Cooking Techniques

Barbecuing outside has always been considered a beloved American pastime. However, there is a new trend that is revolutionizing how we cook our food outdoors. Infrared grilling is the new...

Most charcoal grills have multiple vents to draw in fresh oxygen for the fire and exhaust the smoke produced. Closing all the vents and placing the lid over the top of the grill will seal it well...

Sometimes the hardest part of grilling is getting the fire lit. Lighting a gas grill is straightforward, but charcoal grills can be tricky. The success of your fire can depend on the wind and...

People have been cooking with wood since the dawn of humankind. Charcoal briquettes are by comparison an exceedingly recent invention and, many barbecue aficionados would add, inferior from a...

A Primo grill is an oval-shaped ceramic grill. These grills can be used to cook commonly grilled items such as poultry and meat, and they can also be used for making pizza, cookies and bread by...

Gas grilling is an alternative to charcoal grilling with its own set of techniques and tips to learn. The pros and cons of gas grilling in comparison to charcoal are a hotly debated topic amongst...

Cook beef brisket on a grill for a tender, delicious barbecue feast. For the most tender results, buy the right cut of beef and slow cook your brisket on a grill set up for indirect grilling....

Use a drum smoker to slow cook meats with a delicious, smoky taste. You can easily and cheaply build your own drum smoker with supplies you can purchase from local food suppliers and hardware...

Smoking meat is all about the temperature, which must be low, and the heat source, which must be indirect. Making this happen inside a Weber kettle grill is a snap. While Weber recommends the...

Preparing food on a grill is a great way to add variety to your meals. If you are not a frequent grill user, or if you have a new grill, you need to "season" it first for the best results....

Cooking a whole chicken over a fire pit presents several obstacles to finishing with an evenly cooked chicken. The whole chicken's shape, and the heat patterns of a fire pit, often cause the legs...

If you want to smoke a brisket or other meat "Texas style," you will want to use a Texas smoker, which is simply a charcoal or wood-burning barbecue smoker that is separate from the smoking...

Grilling corn on a charcoal grill brings out its sweetness and is a great complement to any barbecue. While there are many recipes for grilled corn, the technique for grilling it is what is most...

Though "London broil" refers to a preparation technique, some cooks and butchers use it to refer to several "tough" cuts of beef meat, such as sirloin tip and flank steak. In a more traditional...

An outdoor barbecue is a must for any meat enthusiast. There is nothing better than the smell of meat cooking on a sunny Sunday afternoon, especially if you have some beer and a few friends....

There's an ongoing debate among people who love to barbeque; which is better, natural charcoal or standard charcoal briquettes? Purists might say that they prefer natural, while for others...

Biochar is a type of charcoal that is very high in carbon content, which allows it to lock carbon into the soil. Biochar has existed for the past 2,500 years, but scientists have only recently...

Barbecuing with charcoal is a great outdoor cooking method for slow-cooked, flavorful food. The process is different from charcoal grilling, where food is cooked on a rack that sits directly over...

Weber grills famously burn charcoal, cooking food in a metal kettle with a cooking grate. Cooking on a Weber charcoal grill presents various challenges and problems in meal timing and safety....

The taste of meat cooked over an open flame is loved by people around the world. This taste is not produced by merely cooking meat outdoors or by the open flame itself. The smoke from the...

A smoker uses charcoal, wood, and water to cook food slowly over a low fire and to impart to the food the flavor of wood smoke. A smoker tenderizes meat while cooking it. If you have the time and...

You’ve got the grill, the beer and the friends. Everyone is coming over for dinner and you have decided to cook out. Nothing satisfies quite like a good steak while hoisting a pint of good ale...

Grilling with charcoal is one of the oldest forms of outdoor food preparation. Grilling can add unique flavor to a variety of meats and vegetables. Learning to use a grill is relatively easy, as...

The combination of salmon and the zesty tones of hardwood smoke make for a delicious main course, appetizer or snack. Smoking salmon from home requires the right equipment and patience but is...

There is nothing like it in the world. You invite a few friends over, get some beers and grill a few burgers on the grill. The question is, how do you make the best burgers possible? We’ve all...

Curing a charcoal grill will help prevent rust on cast-iron parts, while sealing the interior finish to prevent corrosion. The process takes a few hours, but once cured, the grill will be ready...

Grilling or barbecuing food produces more flavorful and savory dishes than most methods of cooking. However, within the grilling world, there is debate as to which type of grill is better....

The Charbroil Silver Smoker is two outdoor cooking appliances in one: you can slow-cook meats, poultry and fish using the attached firebox for flavorful barbecue, or you can serve up steaks,...

With a Brinkmann Sportsman Smoker you can prepare up to 50 pounds of meat at a time, enough to feed the whole crew. Shaped like a fireplug, the Brinkmann Sportsman's vertical design burns charcoal...

Many people enjoy using gas grills for their ease of use and efficiency. Frustrations caused by flare ups and hot spots encourage the use of a wide variety of briquettes and other products....

If you own a Brinkman smoker, don't think you will only be able to smoke meat on it. Converting it into a regular charcoal grill is relatively simple and you will not have to purchase anything...

Adding smoked flavor to beef steaks, wild game or chicken creates a whole new sensation for the palette. Smoking is also great for making jerky. It takes some effort and time to produce quality...

Ok so you have dumped in your charcoal and you go to light the pile, but the charcoal just wont keep the flame. I know how that goes, I used to hate using charcoal for just that reason. That is...

The debate rages on and on. This is one of the most controversial topics in all of grilling. Grilling gurus everywhere swear by lump charcoal, and other grilling gurus everywhere else swear by...

Roasting a pig, whether it be over a rotisserie grill or over a fire pit, is one of the classic ways to prepare a large amount of succulent meat. If done properly, it will be a guaranteed hit at...

Smoking meats is the technique of adding flavor to your grilling with the use of wood chips. There are different types of chips for various meats. Ensuring that your meat has the richest flavor...

Lighting a BBQ is a simple task that does not require a lot of skill. What it does require however is patience and caution. Since BBQ'ing is one of the tastiest and healthiest ways to eat, this...

A simple chicken barbecue can turn a mundane weekend into a great party. With a little bit of planning and preparation, barbecuing a chicken is one of the best ideas for a party, for a picnic at...

Smoking a whole hog for old-fashioned barbecue separates the real outdoor chefs from the great pretenders. When you've mastered the ability to thoroughly cook an entire beast over a smoldering,...

Grillers continue the battle for the best cooking method: gas grills or charcoal grills. Each method has pros and cons, but in the end, it comes down to personal preference.

While most professional barbecuers claim to prefer charcoal grills, gas grills are equally as popular and just as efficient and flavorful for grilling food. They're a cooking tool like any other,...

Grilling enthusiasts know that charcoal enhances more flavors in grilled foods than gas grilling. Charcoal can also be more time consuming and challenging to cook with, but charcoal fans agree...

Outdoor grilling is a way of life for many people during the summer months and for some, it is a year-round activity. The key to a successful outdoor-grilling experience is safety. Ensuring that...

A barbecue smoker will help you prepare loose, succulent meat for you and your family. A smoker is different from a regular grill because food takes longer to cook and is cooked at a lower...

Grilling outdoors is one of America's favorite pastimes. There aren't many things better than relaxing in the sun with some cold beverages and cooking hamburgers or hot dogs on the grill. But in...

Charcoal smokers provide a more tender texture and richer flavor to food than other types of outdoor cookers, but it does take longer for food to cook. Doing double duty as smokers and grills,...

Grilling meat on a barbeque represents an American summertime tradition. By taking proper precautions, you can barbecue safely on a grill. And the results will turn out even better than cooking...

Weber charcoal grills have a reputation of durability and cooking up some tasty meals. Some Weber charcoal grills have been known to last 10 years and longer before a replacement was needed. One...

Lighting a charcoal fire in your grille can be a real pain in the butt. Traditional kindling can take forever and is dependent on weather conditions. Chemical starting-fluid presents a potential...

Smokers are available in two main types. Either type can be used with charcoal to do a good job of maintaining the low even temperature required to properly smoke meat. Smoking is a long...