by Edward James

Created on: April 15, 2010

Grilling may be defined as “a fast way of cooking by radiant heat”. This is sometimes known as broiling. If asked to describe grilling many people would say it is cooking under a heat source, however there are in fact three main methods of grilling which include;

i) Cooking under a heat source

ii) Cooking over a heat source; and

iii) Cooking between heat sources.

A whole variety of foods can be grilled including fish (such as tuna steak and monkfish), a whole variety of meats (such as steak and burgers), numerous different vegetables (such as tomatoes and mushrooms),toasting items (such as bread and tea cakes) and sweet foods (such as marshmallows). Grilling is a very versatile way of cooking that is suitable for a whole range of different food items.

There are numerous advantages of grilling including food can be quickly cooked to order, the food is fully visible during grilling therefore it is easier to control the cooking aspect, grilling food (if done correctly) can enhance the flavour and give the food a distinctive appearance.

The main disadvantage of grilling is that it takes skill and practice to do it correctly. In the correct hands and if done correctly grilling will produce a nice, juicy, succulent and tasty steak, however if done incorrectly the same cut of steak could end up a dry and chewy lump resembling a piece of boot leather.

A barbeque may be defined as “a grill, pit or outdoor fireplace for roasting meat”. When asked to describe a barbeque many people would say it is a rack over a heat source consisting of coals or, in the case of a gas barbeque a rack over a heat source of gas. Taking this definition at face value it appears that barbequing is no more than grilling, however this assumption is incorrect as grilling and barbequing are two totally different methods of cooking.

Grilling is cooking at high temperatures very quickly. The rack containing the food is put directly over the coals, or gas turned over a few times and then served. This method of cooking is ideal for burgers, sausages, steaks, fish and other food items that don’t require much cooking but what about those larger cuts of meat or poultry which requires more cooking to make it edible and safe to eat.

This is where barbequing comes in since it is a method of cooking that is done at lower temperatures over a longer time period. “Proper” barbequing is carried out by lighting the coals and letting them burn out a little so the heat is not so fierce and intense. The food is then placed over the heat for a long period of time, which can be several hours to ensure that when it is cooked it is soft, tender and tasty.

Mistaking a barbeque for a grill is a common mistake as the guests of most “barbeques” actually get a grill up and not an authentic barbeque, and the traditional summer backyard barbeque where there is an abundance of burgers, sausages, steaks and the like is a prime example of this. It is important not to split hairs about this because at the end of the day both methods of cooking can result in fantastic tasting food that is not only succulent and tender but also looks good.

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