There is nothing better than relaxing in the sunshine with the BBQ smoking, a cool drink in your hand and the smell of juicy char-grilled steak. The barbecue is very popular in the the States, the UK and Australia, who are known for having Christmas BBQ parties.
BBQs make great summer social gatherings, where people invite their friends over and play some backyard games like volleyball, or even just a bit of party poker while the food cooks, then sit outside eating their hot-dogs and burgers in the sunshine. But did you know there is more to a BBQ than just making the meat go black? There are three main ways you can cook food on the BBQ, they are smoking, baking and braising.
Most commercial BBQs use gas to get the wood chips smoking. The type of coal or wood chips you use, gives a totally different taste and smell to your food. Smoking is considered a low and slow method, but the meat tastes more fragrant and is full of flavour. Meats like chicken or beef, soak up the aromatic fumes which enhance the flavour and helps keep the meat tender and moist. However, fish certainly works the best. If you sprinkle brown sugar over a large salmon fillet, wrap it in some tinfoil and smoke it, you will be left with a very moist fillet with a caramelized sweet topping.
You can even bake on a BBQ. The most commonly baked foods are jacket potatos. It is much quicker than the oven, plus, the potato skin has a char-grilled taste to it. Alternatively, why not try baking bananas for your dessert? Simply take a banana, make a shallow split and stuff it with chocolate chunks and nuts. Then wrap it in tinfoil and place on the BBQ. When you open the foil the chocolate would have melted, leaving you with a warm gooey banana covered in melted chocolate and nuts.
If you love casseroles, then you can even braise your meal on a BBQ. By placing your ingredients in a pot and letting it simmer for a few hours over the heat, your meat will come out moist and soft. ?
