What is barbecue

The term "barbecue" has many meanings. This is the name for an outdoor party where meat is cooked over coals. In addition, the method of preparing succulent meat dishes is also called barbecue. It is also a kind of oven-roaster, in which juicy steaks and other products are cooked. And this is also a delicious sauce that is served to the table.

Barbecue – what is it in simple words?

More than three thousand years ago, Indian tribes called this a special grill on which people were literally fried. This torture was intended for the guilty. They were placed on grates over the fire and slowly turned. The brutal ritual has long since sunk into oblivion.

The term itself came to us from America, where this method of cooking meat over coals is considered traditional.

Barbecue - definition

Historically, it is an oven with open coals and a grate for roasting meat, fish, vegetables and other foods. It can be stationary and portable, but mobile phones are not very popular in our country. Russians prefer to take nature trips grill.

A stationary roaster is much more attractive. It is installed on a foundation, it can be stone or metal. It is heated by coals or powered by electricity or gas. There are many modifications and they all have different characteristics.

In the literal sense, a roasting pan is a deep, open-type bowl with a grate installed on top. Can be equipped with a lid.

The grate is adjustable in height, which makes it possible to bake food efficiently, from all sides, without burning. Unlike on the grill, you don’t have to turn the meat to get it fried and covered with an appetizing crust. Cooking saves time and does not require a long stay near the barbecue.

Difference from barbecue

Adaptations used in cooking to produce tasty and juicy meat covered with a crispy crust. In both cases, charcoal is used for kindling, but a barbecue is still a more complex technological device.

1. In the lower part of the brazier, the coals smolder for a long time, accumulating heat and distributing it evenly over the inner surface of the oven. Air access is limited, so heating takes much longer than lighting a barbecue.
2. The grate is located high, which is why cold air gets inside, enveloping pieces of food and sealing moisture and fat inside. Thanks to this, the meat remains juicy. In the grill, the skewers are close to the fire. The food is fried and the moisture evaporates from it.
3. Cooking on a grill requires the cook's close attention. You have to constantly turn the skewers to prevent the meat from burning. In a barbecue, everything is simpler: the steaks are placed on the grill and turned over only after one side is completely cooked.

In addition, the stoves differ in appearance. The grill is a simple rectangular metal structure on low metal legs. A barbecue is often a round oven with a metal bowl inside - coals smolder in it. The device also has a lid with several holes or a hood, but provided that the fryer is stationary.

Types of structures

There are many types of barbecue.Here you will find lightweight portable models for outdoor activities, as well as stationary devices that are installed in private home areas.

Several modifications are considered popular:

1. Brazier. A simple option with a movable grill and a built-in lid. It is characterized by its small dimensions and collapsible design with removable legs. This makes it possible to transport it from place to place or take it on hikes.
2. The boiler is a model that is in high demand, multifunctional and convenient. Used as a smokehouse or oven, you can install or remove the grate, as well as install skewers.
3. Tin construction. Disposable models are devices made of thin sheet metal, foldable and small in size. They are designed for outdoor trips and are used only once.
4. Cart. A device on wheels that is convenient to use in a private home. Provided that there is no specially equipped place to install a barbecue, a mobile brazier is very convenient. It can be stored in a garage or outbuilding, and, if necessary, moved outdoors.

In addition to those listed, there are models that operate from a gas pipe or electricity. Dishes on the grill are no less juicy, but do not have the unique aroma of wood.

Stationary structures are installed in gazebos in adjacent areas. For installation, fireproof bricks and an iron vat are used in which the coals will burn. Be sure to make an air duct and provide a lid with which to regulate the temperature in the oven.