ingredients. It's like one of those cookbooks that reads well, but no one ever tries to use. I remember once, years ago, trying to make some chicken dish from The Silver Palate Cookbook; I spent a day tracking down oddball herbs and spices, and I got the proper tools (I think I had to get a mallet to pound the chicken flat). I know how to cook and I followed the instructions to the letter, and the dish was inedible. It was as if no one thought someone would actually try to make it, that the author would never actually get called on the recipe. When I read Raichlen's recipes, I think about wasting a good rack of ribs on a similar escapade. Just let me rub them and bbq them, and I'm fine.

The grilling tips that he gives in the referenced article? All good, IMO. That's where he's strongest, his technique is excellent.


Tom

Commandment number 11. DRINK BEER If you're drinking beer you ain't got time to keep opening the lid and inspecting your handiwork.