| To start we must first dispense with some basic | | | | builder that can get real expensive, real fast. |
| concepts. Barbecue refers to low and slow cooking | | | | Typically, someone with a single-family home with a |
| (think pulled pork, beef brisket, tender and juicy pork | | | | garage for storage, or a storage shed of some type, |
| ribs). Grilling refers to hot and fast cooking (think | | | | would be more likely to own an offset cooker versus |
| steaks, pork chops, hamburger and various kinds of | | | | someone living in an efficiency-sized apartment in the |
| kabobs). | | | | heart of a downtown metropolitan area. |
| Generally speaking, barbecue refers to cooking with | | | | The compact size of a ceramic grill like the Big Green |
| wood over a low heat in order to bring the internal | | | | Egg and ready availability of charcoal might suit |
| temperature of the meat being cooked up to edible | | | | someone living in an apartment better. If portability is |
| temperature slowly so as to avoid losing moisture (i.e. | | | | a consideration, the offset is less of an option, since |
| tenderness) from large cuts of meat. For example, | | | | it takes usually takes two or more people to |
| cooking a 14 lb. beef brisket using the hot and fast | | | | comfortably move a small offset (without wheels), |
| method will most likely leave you with meat that is | | | | or even a vehicle to move some of the larger ones |
| burnt on the outside and raw in the middle. Many | | | | with wheels that can weigh upwards of 3,000 lbs. |
| barbecue cooks use indirect heat (i.e. fire source is | | | | Anyone can learn to cook some real fine bbq using |
| offset from the cooking chamber) versus direct heat | | | | any of the cookers mentioned above. The |
| (i.e. first source is located in direct proximity to the | | | | ever-popular "kettle" grill can turn-out some good 'que |
| cooking chamber) to help combat this issue. | | | | also, with some patience and understanding of proper |
| Some examples of indirect-style barbecue cookers | | | | fire control techniques. I've eaten some excellent bbq |
| versus direct style barbecue cookers are the | | | | made by cooking a whole hog using a chicken wire |
| ever-popular "tank-style" cookers, such as those | | | | framed up with metal rods and then perched on top |
| made by Ben Lang and David Klose; compared to the | | | | of concrete blocks. |
| increasingly popular style of direct-style barbecue | | | | Some obvious advantages of using an offset smoker: |
| cookers like the Primo, Kamado and Big Green Egg, | | | | 1) larger cooking area (generally speaking), 2) |
| or simply BGE for short. There are many variations | | | | horizontal cooking surface and the ability to cook |
| and options for cookers other than these specific | | | | multiple meats at the same time, 3) bigger physical |
| manufacturers. | | | | size creates a feeling of "machissimo", 4) "traditional" |
| For most people, the choice of cookers is | | | | method keeps you highly involved in the cooking |
| highly-dependent upon several factors including: 1) | | | | process because you have to constantly stoke the |
| availability of wood and the cost of buying wood | | | | fire (some might also call this a disadvantage). |
| versus availability of charcoal (lump or briquettes), 2) | | | | Advantages of the ceramic grills like the BGE, Primo, |
| room for storing the cooker when not in use, 3) | | | | and Kamado: 1) easy to store, 2) ceramic |
| budget, 4) experience, and 5) personal preference, or | | | | construction holds heat very well, 3) ability to |
| some might call it "ego". | | | | maintain higher temperatures allow use as a grill or |
| Someone living in an apartment might find it difficult | | | | smoker, 4) a little charcoal goes a long way, 5) with |
| to justify the purchase of a big offset cooker, not | | | | a little practice, temperature control requires very |
| only due to a lack of wood supply, but also for a lack | | | | little effort/monitoring. |
| of inside storage space when the cooker is not being | | | | Always remember, it's the bbq cook and not bbq |
| used. Offset cookers range in price from the typical | | | | cooker or grill that determines the quality of your |
| $150-hardware store budget conscious variety, to | | | | bbq. Which cooker you choose is matter of personal |
| the top-of-the-line pits manufactured by a master pit | | | | choice. |